Killinkere 1-13
Laragh United 2-9

Two splendid late points from Emmet Fitzsimons sent Killinkere into the intermediate championship final tonight at Laragh United's expense.

In what was a thrilling game of football at Kingspan Breffni Park, Damien Donohoe's side built up an eight-point lead, lost it and then scooped it back in the 58th minute via their midfield marksman to set-up a decider date with last year's beaten finalists Arva next month.

Damien Sexton's ninth minute goal had the winners in a comfortable position early on and they looked to be heading out of sight until Laragh staged a mini-revival in the second quarter and backed it up with a Jason Walsh goal before half-time.

Sean Finnegan's charges arrived at the lead 12 minutes into the restart thanks to their second major from sub Eoghan Cooney and undoubtedly looked the more likely outfit at that stage.

Killinkere found their second wind though and got their last three scores from Fitzsimons to go one better than they did in 2014 and make a long-awaited return this competition's decider.

The victors made a hot start to this semi-final, scoring three points from their first three efforts via Peter McCabe, Jason McMahon and Emmet Fitzsimons (free) to signal their side's intent. 

Paddy Rudden got Laragh off the mark in the fifth minute and they'd double their tally through Shane O'Rourke, after McMahon had registered his second, and on nine minutes Donohoe's men struck gold.

After McCabe took back possession in his team's half-forward line, the speedy attacker darted towards goal and sent a pass across to an unmarked Damien Sexton, who smashed past Fergal O'Rourke to the Laragh net.

It got worse for the Stradone men as Breen Smith, McCabe and Damien Sexton raised more white flags which had Killinkere in a commanding position - 1-7 to 0-2 - at the second quarter juncture.

The trailers rallied though and crucially got three unanswered scores themselves from Eoin Donoghue, Oisin Carolan and Colm McKenna to keep themselves in the game.

Traded scores from Ciaran Sexton and Shane O'Rourke, who came into the game strongly for Laragh after the first quarter, were followed by wing forward Walsh breaching Killinkere's rear guard and firing past Eugene Clarke - a score that was met by a mighty roar from the Stradone contingent.

A Fitzsimons free would move the margin to a goal (1-9 to 1-6) before half-time, with Finnegan's chasing side certainly going in the happier outfit after such a sluggish start.

Points from McKenna and Ruairi Power made it a one-point game within eight minutes of the restart and with their tails firms up Laragh looked to ride their momentum all the way.

Five minutes from taking his place on the field as a substitute, lively substitute Cooney had the ball in Killinkere's net after being quickest to a lofted ball to get a fist in and flash it past Clarke.

Crucially, the new trailers never pushed the panic button and had the game level within 10 minutes through the points offull-forward Noel McGovern and Fitzsimons (free), while keeping their counterparts silent at the far end.

In the incredibly tense closing minutes, both sides saw scoring opportunities slip away from them and another date looked destined until Fitzsimons split the posts from the right corner with a gem and backed it up with a free from the opposite corner.

That second score from Killinkere's midfield talisman was every bit as difficult to the one prior and it left Laragh needing a goal in the dying stages, which Rudden attempted from a 13-metre free, but that effort flew over the bar instead of under and Donohoe's men held on.

Killinkere: Eugene Clarke; Ollie Sharkey, Kevin McCabe, Gerard Brady; Lewis Fay-Cooper, Liam McCabe, Breen Smith (0-1); Jason McMahon (0-2), Emmet Fitzsimons (0-5, 4f); Gary Denning, Paul Kerr, Ciaran Sexton (0-1); Damien Sexton (1-1), Noel McGovern (0-1), Peter McCabe (0-2). Subs: Anthony Brady for C Sexton (35mins), Martin Reilly for P Kerr (41), Darren Smith for D Sexton (52), Brian Clarke for G Denning (60).

Laragh United: Fergal O'Rourke; Colm McKenna (0-2), Fergal McKenna, Jason Rahill; Ciaran Cooney, Seamus Cooney, Ian Leddy; Eoin Donoghue (0-1), Shane O'Rourke (0-2); Jason Walsh (1-0), Ruairi Power (0-1), Sean Tierney; Oisin Carolan (0-1), Paddy Rudden (0-2, 1f), Conor O'Rourke. Subs: Eoghan Cooney (1-0) for C O'Rourke (37mins), Conal Donohoe for R Power (49).

Ref: Kieran McCarville (Cootehill Celtic)

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