Kinawley 0-06 Belnaleck 0-06

A draw was probably a fair result in this uber-defensive affair at a very blustery Kinawley.

This was a derby game where both defences were on top throughout and scores were at a premium.

But while both sides will be reasonably happy with the result, the home side looked to be poised for a win as they led 0-06 to 0-04 five minutes from time as this dour struggle headed to a close.

However, two late points from a Darragh McGurn free and Kane Connor point tied matters going into five minutes of injury.

Both teams had half-chances in injury time but neither could get that all important point to seal victory.

Speaking of injuries both Garvan Quigley and Bryan Owens had to leave the field in the second half for Belnaleck which is potentially a big blow to Daniel Kille’s men.

Kinawley played into a very strong breeze in the opening half and set up a strong defensive shell with noted man-marker Paul Breen picking up the towering Darragh McGurn.

In the Belnaleck defence, Lee and Che Cullen were keeping an eye on Kinawley’s marksman Tomas Corrigan who hit two vital points for Dom Corrigan’s side in the second half.

Incredibly the score was 0-01 each at the end of 30 minutes in very poor fare for the fans.

Dylan Boyle got a point from play for Kinawley and Eamon Greene hit a point from play for Belnaleck after 17 minutes.

But they added on two points from frees in injury time converted by McGurn in a half where Belnaleck found it difficult to make the swirling cross field wind count.

They led by 0-03 to 0-01 at the break and it looked like a very slender lead in the circumstances.

Dylan Boyle pointed for the home side from a mark after five minutes on the restart, but the burly Che Cullen negated this score with a point from play after 10 minutes.

Kinawley put on a bit of a spurt and Tomas Corrigan from a free and play tied the match at 0-04 each in the 20th minute as this tussle stayed tight.

It was well poised going into the last 10 minutes when veteran goalkeeper Shaun Doherty wandered out field and hit a corker of a point from 50 metres in an increasingly common risk/reward gamble by so many managers to give Kinawley the lead for the first time.

And then in the 24th minute Dara Cathcart scored from play to put Kinawley 0-06 to 0-04 ahead.

But cometh the crisis and cometh Darragh McGurn who converted a 50 metre free into the breeze for the Leckers.

On the 60th minute, Belanelck put together a great move which ended with Kane Connor pointing to tie matters and set up five tense minutes of extra time.

Both sides went for broke in the five minutes of injury in a gripping finale but could not get the killer scores.