fonaCAB Ulster Minor Club Football Tournament, quarter-final
Mayobridge 1-7 St Paul's 1-5
A BURST of five unanswered points midway through the second period on Saturday saw Mayobridge come back from three down to defeat St Paul's on their home patch to reach the semi-final of the fonaCAB Ulster Minor Club Football Tournament.
When the hosts established that goal advantage, it was looking good for them on their return to their home tournament for the first time in 30 years, but the Down side didn't panic and made the most of their spell to advance into a last four clash on St Stephen's Day.
Daire O'Keefe was a colossus around the middle of the park for the Mourne side as he went up to fetch some excellent ball and also chipped in with a score during the second period burst, while Patrick Woods also made a big impact with some fine scores.
Defensively, Mayobridge were solid and gave the hosts little leeway, but so too was the St Paul's defence that gave little away easily.
Nerves seemed apparent for both sides with some stray passes, but both threw everything they had at this. game that although not free-flowing, was well contested and in the mix right until the last.
St Paul's had a fairly substantial wind advantage for the roping period, playing into the Shaw's Road end, and they made a bright start with Oisin Gamble playing an excellent ball down to Sean Og McLaren who claimed a mark and curled his effort over within the opening minute.
Sean Og McLaren gets his shot away 
The big full-forward doubled his side's lead soon after when fisting over from a tight angle on the right, but the hosts would be rocked on five minutes when Mayobridge found the net.
Ironically, it was playing into the wind that would be of benefit as a shot that looked to be sailing wide held up and was broken across goal with Darragh Poland getting a shot away and although Adam Carroll made a superb low block, Ryan Coulter slammed hot the rebound.
The scores would dry up with both sides probing and trying to work the ball inside, only to be met by stout resistance, yet a free from Patrick Woods would see Mayobridge finally add to their tall on 14 minutes.
St Paul's responded well and began to get more on the front foot with Patrick Crawford curling over a free and then McLaren again getting on the end of a long ball, turning his marker and heading for goal where his rasping drive cleared the bar to level.
But it would the visitors who took a narrow 1-2 to 0-4 lead into the break as James Keenan curled over a late free with his left boot.
It seemed it was advantage Mayobridge as they had the elements in their favour for the second period and did threaten early only to be thwarted by more good defending and the hosts would then grab the initiative on 37 minutes. Oisin Gamble weaved free on the left sideline and sent a ball inside where Oisin Casey opted to just swing his boot at it from around 25 metres out and his decision paid off as the ball flew into the corner of the net.
Conor Ward then appeared upfield and he lashed over to make it 1-5 to 1-2 after 40 minutes and it looked like St Paul's were in a good place to power on.
However, Mayobridge found a way to get themselves back on an even keel with Corey Clerkin forcing a turnover and then sprinting through to lash over.
This score would prove a huge lift for his team as they didn't look back with Woods kicking a free and then O'Keefe getting clear and although he lost control, volleyed over to level with a quarter of an hour remaining.
Daire O'Keefe rises to come down with the ball
From the kick-out, Mayobridge again won the break and it was worked to Woods on the right who split the posts brilliantly and with nine to play, he would guide over another from deep to put two between them.
It would prove to be the final score of the game, but not the end of the drama as first, Mayobridge had the chance to seal it with six to go as Clerkin was played in on the right, but flashed a shot across the face of goal and win. St Paul's went straight on the attack and McLaren was blown up for lifting off the ground and this was compounded as he had swivelled and lashed high to the net.
The onus was on St Paul's to find that late goal to win it as given the nature of how it was playing out, points were proving hard to come by into the wind, but Mayobridge stood firm defensively despite losing Clerkin to a late black card as the ball just wouldn't fall for the home team as they came up just short with the Down side marching on.
MAYOBRIDGE: M Gallagher; R Magone, B Kelly, J Keenan (0-1 free); O De Rose, J McGlade, C Colhoun; D O'Keefe (0-1), P Woods (0-4, 2 frees); D Carr, C Clerkin (0-1), C Keenan; R Coulter (1-0), D Poland, C McPolin.
Sub: D McMahon for J Keena (HT).
ST PAUL'S: A Carroll; C Ward (0-1), C McAlea, G Cowan; C McDonnell, O McCann, O Gamble; E McGreevy, C Burke; P Crawford (0-1 free), S Burns, O Casey (1-0); N Carmichael, S Og McLaren (0-3, 1 mark), C Rodgers-Duffy.
Subs: C McCann for P Crawford (49), A Mitchell for C McDonnell (55).
REFEREE: Mark Loughran (Tyrone).
