Mullahoran win 5-3 on free-kicks.
That’s not the scoreline the Cavan champs were dreaming about but it’s the one that matters and it’s the one that’s taking them to an Ulster final.
Themselves and Derry’s Banagher could only be separated by a free-kick shootout in their Ulster intermediate football semi-final in the Athletic Grounds on Saturday night.
It’s a cruel way for Banagher to bow out but there had to be a winner on the night. Each one of the five Mullahoran free-kick takers showed balls like Bengali tigers to slot their kicks when the pressure was on so they were well-deserving of their win.
AIB Ulster Club IFC Semi Final
Mullahoran: 0-0(0)
Banagher: 0-0(0)Mullahoran team selection pic.twitter.com/tHZGLePgHc
— Official Cavan GAA (@CavanCoBoardGaa) November 17, 2018
The football was intense and it was tight up in Armagh. Mullahorn’s full forward Philip Brady scored a goal after 14 minutes and that gave them the upper hand early on.
Banagher were always breathing down their necks though, and the teams went point for point all the way up to the hour mark.
AIB Ulster Club IFC Semi Final #UlsterClub
Mullahoran: 0-1(1)
Banagher: 0-2(2)Banagher team selection pic.twitter.com/WPOXzCKGu2
— Official Cavan GAA (@CavanCoBoardGaa) November 17, 2018
The scores were tied at 1-9 to 0-12 with the hour played and so they headed for extra-time.
Banagher started the brighter in the first period of extra-time and they led by two points at one stage. Mullahorn never let up though and Shane Sheils and that man Brady pointed them back into the game.
Extra-extra-time then and this time Mullahoran would race into a two point lead. Just as had happened minutes earlier, however, they weren’t let pull away with Shane Farren and Peter Hagan standing up at the death for the men of Derry.
The drama was only getting going. The shootout began and you can watch it here.
The crowd were giddy, the players were tense, the tension was palpable.
Mal McMullan of the Derry Post was there for the shootout and he posted a clip of the shootout on Twitter.
At around 3:30 in the video, a spectator tries to put a kicker off…he gets some response.
— County Derry Post (@derrypost) November 17, 2018
The emotion on both sides, after Cormac O’Reilly slotted the winner, was madness.
Mullahoran march on.
Cormac O’Reilly makes it 5 & @MullahoranGAA go through to final. #thetoughest Very hard luck Banagher
— Official Cavan GAA (@CavanCoBoardGaa) November 17, 2018
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