Bailieborough 1-13
Laragh United 0-8

Bailieborough Shamrocks moved into the quarter-finals of the intermediate football championship this evening after cruising past Laragh United at Kingspan Breffni Park.

Michael Argue and goalkeeper Conor Gilsenan were in fine shooting form for the winners, with the latter registering 0-5, 0-4 of which came from expertly executed 45s, while Eoin O'Sullivan's superbly taken goal midway through the second-half sealed the deal for the town side, whom now meet neighbours Cootehill in the last eight.

As for Laragh, they were made pay the price for a poor start and some sloppy defending, which yielded cheap frees for their opponents, and now face a relegation battle to hold on to the intermediate status which they gained last year.

It took seven minutes for a score to arrive in this game and it came via a menacing drive from Michael Argue which saw the Cavan senior crash over Martin Smith's crossbar to draw first blood for Bailieborough. Goalkeeper Conor Gilsenan doubled the lead two minutes later with a well-executed '45' as Laragh had yet to find any sort of rhythm.

The Stradone men would pay the price for their slow start, having possession turned over in their own half on two difference occasions which gave Argue the chance to add a brace of points to his tally. Another '45' from Gilsenan coasted the Shamrocks five clear on the quarter hour mark with their opponents yet to register a response.

Argue's fourth left the signs ominous, before Liam McKenna eventually got the junior champions off the mark in the 25th minute from his full-forward station. In the next attack, McKenna won a free in front of the posts for Patrick Rudden to convert and splendid score from Declan King saw the trailers' deficit halved approaching the halfway stage.

Gilsenan swung over a free from the left flank to try and put a stop to Laragh's mini-revival, but they'd have the last say of the half when Liam Brady bellied his defensive duties to notch over from 40 metres and leave it at 0-7 to 0-4 for the interval.

Argue's first free of the evening moved the town side back into a four-point lead after seven minutes of the resumption before substitute Ruairi Power cancelled it out down the other end.

The best move of the game would all but end Laragh's hopes soon after, with Eoin O'Sullivan picking up possession 30 metres out, driving into the corner and using Paul O'Reilly for a one-two pass which he dually accepted to smash in off the bottom of the crossbar.

Power flighted his second point in response, but cheap frees continued to cost Laragh as Argue (free) and Gilsenan ('45') raised their personal tallies before Rudden helped to stem the tide at the other end.

Niall Comey's burst from centre-back saw the lead stretched to seven and Laragh were let off the hook when Smith produced a fine save to deny Damien O'Reilly the net. There was no doubt where the resultant '45' was going, as Gilsenan's fourth of the evening sailed directly between the posts.

Rudden did likewise from 20 metres closer at the other end, before Bailieborough emptied their bench, with victory secured, as a fine Paul O'Reilly score at the death put the icing on the cake for them.

Bailieborough: Conor Gilsenan (0-5, 4 45s, 1f); Gerard Clarke, Calvin Daly, Luke Moynagh; Shane Dillon, Niall Comey (0-1), Conor Tierney; Niall Kelly, Declan O'Reilly; Aiden Reilly, Paul O'Reilly (0-1), Eoin O'Sullivan (1-0); Sean Cooney, Michael Argue (0-6, 2f), Damien O'Reilly. Subs: Peter Clerkin for D O'Reilly (35mins, blood), O'Reilly for Clerkin, Philip Clarke for S Dillon (56), Peter Clerkin for N Kelly (56), James Fulton for D O'Reilly (56), Barry McMahon for E O'Sullivan (57).

Laragh United: Martin Smith; Patrick King, Shane O'Rourke, Eoin Donoghue; Declan King (0-1), Seamus Cooney, Liam Brady (0-1); Colin Oates, Declan Brady; Enda Cullivan, Patrick Rudden (0-3, 2f), Cian O'Rourke; Gerry Murray, Liam McKenna (0-1), Sean Tierney. Subs: Conal O'Donohoe for S Tierney (25mins), Ruairi Power (0-2) for C O'Rourke (36), Enda Clarke for D Brady (40), Gerry Hand for G Murray (56).

Ref: Noel Mooney (Cavan Gaels) Tweet

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