Killeeshil happy to be underdogs

THE predicted contenders for honours in the Tyrone Intermediate Championship are still standing after the weekend’s quarter-finals, with Eglish and Edendork in particular underlining their credentials in impressive manner on Saturday.

Those two sides are now set to meet in the semi-final next weekend, a blockbuster clash which many would have forecast at the outset of the competition given the quality in their midst.

One side though set to feature in the semi-finals and who will probably fly below the radar are Killeeshil who tackle neigbours Galbally this weekend.

St Mary’s will be deemed as the outsiders for the Paddy Cullen Cup among the four still standing, but they showed on Friday night against Owen Roes that they are no respectors of lofty reputations.

It was full-forward Jason Doyle who dashed the Championship dreams of Cathal McShane & co when he smashed home a dramatic 60^th minute goal to swing a scrappy encounter decisively in his side’s favour at O’Neill’s Healy Park.

Killeeshil eventually edged the verdict 1-7 to 1-6 and Doyle acknowledged that they will probably be written off as outsiders going into the next match too.

“ We are into the semi-finals and will definitely be underdogs. The bookies had us at 4/1 and we proved them wrong tonight, so that will likely be the case again next time.”

The St Mary’s match-winner admitted that their quarter-final had probably been a hard watch for those in attendance, but he added that Owen Roes tactcis didn’t come as a shock to them.

“ We knew Owen Roes would put it up to us. It came down to the wire in the league game between us too. We got a goal with the last kick of the game there as well. It was close all the way through to the bitter end.

“ They have been playing that (defensive) style of football all year. It is tough to handle it. It’s definitely bad to watch but we played well and stuck it out.

“ We knew Cathal McShane would be hot to handle and big Devine in midfield ran the roost for them. But we knew if we got the ball to wee Tomas Hoy, he knows where the posts are, and Pascal Donaghy would keep slipping over any frees we got as well.”

And Jason agreed that the ball sat up invintingly for him on the edge of the square from a break to ram up that clinching goal at the death.

“ It just dropped perfectly for me. Paul got the last touh and it dropped straight to my right foot. All I had to do was put it in the net. A goal in this sort of match was always going to be crucial.”