Donoghue the match winner as Arles-Killeen defeat Killeshin to seal Laois GAA SFC quarter-final place

Arles-Killeen are the first team through to the quarter-finals of the Laois Shopping Centre Senior Football Championship after they scored a last-minute winner to defeat Killeshin in Laois Hire O'Moore Park Portlaoise.

Arles-Killeen 1-12

Killeshin 1-11

It was Killeshin who dominated the early proceedings in Saturday evening's Round 2 Winners' game as they scored the first six points, while Arles-Killeen remained scoreless until the 27th minute. Killeshin's Killian Roche came forward from the goals to slot a free between the posts.

Mick Doran opened his tally as he kicked two scores on the trot before Roche came forward again to point a second free. Killeshin almost had a goal soon after, but Jason Enright saved Evan English's close-range effort. 

The Lowry brothers raised a white flag each as Arles-Killeen still had no score on the board, having kicked two wides and hitting the post when going for a point. They were almost gifted a goal when Killeshin coughed up possession in their own half with Roche out of the goals. It ended with Oisin Byrne blasting the ball high and wide when trying to split the uprights.

Colin Dunne finally got his side off the mark as he curled an effort over the bar from outside the arc. Killeshin ended the half with their seventh point from five scorers as Adam Deering raised a white flag. They led 0-7 to 0-2 at half-time.

Arles-Killeen came out and scored the first three points of the half as Oisin Byrne, Paul Kingston and Sean O'Shea raised a white flag each to cut Killeshin's lead to two points. Roche pointed another free with Conor Keightley replying for Arles-Killeen. Killeshin were then awarded a penalty and up stepped Roche to send Enright to push Killeshin five points ahead. That lead grew when Deering scored his second point of the contest.

Their six-point lead didn't last long as Arles-Killeen scored 1-2 in the space of four minutes. Two frees, one each from Oisin Byrne and Paul Kingston before Colin Dunne played a ball over the top to Ennae Byrne and he squared it to Oisin Byrne. The Arles-Killeen number 13 sold his man with a dummy solo before blasting the ball past Roche. Evan Lowry pushed Killeshin two points ahead with eight minutes to go, but it would be level two minutes later as Donie Kingston and Ennae Byrne scored a point each.

Deering had a goal chance to seal the game for Killeshin, but he had to settle and he was left to rue that missed chance as Arles-Killeen snatched the victory at the death. Ennae Byrne's point in the 60th minute looked to have sent the game to extra-time, but there was still time for half-back Adam Donoghue to split the posts and send the Arles-Killeen crowd into raptures.

SCORERS– Arles-Killeen: Oisin Byrne (0-1 free) 1-2, Colin Dunne (two-pointer), Ennae Byrne and Paul Kingston (0-1 free) 0-2 each, Sean O’Shea, Donie Kingston, Adam Donoghue and Conor Keightley 0-1 each. Killeshin: Killian Roche (1-0 pen, 0-3 frees) 1-3, Adam Deering 0-3, Evan Lowry (frees) and Mick Doran 0-2 each, Eoin Lowry 0-1 each. 

ARLES-KILLEEN: Jason Enright; Ben Griffin, Joseph Mulhare, Dermot Julian; Sean O’Shea, Noel Gaughan, Adam Donoghue; John Mohan, Donie Kingston; Niall O’Rourke, Paul Kingston, Conor Keightley; Oisin Byrne, Colin Dunne, Ennae Byrne.

KILLESHIN: Killian Roche; Leeson Hughes, Michael Gaffney, Jack Brennan; James Davis, Cathal Byrne, Eoin Cawley; Eoin Brennan, Conor Heffernan; Jack Milton, Michael Doran, Eoin Lowry; Evan English, Adam Deering, Evan Lowry. Subs: Paddy Doyle for Cawley (12 mins, inj)