Roche and Lowry to the fore as Killeshin secure quarter-final place over Arles-Killeen

Killeshin have sealed their spot in the third round of this year's Laois Shopping Centre Senior Football Championship as  inspired scoring performances from Eoin Lowry and their goalkeeper Killian Roche saw them over the line against Arles-Killeen.

Paul Kingston topped scored for Arles-Killeen but it wasn't to be as six points from goalkeeper Roche and Eoin Lowry saw Killeshin come out on top.

Killeshin 0-19

Arles-Killeen 1-12

Arles-Killeen's star man Paul Kingston got proceedings underway with a free after Sean O'Shea had been fouled. Kingston soon doubled their with another white flag from a placed ball. Killeshin then got their first point of the contest as a good piece of build up play saw Eoin Lowry split the posts for their opening score. Killeshin goalkeeper Killian Roche came forward for the next score as the Laois shot stopper pointed a free to make it four points from four all from placed balls.

The next two scores were traded as Kingston pointed for the third time while Killeshin's Ciaran Fitzgerald could have raised a green flag but had to settle for a white in the end as the scores stood at three points apiece. The next Killeshin score would come from other Lowry as Evan Lowry was fouled and slotted over the resulting free.

Kingston kicked yet another free for Arles-Killeen while Conor Keightley pointed two fabulous scores. Conor Heffernan scored a sublime point in the middle of the Keightley points as Arles-Killeen held a slender one-point advantage. However, it would be Killeshin that would be ahead at the break as they fired over three points without reply. Roche and Evan Lowry both kicked a free each while Eoin Lowry raised a white flag from play to leave Killeshin ahead by eight points to seven.

Arles-Killeen began the second-half in the same manner that Killeshin had ended the first as Paul Kingston pointed three times unanswered, one from play, one from a free and one from a 45'. Killeshin were then presented with a glorious opportunity as David Aston's thunderous effort rattled off the bar and bounced away to safety. 

The lead would exchange hands yet again as Roche pointed a free before the Killeshin goalkeeper scored a monstrous point from a play to push them into a one-point lead. The next score of the contest would be a green flag as Keightley buried the ball into the back of net after good passing play from Sean O'Shea and Kingston. Kingston kicked another free to push Arles-Killeen into a three-point lead.

The game would be level once again in a matter of minutes as Evan Lowry (free) and two points from his brother Eoin Lowry saw the game locked level at 1-10 to 0-13 with 10 minutes left to play. The next two scores were swapped as Kingston pointed a free while Killeshin's point came from a slack kickout which found Evan Lowry who teed up Eoin Lowry to point.

Killeshin's goalkeeper Roche was having a scintillating game as he soon took his tally to six points, one from play and another superb point from play, Killeshin now held a two-point advantage with five minutes to play. Kingston and Barry Ryan traded scores as Killeshin still held on to that two-point cushion.

Eoin Lowry and another point for Ryan put a gloss on the scoreboard as Killeshin can now look forward to the third round draw on Sunday evening. Arles-Killeen will now contest the Senior 'B' Championship following defeat.