An Riocht and Longstone played a draw at Ballymartin on Tuesday past in the final of the South Down NBS MFL.

This was certainly a game An Riocht let slip with Longstone making up a five point deficit in the last seven minutes.

An Riocht began the better with Pearse Cunningham dispossessing a defender and racing in to shoot a goal. He could have had another soon after when he rounded the keeper but shot against the post. An Riocht were very much on top and scored some fine points while Longstone were kept in contention by the accuracy from frees of Mark Poland and a good individualistic point from Stephen Doran.

At half time An Riocht led 1:6 to 0:6.

Longstone continually narrowed the gap in the second half but An Riocht were always able to tag on a point or two and looked dangerous on the counter attack. A magnificent length of the field move was finished with a Martin Clarke goal after no fewer than six one touch passes.

At 2:11 to 0:11 up An Riocht were rocked by a Conor Clerkin goal in the fiftieth minute.

They responded in the best possible way with their own third goal. Again the ball moved swiftly up the field and Richard Annett fisted onto the bar only for an inrushing Noel Mc Ardle to volley the rebound to the roof of the net.

Spurning several clear point chances in pursuit of a fourth goal came back to haunt An Riocht as Longstone registered 1:2 in the closing moments to force a replay, details of which are not known at this time.

Teams and scorers

An Riocht
Team:
Darren Cunningham, Kevin Keenan, Michael Sloan, Darren Mc Alinden, Conor Walsh (0:1), James Colgan, James Cunningham, Aidan Flanagan (0:1), Barry Doyle, Noel Mc Ardle (1:2), Martin Clarke (1:5), Richard Annett (0:1), Aidan O' Hanlon, Pearse Cunningham (1:1), Paul Sherry.
Sub:
Paddy Cordell.

Longstone
Team:
JP Haughian, M Burden, H Magee, B Young, K Doran, C Poland, P Haughian, N Mc Comb (0:1), G Burden (1:0), S Mc Comb, M Poland (0:9), R Kelly, C Mc Comb, S Doran (O:4), C Burden.
Sub:
C Clerkin (1:0)