Laragh United 1-15
Killinkere 1-15

Oisin Carolan's injury-time point saved a draw for Laragh United this afternoon against Killinkere in an intermediate championship quarter-final that neither side deserved to lose.

Played in perfect weather conditions at Kingspan Breffni Park, Killinkere were made fight back from the concession of an early Gerry Murray goal to draw level by half-time and led in the early stages of the second-half thanks to marksman Emmett Fitzsimons, scorer of 0-8 over the hour.

Michael Reilly's charges looked home and dry when Peter McCabe plundered in a 46th minute goal but Laragh drew inspiration from talisman Patrick Rudden in the closing stages and managed to draw level again through Carolan after Fitzsimons' looked to have won it for his side in injury-time.

The game was six minutes old when Fitzsimons struck the first score and doubled Killinkere's lead before Laragh landed their early hammer blow, taking advantage of a misplaced kick-out from Sean McGovern which saw Murray round the Killinkere net-minder and blast to the empty net.

Seamus Cooney and Fitzsimons traded points and Reilly's side could have been back in front had they not tallied four wides and seen a goal chance for Noel McGovern come off the upright. Instead, a brace of points from Eoin Donoghue moved the Stradone men two in front by the 20th minute.

Darren Smith (free)and Breen Smith brought it level within three minutes, but Laragh were having slightly more joy in finding the target as Rudden's free and a fine effort from Jason Walsh put them two clear once more before Brian Clarke and Smith (free) shot scores on the eve of half-time to leave it all square, 0-8 t 1-5.

Some patient build up play saw Laragh take back the lead through Cian O'Rourke early in the second-half but two Fitzsimons points (one a free) erased that in the space of two minutes and Killinkere would have cushioned their lead had Joseph Donohoe not pulled off a brilliant save to turn Peter McCabe's shot around the post. They'd have to settle for another Fitzsimons free for the time being as Liam McKenna and Rudden (free) regained the lead for Laragh before the latter found Cooney with a slick pass inside to double it.

Killinkere weren't letting it slip away from them though, with Fitzsimons making a 45-metre free look easy and Clarke sending over from his corner-forward station. Cooney and Fitzsimons' fifth free kept it even into the final quarter when McCabe's goal stunned the PJ Duke Park men.

Crucially, Laragh would grab the next two scores via Sean Tierney and McKenna to bring them straight back into contention. Kevin McCabe put two between them but the last five minutes of normal time saw Rudden come up trumps for the former junior champions as his brace of points levelled the game for the added minutes.

In that time Killinkere thought they'd won it when veteran John B Smith earned a free inside for Fitzsimons to coolly slot, but Laragh held their nerve and found Carolan with a quickly taken free for the wing forward to send over and set-up another meeting between these two sides.

Killinkere: Sean McGovern; Ollie Sharkey, Martin Reilly, Louis Fay-Cooper; Breen Smith (0-1), Anthony Brady, Finbarr Smith; Michael Duff, Noel McGovern; Darren Smith (0-3, 3f), Emmett Fitzsimons (0-8, 6f), Jason McMahon; Brian Clarke (0-2), Peter McCabe (1-0), Liam McCabe. Subs: Kevin McCabe (0-1) for L McCabe (HT), Myles O'Reilly for M Duff (47), John B Smith for F Smith (54), Gary Denning for O Sharkey (56).

Laragh United: Joseph Donoghue; Kieran Donoghue, Shane O'Rourke, Ciaran Cooney; Liam Brady, Declan King, Eoin Donoghue (0-2); Seamus Cooney (0-3), Liam McKenna (0-2); Jason Walsh (0-1), Patrick Rudden (0-4, 1f), Oisin Carolan (0-1); Sean Tierney (0-1), Gerry Murray (1-0), Cian O'Rourke (0-1). Subs: Martin Smith for J Donoghue (36mins, inj), Conal Donohoe for J Walsh (48), Paddy King for D King (50), Conor O'Rourke for Cian O'Rourke (56).

Ref: Brendan Sweeney (Ballymachugh)

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