Minor Championship: Killeavy 0-15 Silverbridge 1-1
The saga of this first round championship game came to a successful end for Killeavy when they came through as comfortable
winners against Silverbridge. Killeavy were forced to field a weakened team as the match had been refixed for the night before
the u16 county final in which a number of team members were due to play.
The match began with Killeavy enjoying good possession but being guilty of overplaying the ball in the forward sector and missing
several good chances to take the lead. Indeed it was Silverbridge who put the first score on the board with a well taken point.
It took 15 minutes for Killeavy to register their first score through County star Conor King but they went on a spree for the rest
of the half with seven more points without reply from King(3), Chris McKnight(2), James Donnelly and Darren Bennett.
However just as Killeavy looked to be going in at the break with a comfortable lead, Silverbridge raided up the field and a
quick ball into their forward line saw a break in an otherwise excellent defence resulting in the only goal of the game.
Half Time: Killeavy 0-08 Silverbridge 1-1
The second half followed the pattern of the first with Killeavy missing several chances before Colm McEnaney stretched the
lead with a strong run through the Silverbridge defence. Conor King followed up with perhaps the score of the game - a superb point from fully forty yards out.
Silverbridge then suffered a serious blow when their midfielder and County star Peter Carragher was forced off with an ankle injury.
Everyone in Killeavy and Armagh will be hoping that he can recover in time to join James Donnelly in Armagh's midfield for the upcoming All-Ireland semi-final against Kerry.
Without Carragher's influence in the middle of the field, Killeavy ran out comfortable winners adding five more points through King (2),
Cathal O'Hara, Donnelly and Michael McEvoy. Special mention to the Silverbridge keeper who brought off two excellent saves to thwart goal bound efforts.
Praise also for the Killeavy defence in which Kealan Downey, Paddy Falloon and Lonnie Larkin were outstanding for restricting the visitors to only
two scores over the hour.
At the final whistle a comfortable 0-15 to 1-01 victory for Killeavy which sees them safely through to the next round but the injury to young
Carragher left a bitter taste to an excellent night's football.
