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Magherafelt 1-13
Banagher 0-6

When Mark Lynch pointed his second free at O’Cahan Park, Dungiven to give Banagher a 0-3 to 0-1 lead there was a thought that they might make the 7 to 2 odds that had been on offer from the bookies on the Saturday morning.

However when the half time whistle sounded with the scoreboard showing 1-4 to 0-4 those odds did not in any way look generous as, even then with just three points between them, Magherafelt had the distinct air of winners!

Banagher were backed by a strong wind in the first half, their 0-03 to 0-2 lead rather tenuous four minutes from the break.

Then Conor Kearns ranged alongside Danny Heavron as he sped forward with the ball, his sublime lay off releasing the centre half forward at pace and he powered through to blast the ball to the net with ease.

Banagher scored just one point in the second half from a 58th minute point from a Mark Lynch free, the immaculate free-taking of Chrissy Spiers yielding 0-6 in his ten point haul.

The Magherafelt scorers were Chrissy Spiers 0-10, 0-6 frees, Conor Kearns 1-00, Joe Keenan, Anton McElhone and Niall Higgins 0-1 each

The Banagher scorers were Mark Lynch 0-4 frees, Gavin O’Neill and Eunan Murphy 0-1 each

Bellaghy 2-18
Craigbane 0-6

For maybe twelve minutes Craigbane harboured thoughts of giving 21 times champions Bellaghy a game, the sides level at that stage 0-2 each, with Fergal Doherty and Blaine Gormley evens on aerial possession won in the middle of the field.

Then Fergal Doherty drove down the left and laid off the ball to Shea Quinn who fisted the ball across the goalmouth to the unmarked Frankie Donnelly who palmed it to the net.

That score proved the catalyst in the respective fortunes, Bellaghy taking complete control thereafter as Craigbane, without key players Fergal Crossan suspended, Adie McLaughlin in Australia and Lee Moore in America, were on the receiving end of a barrage of scores.

Shea Quinn (3), Eoghan Brown (2), Gavan Diamond (2) and Frankie Donnelly (2) were all on target as the Tones closed out the half with 1-10 to 0-2 advantage.

Cathal O’Kane scored a couple on neat points in the second half but Bellaghy put the game to bed in the 36th minute when Eoghan Brown was downed in the goalmouth and Gavan Diamond tucked the ball low to the net from the resulting penalty.

With Frankie Donnelly (4) and Eoghan Brown (3) on song Bellaghy cruised to a commanding eighteen point victory.

The Bellaghy scorers were Frankie Donnelly 1-6, Gavan Diamond 1-2, 1-0 pen, 0-1 free, Eoghan Brown 0-5, Shea Quinn 0-3, Fergal Doherty and Dermot Larkin 0-1 each

The Craigbane scorers were Cathal O’Kane 0-2, Gavan Conwell 0-2 frees and Cathal McLaughlin 0-1

Kilrea 2-16
Lavey 2-7

Lavey made a sensational start to this very exciting game on a pristine Dean McGlinchey Park when Colm Murphy opened the scoring with a point and Sean Conway rattled the net inside two minutes.

Five minutes from half time they still lead, 1-05 to 0-3 but Charlie Kielt, who had a quiet opening half, set in train a Kilrea move that led to Eamon Morgan blasting  the ball to the back of the net to cut the half time Lavey lead to 1-5 to 1-4.

Kielt then levelled the score on the restart  and from there the Pearses produced a tremendous attacking display, with player of the match Tiarnan Rafferty scoring 0-5 from play.

Midway through the half Gavan McWilliams scored the second goal, a Caolan O’Boyle major eight minutes from time merely cutting the margin of victory to nine points.

The Kilrea scorers were Tiarnan Rafferty 0-6,  James Kielt 0-5, 0-4 frees Eamon Morgan 1-1,  Gavan McWilliams 1-0, Paddy McNeill 0-2 frees, Charlie Kielt  and Liam Morrow 0-1 each

The Lavey scorers were Caolan O’Boyle, 1-2, 0-1 free, Sean Conway 1-0, Colm Murphy 0-2, 0-1 free, Ben Dodds 0-2 and Kevin Rafferty 0-1 each

Dungiven 1-12
Glen 0-8

Favourites Dungiven had to come from behind after early dominance by Glen to take a 0-6 to 0-4 lead to the break but they dominated the second period to run out deserving seven points winners over Glen.

Mark O’Donnell and Ryan Winton from a free gave Glen a two point lead inside four minutes but, in a  low scoring half Dungiven drew level with points from Ryan McElhinney and Darrel O’Kane from a free in the 22nd minute.

Nine minutes from the interval Conor Murphy put Dungiven 0-3 to 0-2 ahead but Ryan Winton levelled from a free three minutes later. Just before half time Fergal McGuigan stretched the Dungiven lead to 0-6 to 0-5.

Although the impressive Ciaran McFaul cut the lead to the minimum a minute into the second half Dungiven struck for the only goal of the game in the 33rd minute when Donal McGilligan put Ryan McElhinney through and he drilled the ball to the roof of the net for a 1-6 to 0-5 lead that they held comfortably to the end.

Dungiven scorers were Ryan McElhinney 1-2, Darrel O’Kane 0-3, 0-2 frees, Paul Murphy 0-2, Fergal McGuigan 0-2, Conor Murphy, Mark Craig and Donal McGilligan 0-1 each

The Glen scorers were Ryan Winton 0-4, 0-3 frees, Mark O’Donnell 0-2 and Ciaran McFaul 0-2, 0-1 free

Slaughtneil 1-11
Coleraine 0-9

Slaughtneil posted three early points from Chris Bradley and Paul Bradley from two frees and that was the cushion that kept them in control of the half  as Paul Bradley pointed four frees for 0-6 to 0-4 at the break.

Two minutes into the second half Patsy Bradley launched a high ball to the Coleraine goalmouth, a scrap for the loose ball ensuing when it broke off Michael Kelly. Se McGuigan somehow toe-poked the ball to the net for 1-6 to 0-4 and from there to the end they kept control despite some fine free-taking from Ciaran McGoldrick.

Jim Kelly came off the bench and scored three points from play as the Emmett’s held out for a comfortable and deserved victory.

The Slaughtneil scorers were Se McGuigan 1-2, Paul Bradley 0-4 frees, Jim Kelly 0-3, Chris Bradley 0-2,  Barry McGuigan 0-1

The Coleraine scorers were Ciaran McGoldrick 0-6, 0-4 frees, Ciaran Leneghan, Barry McGoldrick free and Conor Carey 0-1 each

Glenullin 1-9
Loup 0-12
(A.E.T)

Seconds remained of the second period of ‘extra time when Brian Mullan launched a hopeful ball to the goalmouth, Loup three points ahead and defending desperately in an absorbing game last evening at Watty Graham Park.

In the gathering gloom Eoin Bradley reached highest and got a fist to the ball to send it arching over the head of keeper Thomas Mallon to snatch a dramatic draw for Glenullin.

In truth neither side can have too many complaints about the outcome as this was a game retreating forwards, some woeful finishing mixed with some excellent scores, on both sides.

Loup led 0-4 to 0-2 at the end of the first half, Anthony O’Neill scoring two points for Loup and a few times in the second half Loup looked on course to win the game.

The sides were level 0-7 each when full time was called but then right at the start of the first period of extra time, just after Paddy Bradley had put Glenullin ahead 0-8 to 0-7  Loup were awarded a penalty but Anthony O’Neill drove the ball just over the bar.

Loup led 0-10 to 0-9 at the end of the first period but seemed to have the game in the bag when  Declan McVey and Johnny McBride opened up a three point gap but then came Eoin Bradley’s equalising goal.

The Loup scorers were Anthony O’Neill 0-4, 0-1 pen, 0-2 frees, Roddy O’Kane 0-2, Joe O’Kane 0-2, Declan McVey 0-2 Brian Doyle free, and Johnny McBride 0-1 each

The Glenullin scorers were Eoin Bradley 1-2, Rory Boylan 0-5, Neil McNicholl  and Paddy Bradley 0-1 each