Killeshandra 1-14
Cootehill 1-9

Killeshandra Leaguers timed their finish to perfection this evening to deny Cootehill and move into the quarter-finals of the senior football championship.

In an absorbing contest, it was a 54th minute goal from substitute Cein Sweeney that made a world of difference for the Leaguers, whom overturned a three-point deficit at half-time to boss large portions of the second-half, as Cootehill, who still remain in the competition, lost their discipline towards the end at the Athletic Grounds in Crubany.

Ciaran O'Malley's side looked to be in a good shape once county man Tom Hayes hit the net for them halfway through the first-half, but through Declan McKiernan the winners had a reliable outlet for scores and he kept his side ticking over throughout the hour.

Killeshandra could even afford to tally 10 wides in the second-half, as the well was dry at the other end for their opponents with Darragh Tighe and Cillian O'Reilly mopping up for the 2013 intermediate champions, whom denied last year's winners here.

Colm Smith settled any nerves early on for Cootehill, pointing over from his full-forward station after 30 seconds before Enda Hessin's free doubled the advantage.

Killeshandra were up and running through talisman McKiernan sailing over a quick brace of frees, outweighing a placed ball from Smith, ahead of Aaron Brady being denied a goal after a fine save from Ryan Carroll, who turned the midfielder's effort around the post.

McKiernan tied things up with the resultant '45' but Cootehill were starting to reveal their goal threat and eventually raised the green flag on the quarter hour mark.

Stevie O'Connor cut through and passed towards Hayes, who got the all-important touch, albeit a fortunate one, ahead of Joe Masterson to lob over the Killeshandra 'keeper for three points and some daylight for Cootehill.

It left Damien Keaney's charges with some work to do before half-time, as brothers Declan (free) and Sean McKiernan had singles cancelled out by Dermie Connolly and Hessin over the ensuing 10 minutes, keeping it at three.

Declan McKiernan's fifth placed ball was met with another accurate one from Smith at the other end, giving Cootehill a 1-6 to 0-6 advantage to work with for the second-half.

The early stages of the second-half were all Killeshandra though, as Carroll kept out another goal chance with a fine double save on Cillian O'Reilly. The missed opportunity didn't dishearten the Leaguers in the slightest though as they profited from their spell with the next three points through the deadly McKiernan (2) and Daniel Luby to even the scores.

Cootehill looked to have weathered the storm with the next two scores and would have surely devastated their opponents had Masterson not done brilliantly to deny the Celts their second goal.

Instead Paddy King narrowed the deficit back to one to leave things on a knife edge for the last 10 minutes. McKiernan soon levelled from a free and when Damien Higgins sent through Sean McKiernan with a superb pass the wing forward obliged to raise the umpire's white flag, handing Killeshandra their first lead with eight minutes to go.

Disaster really hit Cootehill hard in those remaining minutes, starting off with the concession of a goal from Sweeney after Declan McKiernan's long range effort dropped short and was met by the fist of the Killeshandra substitute.

Two red cards for Connolly and Brian Sherlock in the space of a minute really left Cootehill with a mountain to climb after that and the game was over as a contest once Tomas O'Reilly and 'Man of the Match' McKiernan sent over the insurance points in injury-time, confirming thier team's place in the last eight.

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