Kingscourt Stars 1-8 Mullahoran 1-8: TOP SCORER Enda OReilly converted two injury-time frees to deny favourites Kingscourt their second title in three years.
The Stars looked home and hosed after sub Ryan McCormack dived to palm the ball to the Mullahoran net less than a minute before the end of normal time.
McCormacks major left Mullahoran trailing by 1-6 to 1-8 but a brace of frees from OReilly in the dregs of the game got his side out of jail.
The two sides will meet again in the replay this Sunday .
KINGSCOURT: J Farrelly; P Faulkner, T Wakely, S Grey; B Tully, A Clarke, K McCabe; C Smith, J Dillon; J McMahon (0-1), P Smith (0-3, one free), P Tinnelly; T Malone, B Reilly (0-3, all frees), S Óg Gargan (0-1). Subs: G Sheenan for P Faulkner (43), R McCormack (1-0) for J McMahon (50), D Martin for C Smith (59).
MULLAHORAN: E Brady; S Smith, K Brady, J Reilly; D Sheridan, Patrick Brady, M Brady; C Shiels, PP Galligan; D Smith, Enda OReilly (0-7, four frees), Paul Brady; Philip Brady, Eddie OReilly, R Lynch (1-1). Subs: T Nannery for D Smith (42).
