Killygarry 0-14
Denn 0-12
(After extra-time)

Killygarry dug deep to stage a late comeback and power past Denn in extra-time this afternoon at Kingspan Breffni Park.

The Crubany men had trailed for most of this senior championship clash before shooting three points in the closing five minutes to force extra-time, where they outscored their opponents by 0-4 to 0-2 for the win.

Denn looked to have the game won in normal time and started the second-half of extra-time strongly, but failed to match Killygarry for pace and energy which proved the difference in the end.

Padraig McGovern opened Denn's account inside the first minute and they could have doubled their advantage were it not for some poor shot selections.

It took Killygarry six minutes to equalise when Fintan Galligan was set-up by full-back Padraig Cahill, but Denn soon began to find their range through two frees from outside their 40-metre line via Dean Hyland and Cian McCann.

A trademark burst from centre-field saw Tomas Corr stretch the lead to three and when Feargal Farrelly pointed from his full-forward station moments later the Crosskeys men were threatening to run away with the game.

However, through Ross Sheridan Killygarry grabbed a sorely needed score to help stem the tide and when Shane Kelly floated over on the eve of half-time they were still within touching distance going in at the interval, trailing 0-5 to 0-3.

Benny Reddy's men resumed in good fashion, earning two close range frees for Martin Reilly to dart over from the ground and square the sides for the second time.

Denn responded well with Corr and substitute Colin Kiernan (45) sending over before Hyland (free) made it a three-point game. Placed balls from Shane Kelly and Reilly reduced the deficit, but after fine fetch at centre-field from Noel Crowe that led to Kiernan's second point Denn looked to be on their way.

Killygarry were let off the hook moments later when Kiernan saw a goal chance flash just wide and when Patrick Galligan did brilliantly to tip over Farrelly's punched effort they were still within a score heading into the last five minutes.

Reddy sent on Donal Thomas to the edge of Denn's square to try and cause problems and the former county senior provided an immediate impact by clipping over a point from the left side. A Reilly free had the Crubany side within a point soon after and when the Cavan ace was dragged down in front of the posts it allowed Kelly to equalise with the last kick of normal time.

In extra-time, Killygarry made the most of their momentum in the early stages as Stephen McHugh found the time and space to calmly slot over before a sweetly struck Reilly '45' gave them the 0-12 to 0-10 half-time lead.

Denn had been flat during the opening 10 minutes of the extra periods but threw everything they had at their opponents in the second-half, with a Kiernan free and a superb score from Corr drawing them level.

However, Killygarry dug deeper and through another menacing run from Reilly they had a scoreable free which the centre-forward converted before substitute Stephen McGovern sealed the win with another 25-metre free a minute later.

Killygarry: Patrick Galligan; Michael McGovern, Padraig Cahill, Daryl McKenna; Ross Sheridan (0-1), Andy McGovern, Fergal Clarke; Brendan Murray, Paddy Lynch; Shane Kelly (0-3, 2f), Martin Reilly (0-6, 5f, 1 '45'), Thomas Leonard; Daniel Talbot, John Lyng, Fintan Galligan (0-1). Subs: Stephen McHugh (0-1, 1f)for Talbot (HT), Conor Connolly for Leonard (32mins), Cathal Keaney for Lyng (48), Niall Smith for Sheridan (52), Donal Thomas (0-1) for F Galligan (55), Stephen McGovern (0-1, 1f) for Kelly (ET), Ross Sheridan for B Murray (ET).

Denn: Brian Boylan; Damien Callaghan, Ciaran McGovern, Eoin McPhilips; Adrian Cahill, Aidan McKiernan, Martin Cahill; Noel Crowe, Tomas Corr (0-3); Dean Hyland (0-2, 2f), Cian McCann (0-1, 1f), Padraig McGovern (0-1); Andrew Cusack-Smith, Feargal Farrelly (0-2), Ben Conaty. Subs: Colin Kiernan (0-3, 1f, 1 '45') for Conaty (HT), Shane Rehill for McCann (52), John Smith for P McGovern (52), Stephen McPartland for A McKiernan (ET), Darren Costello for Hyland (ET), Padraig McGovern for J Smith (ET), Cormack Cusack-Smith for Farrelly (ET).

Ref: Raymond Kelly (Knockbride) Tweet

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