Oldcastle 1-16 Ballinlough 1-10 (after extra time) It was the blue side of the mountain in the north west enclave of Meath that was alive and singing following this epic quarter final clash at Kells last Sunday. Uncharacteristically of this year's Oldcastle side, they neglected their trademark start to games this year once the shrill of Cormac Reilly's whistle was sounded as Ballinlough were the livelier of the two throughout the first half. Peadar Byrne got proceedings going with an earlypoint for Ian Kearney's men after a fine effort on the right kicking into the town end. It was to be a rare sight as Thomas Rahill had a great battle with the county man as the corner back, who was a Meath minor this year, put in a man of the match performance. Ballinlough maintained their good start to lead 1-07 to 0-04 at the break. Seamus Kiernan reshuffled his Oldcastle pack early during the second half to good effect, with the substitutions all paying off. However when Ken Rothwell fired Ballinlough ahead by two in the dying moments of normal time, it looked like it was the men in red who were about to progress before Ronan Farrelly pointed to leave the bare minimum between them until Cormac Reilly awarded Oldcastle a late, late free in the sixth minute of injury time. The free was 40 yards from the Ballinlough goal and with it was Oldcastle's last hope of staying alive. Cometh the hour, cometh the man and that man for the Blues was Paddy Gilsenan. The 19 year old showed nerves of steel as he pulled the trigger and executed with positive results to leave the sides level at 0-13 to 1-10. With that extra time beckoned and for the neutrals among the huge crowd it must have been a God send as the fare on offer had been so pulsatingly exciting. Seamus Kiernan had his men primed well as their superior fitness stood to them for that extra time period as they reeled off 1-3 without reply, Nicky Galligan netting as Oldcastle finished victors on a scoreline of 1-16 to 1-10. Oldcastle - Seanie Fox, Shane Farrelly, Seanie Rahill, Tommy Rahill, Barry Curran, Rory McHugh, Colm Caffrey, Eoin Gilsenan, Vincent Reynolds, Paddy Gilsenan, Terry Farrelly, Paddy Rahill, Niall Mangan, Nicky Galligan, Alan McCann. Subs: Robert Pakenham for P.Rahill, Cian McPartland for Caffrey, Ronan Farrelly for Mangan. Extra time: Hawden for Mangan, P.Rahill for Galligan. Paddy Coakley, James Tuite, John Pakenham, Noel McEnroe, Paul Higgins, Paul Smith. Tweet

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