OB Construction Antrim Intermediate Football Championship, semi-final
Dunloy Cuchullains 2-9 Davitt's 0-4

TWO goals in the space of a minute proved to be the game-breakers for Dunloy who advance into the final of the Intermediate Football Championship at the expense of Davitt's on Sunday.

This game at Dunsilly was finely poised for long stages, but Dunloy just had that bit more in attack and the introduction of Michael Smyth resulted in a goal on 48 minutes with Conal Cunning netting straight after to end the argument.

Davitt's will look back at chances missed that could have put them in pole position, but a couple of big opportunities for goals at the start of each half were not taken and they just didn't get their noses in front at any stage.

But for Dunloy, it was a solid if unspectacular performance, yet they are back into a final they will hope to win this time around.

"A semi-final is about getting over the line and we're into the final," said manager Anthony McQuillan.

"We didn't play as well as we planned to, but conceding four points over 60 minutes was the basis of where everything came from.

"Michael was on the bench carrying an injury but the plan was always to get him on for there last 15 or 20 minutes at the edge of the square because once the ball goes into him, it's only going one place to the back of the net.

"It's a bit of a derby final and 10 years ago we were playing in Division Three against each other, so it shows we have both come along a long way and it will be a good game. Nobody wins easy when we play each other so it will be a 50-50."

Conal Cunning gathers to net Dunloy's second goal
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Conal Cunning gathers to net Dunloy's second goal

Gerard Slane made a charge at goal for Davitt's from the off and just 10 seconds in, Dunloy goalkeeper Chrissy Brogan was called into action to deny CJ Sullivan who had a glorious chance from close range.

Both sides probed and pressed, but the scores didn't materialise with a Keelan Molloy free on 10 minutes finally putting something on the board for Dunloy.

They had a big goal chance of their own when Seaan Elliott played in older brother Nigel, but his shot on the right of goal flashed across the face of the posts and wide.

Points from Eoin Gillan and Nigel Elliott did follow before Davitt's were finally on the board after 19 minutes with Padraig McParland finding his range.

They had another big goal chance immediately after, but again Brogan produced a save, this time from Conor Toner, while two minutes later at the other end, a Keelan Molloy shot for a point dipped and hit the underside of the crossbar as it bounced out to safety.

Davitt's did manage to draw level with CJ Sullivan having a shot tipped over and a McParland shot that whizzed over, but Dunloy would take a 0-4 to 0-3 lead into the break as Conal Cunning ruled over with the last kick of the half.

Deaglan Smyth extended the lead seconds after the restart, while Davitt's had another goal chance when the ball was squared to James Lindsay who rose to palm home but couldn't get enough purchase to direct it on target.

A point did follow for Davitt's to bring them back to within one on 36 minutes, but it would prove to be their last as Dunloy began to put a bit of daylight between the teams with Smyth kicking a free and Cunning one from play.

Then came the introduction of Michael Smyth and he wasted no time in marking his arrival as Seaan Elliott's shot from range tailed right but stayed in with Smyth rising to catch on the right of goal and blast to the net.

Straight after, Dunloy were back on the attack with Deaglan Smyth's shot saved by Aaron Slane, but Cunning was there to finish from the rebound.

That was it in a low-scoring affair with late points from Cunning and Keelan Molloy sealing the Dunloy victory as a season of positives came to an end for Davitt's.

James Lindsay can't direct the ball into the net early in the second half
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James Lindsay can't direct the ball into the net early in the second half

"From the throw-in we should have had a goal and it fell to the right man," said their manager, Sean McKenna.

"CJ is a great finisher but for some reason he side-foots it to the goalkeeper - anywhere else and it hits the back of the net.

"We needed everything to go right for us today. We needed Aaron (Slane) to be on with his frees, needed to take our chances up front and we just didn't do that.

"They are a super side, one athlete after another coming on, so credit to them, but credit to our boys too.

"If anyone has said we would be in the semi-final of the Intermediate Championship at the start of the year, people should have laughed, but we were here and gave a decent account of ourselves for 45 minutes, but just couldn't sustain it."

DUNLOY: C Brogan; A McGrath, A Crawford, C Kinsella; J Scally, K McQuillan, E McFerran; R McGarry, D Smyth (0-2, 1f); N Elliott (0-1), E Gillan (0-1), C McMahon; C Cunning (1-3), K Molloy (0-2, 1f), S Elliott.
Subs: M Smyth (1-0) for A McGrath (45),C Gillan for C McMahon (48), C McQuillan for E McFerran (53), R McFarlane for S Elliott (56), T McFerran for N Elliott (59).

DAVITT'S: A Slane; C Toner, P McKinney, N Maginn; M Rowntree, N McParland, J Scally; J Smith (0-1), A Rowntree; G Slane, P McParland (0-2), J Lindsay; T McGrattan, L Dennis, CJ Sullivan (0-1).
Subs: C Brown for M Rowntree (HT), D Money for J Lindsay (40), M Toner for A Rowntree (50), C Rafferty for CJ Sullivan (58).

REFEREE: Darren McKeown (St Gall's)