Dunboyne prevailed over dogged Killyon in a thrilling Ted Murtagh SHC quarter-final at Pairc Tailteann early on Saturday afternoon.
Dunboyne 1-24 (27)
Killyon 2-18 (24)
The curtain raiser in Saturday's SHC quarter-final double-header proved the better with Dunboyne only quelling Killyon resistance in the second-half of extra time.
Scores were tied five times over the 80 minutes. The last time in the seventh minute of extra time when Adam Gannon made it 1-17-all.
Dunboyne outscored Killyon by 0-7 to 0-1 before the men green and red poached a late goal from a close range Keith Keoghan free with time almost up. That left the underdogs rueing 13 wides to the winners' seven.
With the light breeze and sun at the backs it took Killyon less than a minute to post their first score, at the town goal. Keith Keoghan landed a free from his own 65 after Dunboyne dissent saw the sliotar moved forward. It was the only time Killyon led.
Dunboyne lined out according to the numbers on the official programme, but with a number of positional switches. The most notable was the placing of nominal full-back Michael Dunne at full-forward. The number 3 has previously proved his worth in attack
The scores were level twice in the opening nine minutes before Dunboyne asserted themselves. Neil Hackett was unlucky to see a goal attempt zip low and wide eight minutes in. Seconds later Niall Smyth fired Dunboyne in front for the first time, goaling having cut through the Killyon rearguard to leave it 1-2 to 0-2. .
By the 14th minute Dunboyne were six points clear. By the 22nd minute Killyon had posted six wides. However at that point, their recovery was well-underway.
Cillian Canavan's 19th minute goal was the central score in that burst that yielded 1-3 in three minutes. The sliotar trickled over the line after a long delivery unsettled the Dunboyne defence.
Killyon rergained parity through Keoghan (free) with half-time approaching. In stoppage time Hackett earned Dunboyne a 1-8 to 1-7 interval advantage with a long range free.
Killyon posted six wides to Dunboyne's three in the opening half. The elements seemed to favour John Gorry's men in the second-half, though the cloud increase improved matters as a spectacle.
Dunboyne doubled their lead with a minute of the restart through Stephen Moran and were soon four clear. Hackett's pointed free from his own 65 being the pick of that bunch.
To their credit, Killyon didn't fold and got within a point, 1-11 to 1-12, by the 47th minute. Every time the men in red and green threatened to regain parity, Dunboyne responded.
Halfway through the final quarter of the hour, Dunboyne were 1-15 to 1-12 ahead. They held a similar advantage in the 57th minute.
Killyon's endurence yielded the last three scores of normal time, with two Adam Gannon points trimming the deficit. Two further Killyon chances went abegging before wing-back before David Kennedy levelled matters in the third minute of added time with assistance from David Raleigh and Clayton Keegan. The board read 1-16-all
Five minutes of extra time passed before Fagan put Dunboyne back in front. Gannon replied to tie the scores for the fifth and final time before Dunboyne booked their ticket to a semi-final meeting with the champions, Kiltale.
Dunboyne - Stephen Clince; Mark O'Connor, Niall Watters, Fergal O'Neill; Alan Watters, Tomas O'Connor, Sean Moran; Killian Smyth, Michael O'Grady (C) (0-1); Neil Hackett (0-8, 6fs), Paul Fagan (0-4), Sean Quigley (0-2); Stephen Moran (0-3), Michael Dunne, Niall Smyth (1-2). Subs - Jamie Gilmartin for O'Connor (17), Sean McGrath (0-3) for A Watters (52). Extra-time - Jack Delaney for Jamie Gilmartin (et), Conor Gilmartin (0-1) for Fagan (6), Jack Cox for N Smyth (14), Darren Dunne for O'Neill (17)
Killyon - Stephen Quinn; Andrew Feeney, Brian Perry (C), Thomas Raleigh; Conor Foley, Ger Foley, David Kennedy (0-1); Adam Gannon (0-4), Brendan Quinn; Clayton Keegan (0-2), Ray Massey (0-1), Keith Keoghan (1-6, 1-5 fs); Calvin Ryan, Adam Farrell (0-1), Cillian Canavan (1-1). Subs - David Raleigh (0-2) for Ryan.
Referee - Nick Fitzgerald (Kildalkey)
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