McElroy’s goal proved crucial to sending Arles Kilcruise into the semis

Laois Shopping Centre Intermediate Football Championship Rd 3 

Arles Kilcruise 1-12 

Mountmellick 0-13 

ARLES Kilcruise have booked their place in the Laois Shopping Centre Intermediate Football Championship semi-finals after an impressive victory over Mountmellick on Friday evening in Annanough.

Calum McElroy’s goal proved to be the difference between the sides, but Arles Kilcruise could have been far more comfortable going down the final stretch had it not been for a number of poor wides and three incredible save from Mountmellick goalkeeper Eoghan Keogh.

Having lost to Park-Ratheniska in the opening round, Arles Kilcruise beat Portlaoise last time out and have now won two games in a row to book their place in the final four where they will play Kilcavan. Mountmellick began the Championship with a huge win over Ballylinan to earn themselves the ‘favourites’ tag in many corners, but back-to-back defeats against Park-Ratheniska and now Arles Kilcruise mean Mountmellick now drop into the Intermediate 'B' semi-finals against either Timahoe or Portlaoise in a game which will double up as the relegation semi-finals.

The only scores of a turgid first ten minutes were a pair of Mountmellick frees curled over from Niall Mullen. Arles Kilcruise were playing the better football and drew level midway through the half thanks to scores from David Conway and Jack Behan.

Mullen and Conway swapped frees before the Mountmellick corner forward restored his side's two-point lead with a free from outside the arc. Mullen then raised another orange flag moments later to put Mountmellick ahead by more than a score.

That was quickly cancelled out by a sensational two-point free at the other end from Aodhan Lowry. Mullen kicked his eighth point of the half – all from frees - as he and PJ Lawlor traded scores at the end of the first half to leave Mountmellick ahead by two points, up 0-8 to 0-6 at the interval.

Behan pointed twice after the break but Mountmellick extended their lead with scores from Oisin Hade, Jack Gorman and a 45 from Eoghan Keogh. Mullen's ninth point was his first from play and put Mountmellick four points up for the second time in the game.

But Arles Kilcruise were level at the end of the third quarter after Conway pointed followed an excellent team move finished by a great strike from Calum McElroy to wrong-foot Keogh and raise the only green flag of the game.

McElroy then gave his side the lead before substitute Ross Munnelly kicked Arles Kilcruise two points in front with just five minutes of normal time remaining. Mullen and Conway traded scores just before injury time but Arles Kilcruise held off Mountmellick for a fully deserved victory and a place in the semi-finals.

It is the fifth time in as many years that these two clubs have faced off in the Laois IFC, with Arles Kilcruise now up three wins to two.

SCORERS:

Arles Kilcruise: David Conway 0-4 (0-1f) Calum McElroy 1-1, Jack Behan 0-3 (0-1f), Aodhan Lowry 0-2 (two-point free), PJ Lawlor and Ross Munnelly 0-1 each.

Mountmellick: Niall Mullen 0-10 (0-8fs [2 two-point frees]), Oisin Hade, Eoghan Keogh (45) and Jack Gorman 0-1 each.

ARLES KILCRUISE: Simon George; Ethan Mackey, Conal Brennan, Cialann Mulhall; Conor George, PJ Lawlor, Ben Slattery; David Lawlor, Caomhan Brennan; Calum McElroy, Jack Behan, Luke Donohoe; David Conway, Kevin Meaney, Aodhan Lowry.

Subs: Ross Munnelly for Caomhan Brennan (34m), Caomhan Brennan for Lowry (52m), Darragh Kealy for C George (57m), Eoin Mulhall for Behan (59m), Darragh Murphy for Lawlor (59m).

MOUNTMELLICK: Eoghan Keogh; Kai Byrne, Redmond McEvoy, Cian Rafter; Jack Gorman, Ja Connolly, Aidan Byrne; Oisin Hade, Stephen Lynch; Tom O’Connell, Colm Coss, Ryan Conron; Pete Culleton, Jim Scully, Niall Mullen.

Subs: Darren Fitzpatrick for Conran (ht), Rory Culleton for Lynch (42m), Conn Maher for Scully (47m).

Referee: Des Cooney (St Joseph's)