Bultersbridge 1-12

Belturbet 0-13

Two late points earned Butlersbridge a place in the quarter-finals of the intermediate championship as they handed Belturbet defeat in this afternoon's derby clash in Killeshandra.

Darren Fitzpatrick and Feargal Flanagan struck the winning points for the Bridge in injury-time to secure their side's place in the last eight, leaving the Rories in a last chance saloon heading into the fourth round if they are to reach the knock-out stages.

Adrian Delaney's men sprung ahead in the 38th minute of this contest thanks to Jonathan Leddy's well-taken goal, which made it 1-5 to 0-7, and they'd kick on to usher themselves three in front with 10 minutes to go.

Belturbet rallied in those closing stages and looked like snatching their second draw in seven days when marksman Enda Henry knocked over a free with a minute of regulation left, but their neighbours had more left in the tank to score their third win in three weeks.

The sides had been inseparable throughout the majority of the first-half, with Eoin McGuigan, Henry (free) and Brendan Fitzpatrick all seeing their opening scores cancelled out by Leddy (2, 1 free) and full-forward John Shannon at the other end.

Caoimhin O'Reilly put the Bridge in front for the first time with a fine point on 19 minutes, but it was their counterparts from down the N3 that edged matters at half-time by 0-6 to 0-5, but they'd have to make do without their injured marquee forward Fitzpatrick for the second-half.

Henry's free made it a two-point game three minutes into the restart but less than five minutes later the ball would be in Belturbet's net after Leddy snuck in and made no mistake to rattle the onion bag. 

Shane O'Rourke swapped points with Henry (free) after that, as did Flanagan, and it surged Delaney's side towards a three-point advantage with O'Reilly curling over a free right on the 50-minute mark.

Belturbet had brought in player/manager Jason O'Reilly to the fray at this stage and the former Cavan forward's introduction seemed to have paid some dividends, as the Rories rattled off the next three scores with Henry's pressure free bringing them level in the 58th minute.

There was still an eternity for a winner left to emerge in this intriguing derby and when substitute Fitzpatrick was given the opportunity to split the posts he made no mistake to hand the initiative back to the village men.

Belturbet couldn't come up with an accurate response and it allowed Flanagan to ensure the win for the Bridge, who now have a quarter-final draw to look forward to while their beaten opponents must win next weekend and hope other results go their way in order to get their name in the hat.  

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