Maguiresbridge 2-10 Aghadrumsee 1-09

Maguiresbridge picked up their first win of the season with a hard-fought four-point win over Aghadrumsee on an overcast evening of football at Páirc na hÓige last Friday evening.

After the hosts led for the majority of the game, a strong start to the second half saw the Magpies come back into the game and go ahead with just under 15 minutes to go, however, goals from Sean Corrigan and Ryan Hyde would see Adrian Diver’s side regain control and eventually see out the win to pick up one point heading into the league campaign. 

They were aided by the return of Corrigan and Luca McCusker following their Lory Meagher success with Fermanagh the past weekend.

“Good to get the win,” manager Diver said after the game. “We showed a lot of heart to come from behind in the closing stages of the match.

"Having some of the hurlers back made a big difference and helped us to get our first win of the campaign.

"We are looking forward now to the league and having our full squad available.”

The home side took a 0-09 to 0-04 lead in at the break as points from Sean Corrigan and Dwayne Rice gave them an early lead.

Points from Aidan Bannon and Enda McCabe brought the away side back into it.

Luke St. Ledger would watch his shot clip off the crossbar and over the bar after he also converted a 45’ and three free kicks from Mark Hughes would stretch the lead as Bannon and Eugene Kearns added at the other end.

Sean Porteous and Rice again added to close out the half for the St. Mary’s side.

Aghadrumsee came out of the blocks quickly in the second half and added early scores to cut the lead through three more Bannon frees before a ball in towards the square dropped for Caolan Adair who caught it and hammered it into the host’s goal.

Porteous pointed for the ‘Bridge but James Flanagan and then Bannon would give the away side the lead with another long-range free.

The lead didn’t last long however as a quick move up the field with some good play from St. Ledger and Tommy McGrory released Corrigan who beat his man and fired in a left-footed shot to the net.

A second goal followed shortly after when the ‘Bridge had three shots in a row come off the left post before eventually coming out to Ryan Hyde whose effort from range dropped and caused hesitation in the defence before finding the net.

The home side held onto their lead in the final 10 minutes to close out the win despite Aghadrumsee’s advances.