Killeshandra 2-11
Lacken 1-9

Killeshandra Leaguers can dare to dream tonight after workmanlike display saw them past Lacken and into the semi-finals of the senior football championship.

Damien Keaney's men were full value for their victory at Kingspan Breffni Park as they outworked a somewhat lethargic Lacken side for large portions, reducing them to having just two scorers from open play over the hour.

Conor Finnegan registered more than half of the favourites' final tally but got very little back up, as the spirited Leaguers hit them for 1-9 in the first-half, with the early goal coming from their number 10 Daniel Luby.

Through the in-form Finnegan, Colin Hannify's team were able to forge their way into the lead by the 13th minute but they'd surrender it within five minutes and never see it again, as Shane O'Reilly, Paddy King and Declan McKiernan found their range for Killeshandra to lead by five at the halfway stage.

Turning over that deficit was always going to be a mountainous task against the fired up town side and although the intermediate champions of 2012 managed to make it a two-point game at one stage, Killeshandra still had plenty left in the tank and killed off the game with a late goal from Austin Fitzpatrick.

The winners demonstrated the high intensity they brought to this game right from the throw-in, with Declan McKiernan picking out Tomas O'Reilly on a trademark burst forward, which saw the centre-forward fist off the post in effort of a point. Luckily, for Lacken, 'keeper Jimmy Smith was sharp to save the rebounded effort of King and the danger was cleared by their scrambling backs.

Niall McKiernan gave Lacken the first lead at the other end but disaster struck them a minute later when Conor McGearty cut in from his corner-forward station and crossed to Luby, who rose highest to net the ball past Smith for three points.

The ensuing minutes saw Hannify's charges recover well from the blow, notching over scores via Finnegan and Finbar O'Reilly (free) to outweigh an effort from Tomas O'Reilly, and they'd gain full profit from their next attack.

A late change to the program, Paul Leddy did brilliantly to hold up possession on the edge of the Killeshandra square and send Finnegan through to lash a rasping shot to the Saffrons' net.

Declan McKiernan and Finnegan swapped sweet scores after that, keeping Lacken's noses in front by the minimum, but the closing 10 minutes of the half belonged to Keaney's charges and they'd make them count by converting their majority share in possession.

Belying his defensive duties, Cillian O'Reilly raced forward from his corner-back station to set-up King for an over and when the deadly McKiernan was presented with back-to-back chances and didn't disappoint, ushering the Leaguers into a two-point lead.

The sky blues couldn't muster a response, as their opponents were totally on top around the middle at this stage, and Shane O'Reilly and King raised more white flags before the latter sent Tomas O'Reilly through to ensure a 1-9 to 1-4 half-time lead for his side.

Hannify made some notable switches at half-time, which included withdrawing Niall McKiernan and replacing Smith with Colm Comerford in goal, to try and shore up things for the trailers.

Comerford was called into action within a minute of the restart, denying Killeshandra the net and it would have surely been curtains for Lacken had the green flag been raised at that point. The Leaguers would instead have to settle for King's third from play ahead of a brace from Finnegan which kept the Crowe Park outfit in with a chance for the last 20 minutes.

Declan McKiernan and Finbar O'Reilly cancelled each other out from frees, after Joe Masterson had done well to prevent Finnegan from hitting his net for a second time.

Two more O'Reilly frees kept the heat on Killeshandra for the closing stages, but they wouldn't even be made sweat it out in injury-time as they strung together the move of the night with a minute left in regulation to well and truly devastate their counterparts.

After Luby latched on to Masterson's kick-out along the right flank, the wing forward slipped Aaron Brady through and he found Tomas O'Reilly, who unselfishly offloaded to Austin Fitzpatrick for maximum points. Fitzpatrick, on in place of the black carded Shane O'Reilly, demonstrated all the composure which saw him line out as a county senior in past years to bury past Comerford and end Lacken's campaign in the process.

There was sheer delight for the Leaguers' contingent after the final whistle, as they now wait eagerly to see who they'll meet in the last four.

Killeshandra: Joe Masterson; Conor Smith, Darragh Tighe, Cillian O'Reilly; Kyle Duffy, Damien Higgins, Shane O'Reilly (0-2); Declan McKiernan (0-4, 2f), Aaron Brady; Daniel Luby (1-0), Tomas O'Reilly (0-2), Sean McKiernan; Conor O'Reilly, Paddy King (0-3), Conor McGearty. Subs: Austin Fitzpatrick (1-0) for S O'Reilly (29mins, BC), Shane Murphy for C McGearty (45).

Lacken: Jimmy Smith; Declan Brady, David Wilson, Daryl Buckley; Johnny Sheridan, Philip Moynagh, James Moynagh; Thomas Galligan, James Galligan; Stephen Brady, Finbar O'Reilly (0-4, 4f), Paul Leddy; Niall McKiernan (0-1), Raymond Gallgan, Conor Finnegan (1-4). Subs: Joe Crowe for J Moynagh (HT), Colm Comerford for J Smith (HT), Kevin Shanaghy for P Moynagh (37), Killian Galligan for S Brady (42), Shane Finnegan for J Sheridan (49).

Ref: James Clarke (Killinkere)

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