Bailieborough 0-16
Butlersbridge 1-10

(After extra-time)

Bailieborough needed extra-time to see off a brave Butlersbridge side tonight at Kingspan Breffni Park to book their place into the next round of the intermediate football championship.

The Shamrocks, whom were hotly fancied to come through in this contest, raced away from their opponents in the opening stages to hold a five-point lead that went out the window once Martin Fitzpatrick hit the net for 'The Bridge' four minutes before the interval.

The town side would surrender their lead by the 32nd minute and for long stages of the second-half it looked as though Butlersbridge were going to pull off a memorable win, with Bailieborough wasting an array of chances, but for a late Michael Argue free which sent the game into extra-time.

The underdogs were hands down the better team in the first-half of extra-time, but could only manage a one-point lead by the interval and ran out of steam in the second-half as Argue (2), Niall Comey and substitute Paul Sharkey raised enough white flags for the win.

Bailieborough were off the mark inside two minutes through an Argue free, which Cahir O'Reilly soon erased before the Shamrocks began to gather some momentum.

Patient build-up play saw Niall Kelly restore their lead in the eighth minute and in the next attack the youngster doubled the advantage. Paul O'Reilly sent Argue, who was dominating the early midfield battle against fellow Cavan senior Feargal Flanagan, through to raise a fourth white flag and the towering teen would provide an assist to Declan O'Reilly moments later to leave the town side four to the good.

Sean Cooney grabbed the victors' fifth point on the trot as it began to look too easy for them.

However, the pendulum finally swung Butlersbridge's way when they backed up a John Shannon free with a goal in the 26th minute, which cut the difference to two.

After a well-worked move, which saw Shannon unlucky to hit the post in effort of a point, the ball fell perfectly to Martin Fitzpatrick in front of the posts and the full-forward buried past Conor Gilsenan in the Bailieborough goal.

A Shannon free on the eve of half-time somehow left the minimum (0-7 to 1-3) between the sides, after Bailieborough having dominated large portions of the half.

It took all of 30 seconds for Cahir O'Reilly to square the sides in the second-half before Flanagan gave 'The Bridge' their first lead since the second minute with a sweetly struck score.

Kelly and Paul O'Reilly restored Bailieborough's advantage by but it wouldn't upset their opponents' rhythm as Patrick Flynn and sub Michael McDermott had them back in front by the final quarter.

The Shamrocks totalled 12 wides in the second-half, but ended a costly drought through Kelly, who was withdrawn shortly after, and swapped frees from Shannon and Argue in the closing stages sent the game into extra-time, after both teams had fluffed their chances of a late win.

Butlersbridge started extra-time in similar fashion to their resumption in the second-half, firing over two points via Shannon (free) and minors ace Caoimhin O'Reilly before their counterparts could respond.

Argue's third free saw Bailieborough reduce their arrears to one by the break, as their management re-introduced Kelly and Cooney to the fray for the second-half and it would pay dividends as they went on to own the final ten minutes of the half.

The Bridge's resistance kept them in front only until the 75th minute when an Argue free levelled the sides before Niall Comey handed Bailieborough a lead that they wouldn't relinquish. After that, the winners caught fire in the closing minutes, with their opponents reeling, and through sub Paul Sharkey and Argue they ensured the win.

Bailieborough: Conor Gilsenan; Damian Lynch, Calvin Daly, Luke Moynagh; Shane Dillion, Niall Comey (0-1), Conor Tierney; Niall Kelly (0-4), Declan O'Reilly (0-1); Senan O'Reilly, Paul O'Reilly (0-1), Eoin O'Sullivan; Sean Cooney (0-2), Michael Argue (0-6, 4f), James Fulton. Subs: Gerard Clarke for D Lynch (27mins), Damien O'Reilly for J Fulton (39), David Carolan for S Dillon (39), Aidan Reilly for S Cooney (46), Paul Sharkey (0-1) for N Kelly (47), Sean Cooney for D Carolan (ET), Niall Kelly for E O'Sullivan (ET).

Butlersbridge: Noel McPhillips; Liam Connolly, Pauric Murphy, Declan O'Callaghan; Darren Fitzpatrick, Andy McConnell, Cahir O'Reilly (0-2); Patrick Flynn (0-1), Feargal Flanagan (0-1); Shane O'Rourke, John Shannon (0-4, 4f), Peter Conaty; Paul Murphy, Martin Fitzpatrick (1-0), Gary McEntee. Subs: Michael McDermott (0-1) for S O'Rourke (23mins), Caoimhin O'Reilly (0-1) for G McEntee (23), Pauric McGearty for P Conaty (47), Carlos Conlon for M McDermott (ET).

Ref: Conor Dourneen (Ballinagh) Tweet

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