If only a match which started 40 minutes late because of a refereeing mix up could have finished one minute early then Killeavy would
have been celebrating a much needed win to boost their chances of survival in Division 1 of the All-County League. As it was a last minute
Ronan Austin free from all of 60 yards salvaged a point for Clan na Gael and left Killeavy still requiring something from their last game
against Sarsfields in order to avoid the drop to Division 2.
With both teams on the field at the appointed time, frantic phone calls had to be made to find a referee to replace the original who failed to appear.
Stephen Murray from the Wolfe Tones club stepped into the breach and went on to have an excellent hour.
The match started with Clans taking a two point lead before Killeavy hit back with a superb catch and finish to the net from Seamus Toner.
A fisted point from Clans levelled matters before Killeavy went ahead again through a Steven McDonnell free. Two points in a row from Clans
were then answered with two similar scores from Killeavy, the first of which came from Anthony O'Hare who reacted well to a knock down from
Toner and the second a pointed 45 from Mark Stanfield sending the teams into the break with a one point lead 1.03 to 0.05.
Half-Time Clan na Gael 0-05 Killeavy 1-03
The shortest half-time interval ever was followed by the floodlights coming on for the second half as the darkness came over Lurgan.
The second half was nip and tuck with two Steven McDonnell frees coming either side of two home points. Clans levelled again before Killeavy
went two clear with fine efforts from play by Mark Stanfield. A point from Clans followed by one from Seamus Toner and two more from Clans
had the sides level with only minutes left. A Steven McDonnell free after a foul on Barry Magee seemed to have got the spoils for Killeavy but
then Ronan Austin stepped up with the last kick of the game to level matters for the sixth and last time.
A point was scant reward for all their efforts in this match but at least Killeavy had managed to stop the rot of a losing sequence of seven games.
A break from league action next week as Killeavy take on St. Patrick's in the championship but the final match of the league is looming
on the horizon with Killeavy needing to take maximum points in Sarsfields to preserve their top-flight status.
