Belturbet 2-9
Bailieborough 1-9

by Shane Corrigan
at Kingspan Breffni

Belturbet became the first side to book their slot into the semi-finals of the intermediate championship after seeing off Bailieborough's stern challenge at Kingspan Breffni tonight.

Eoin McGuigan (1-2) and Cian Vaughan fired home the crucial first-half goals for Padraig Dolan's side as they shook off a disastrous start by outplaying their opponents in the second and third quarters before seeing out the win in the late stages having defended like demons.

Bailieborough slumped to a six-point deficit and looked done for by the 50th minute until free-taker Rory Farrell dragged them back into the game via a hat-trick of points, and with towering pair Conor Gilsenan and Niall Kelly to aim for inside they bombed in possession for an equaliser that never came their way.

Paul Cooney's team couldn't have asked for a better start to this cracking quarter-final encounter, with Gilsenan flicking in Michael Argue's short point effort in off the bottom of 'keeper Danny Anscombe's crossbar.

Farrell cut through the Rories' centre to put the Shamrocks four in front and the trailers would have to wait 12 minutes until they got up and running through an Enda Henry free.

Some quick thinking from Henry released seasoned campaigner McGuigan through for their second point on the quarter hour mark and it was around that stage when Dolan's charges really began to find their feet in this contest.

A second Henry free - won by Kevin McConnell's endeavours - would be erased by Michael Argue at the far end but Bailieborough got caught napping at the back in the very next attack.

Conall McGinely's delivery from centre-field found the electric Brendan 'Bud' Fitzpatrick and his pass put fellow ex-Cavan senior McGuigan through from the right corner and he netted low past the dive of Alan O'Mara.

McGuigan quickly backed that up with a point to double the men in maroon's advantage and they're path through to the last four looked all but sealed once more good work inside from their veteran allowed Vaughan to flick over O'Mara for maximum profit.

That had the scoreboard reading 2-4 to 1-2 in Belturbet's favour with 21 minutes on the clock, leaving their counterparts with a mountain of work to try and make up the deficit.

It looked like turning into a whitewash before marksman Farrell landed three consecutive frees - two of them brilliantly executed from 40 metres out - which brought Bailieborough right back into contention.

Things started to heat up just before the break but, in fairness, referee Padraig Sheridan managed to keep a lid on things as Shane Fitzpatrick's point on the interval's eve left it at 2-5 to 1-5 in the Rories' favour.

Despite withdrawing their goal-scorers early in the second-half, Belturbet owned the third quarter on the scoreboard with McGinley putting them four in front within five minutes of the restart, having caught a 40-metre shot perfectly with his left boot.

Good work from Fitzpatrick and McGinley along the right flank threaded Damien O'Reilly through for his sole point of the night and when Henry sailed over a free from the 45-metre line there only looked to be one outcome.

Comey's introduction with 10 minutes left paid immediate dividends for the Shamrocks, curling one over before Rhys Clarke earned another free for Farrell which had the umpire reaching for his white flag.

The diminutive corner-forward kept up the deadly accuracy too - this time from 47 metres - and some slick passing inside from Argue and Sean Cooney saw him landing his seventh point of the night, which had it at 2-8 to 1-9 heading for the added minutes.

Guarding towering pair Gilsenan and sub Kelly inside, Belturbet's backs would have to sweat it out through seven minutes of injury-time and their cause was greatly aided by sub Donal McDonald, who lashed one between the posts from the right wing with the pressure very much on.

Bailieborough needed a goal to salvage a replay after that and they did their utmost to try and hit their big pair in the front line, but the Rories' defence continued to win their battles and saw it out until the very last whistle.

Belturbet: Danny Anscombe; Shane Fitzpatrick (0-1), Mark Lawlor, Peter Shannon; Niall O'Reilly, Kevin McConnell, Conall McGinley (0-1); Damien O'Reilly (0-1), Eoin McGuigan (1-2); Stuart Dunne, Fionnan O'Reilly, Niall Lawlor; Cian Vaughan (1-0), Enda Henry (0-3, 3f), Brendan Fitzpatrick. Subs: Sean Og Lawlor for E McGuigan (37mins), Donal McDonald (0-1) for C Vaughan (43), Ryan McGovern for N Lawlor (57), Mark Teevan for F O'Reilly (59), John Cahill for D O'Reilly (60).

Bailieborough: Alan O'Mara; Kieran O'Reilly, Sean Cooney, Philip Clarke; Aidan Reilly, Declan O'Reilly, Brendan Argue; Peter Clerkin, Michael Argue (0-1); Luke Gilsenan, Rhys Clarke, Senan O'Reilly; Rory Farrell (0-7, 5f), Conor Gilsenan (1-0), Damien O'Reilly. Subs: James Fulton for B Argue (42mins), Daryl Brady for P Clerkin (47), Niall Comey (0-1) for S O'Reilly (50), Gary Daly for D O'Reilly (55), Niall Kelly for R Farrell (60), Ollie Kelleher for R Clarke (60).

Ref: Padraig Sheridan (Ballymachugh)

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