Late Doyle goal puts Killeeshil into IFC semi-finals

KILLEESHIL full-forward Jason Doyle cracked home a dramatic 60^th minute goal as the St Mary’s edged out Owen Roes 1-7 to 1-6 in a low-scoring Tyrone Intermediate Championship quarter-final at a sodden O’Neill’s Healy Park on Friday night.

It was a typically abrasive and rugged struggle with the greasy conditions making handling difficult for both sets of players, and with defences in the ascendancy, scores were at a premium.

Owen Roes got off to the better start with Tyrone star Cathal McShane drilling a penalty to the net in the ninth minute after he was fouled, but they only managed one solitary point in the remainder of the half, McShane the man on target.

Killeeshil controlled the possession stakes for the most part, with Gary Reilly and Patrick McMullan holding court around the centre of the field, though they struggled to penetrate the red and green defensive ranks which confronted them when they crossed the half-way line.

Pascal Donaghy did land three frees, while Tomas Hoy and Daniel Millar also split the posts as they led 0-5 to 1-1 at half-time.

Despite a quality Hoy point on the restart, it was Owen Roes who stole the initiative, as Stephen Kelly swung over in style, while McShane tagged on a free and Tony Devine fisted a score.

However Doyle’s thunderbolt to the net proved the decisive moment late on, and with Donaghy adding another free, Owen Roes couldn’t get the goal they craved with sub Brendan Boggs seeing his close-range fisted attempt touched over by keeper Ciaran Reilly.

Meanwhile the first match in the double header was also a low-scoring affair, as Derrytresk stunned Augher 2-4 to 0-9 to progress to the last four of the Tyrone Junior Championship.

Despite a first half goal from captain Niall Gavin, the Hill men played second fiddle to the St Macartan’s in the first period, with the likes of Darragh Kavanagh (3 frees), Conor Hackett and Martin McElhatton finding the range.

The teams were level at 0-7 to 1-4 midway through a scrappy second half, after Kavanagh and Gavin traded ‘marks’ .

Another brace from Kavanagh had Augher two to the good but in the 59^th minute Derrytresk midfielder Aidan Gavin pounced for a stunning goal which proved to be the match winner.