Mullahoran 0-11
Ballinagh 1-8

Ballinagh and Mullahoran must do it all again after they were inseparable in tonight's senior championship tussle at Kingspan Breffni Park.

With a quarter-final berth up for grabs, this contest failed live up to expectations and ultimately became a shootout between opposing marksmen Colin Gumley (1-4) and Enda O'Reilly (0-7) for large portions as Mullahoran were made recover from the early concession of a penalty from the former.

Ballinagh were without injured star forward Niall McDermott, lost midfield dynamo Padraic O'Reilly to a black card early in the second and had to watch as the Dreadnoughts grinded their way back into the game before half-time and  moved into the lead by the 37th minute with O'Reilly and newly crowned five-time world handball champion Paul Brady to the fore for them.

With Paul's brother Philip coming off the bench to make a major contribution in the last quarter, Gerry Cadden's side looked to be headed for victory but Gumley held his nerve to strike two fantastic points late on and make sure these two contenders will meet again at mid-week.

A lively start helped Ballinagh reaped maximum profit from their first attack, with Patrick Carroll steaming through and getting himself axed down in the square for a penalty. In McDermott's absence, Gumley tucked away the spot kick with expertise, wrong-footing Dominic Cadden in the Mullahoran goal, and when Thomas Moore added a point the Saffrons looked to be rolling.

Mullahoran wouldn't really get going at all in first-half regulation and had to rely on frees from the deadly O'Reilly, recently returned from injury, but scores from Kevin Smith, Gumley (free) and new-look full-forward Anthony Gaynor were more than enough to keep the Killydoon men at bay heading towards half-time.

As they often do, the Dreadnoughts resolved in the closing stage of the half, with Paul Brady sending over their first from play in the 25th minute and O'Reilly backing it up with a perfectly stroked 45. O'Reilly would have time notch his fifth as well, just before the short whistle, leaving it at 1-4 to 0-6 at the halfway stage.

It made for an intriguing second-half and O'Reilly picked up where he left off by levelling the sides inside a minute with another placed ball. Ballinagh had a quick response this time, with substitute Ronan O'Reilly curling over a beauty from top of the right, but the Dreadnoughts were certainly knocking on their door and their opponents' cause wouldn't be helped by a black card for talisman Padraic O'Reilly.

The faultless O'Reilly sent over his seventh free to punish Ballinagh's indiscipline at the back some more and from the resultant kick-out Peter Paul Galligan found Chris Prior in yards of space and the wing back clipped over for Mullahoran's first lead. It was a short-lived one as Gumley levelled three minutes later, but disaster was avoided at the other end for Ballinagh after Declan Beard did brilliantly to turn Galligan's goal-bound effort around the post.

Instead Morris's men moved back in front via a 35-metre free from the in-form Gumley, which Paul Brady erased after being put through by his brother Philip, making for a nervy finish.

Ballinagh hoped to have the final say, with Gumley looping one over from the flank, but Mullahoran grinded it out until the last whistle and it was their fresh legs that ensured a replay here, after Paddy Brady gathered up some loose possession from a broken down Mullahoran attack and quickly released Philip Brady for the equaliser.

It means that the two sides will have to battle it out for another hour at the same venue on Wednesday night (throw-in 8.15pm) for a place in the last eight.

Mullahoran: Dominic Crudden; Matthew Hynes, James Reilly, Seanie Smith; Raymond Lynch, Michael Brady, Chris Prior (0-1); Killian Brady, Kevin Fitzsimons; Damien McArdle, Peter Paul Galligan, Tomas Nannery; Paul Brady (0-2), Enda O'Reilly (0-7, 6f, 1 45), Jason Donoghue. Subs: Paddy Brady for D McArdle (24mins), Philip Brady (0-1) for J Donoghue (43), Sean McKeogh for M Brady (52).

Ballinagh: Declan Beard; Fergus Bogue, Patrick Carroll, Killian McBride; Damien McInerney, Niall O'Reilly, Philip Bogue; Padraic O'Reilly, Thomas Moore (0-1); Kevin Smith (0-1), David Finnegan, Eamon McEvoy; Colin Gumley (1-4, 2f, 1 pen), Anthony Gaynor (0-1), Enda Brady. Subs: Peter Donohoe for D McInerney (27mins, inj), Ronan O'Reilly (0-1) for E Brady (HT), Sean Keating for P O'Reilly (37, BC).

Ref: James Clarke (Killinkere)

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