Two frees from the boot of Colin Moran in stoppage time helped Allen Gaels defeat Aughnasheelin and in doing so claim a place in the Smith Monumentals Intermediate Championship semi-final.

With the situation tight at the top of the table Allen Gaels knew at least a three point win would be good enough to advance to the last four. Aaron Hoare had a chance near the end for Aughnasheelin but his fisted effort didn’t trouble Ronan Moran.

It was a game of two halves. Allen Gaels were on top in the first and Aughnasheelin came out fighting in the second. Within minutes of the start of the second half Allen Gaels were ahead by 12 when Moran found the back of the net. Credit to a young Aughnasheelin side they never gave him and staged a fightback.

Goals at crucial stages proved the difference for Allen Gaels but Aughnasheelin will bemoan the harsh penalty decision given against them. Ciaran Walsh put it away to extend the lead to four points.

Fintan Fitzpatrick was once again excellent for Aughnasheelin while for Allen Gaels Moran and Caleb Duffy were most prominent. Duffy got his side’s second goal in the 27th minute. A Moran free and a neat point from Duffy gave Gaels at 0-5 to 2-8 lead going in at the break.

Two minutes into the second half Duffy set Moran up for Gaels’ third goal. Fitzpatrick got a score for Aughnasheelin from a free; their first since the 23rd minute. Gavin Sammon and Fitzpatrick got scores while sub Cathal Egan fired over a fine point in the 41st minute. 

Another Fitzpatrick free in the 44th minute put three points between them but Allen Gaels hit back with a fourth goal. The final 10 minutes were frantic as both sides tried to get vital scores. 

Aughnasheelin made Allen Gaels concede frees which Fitzpatrick kicked over. He scored 10 points from frees and a fine point from play in the 58th minute cut the deficit to just one point.

Moran kicked over a free in the 60th minute for Gaels and another free from the corner-forward three minutes later proved crucials as his side booked their place in the semi-final.

Aughnasheelin proved why they are one of the favourites for the Smith Monumentals Intermediate Championship title with a convincing win over Bornacoola.

In what was an excellent team performance Fintan Fitzpatrick was terrific at full-forward. 

Ciaran Cullen and Paul Early also impressed for Terence Reynolds’ side. Ronan Mulligan was Bornacoola’s main scoring threat kicking 1-06 (three frees).

Within seconds of the start Cullen had a goal chance but his fisted effort just went wide. In the eighth minute he made no mistake when he drove a low shot to the net to extend his side’s lead to five points - 1-05 to 0-01. Joe Early and Damien Fitzpatrick (free) had scored points for Aughnaheelin while Damien Moran scored Bornacoola’s point; a fine effort from the full-forward.

Bornacoola were back in the game in the 20th minute when Ronan Mulligan found the back of the net. Sean McKeon added a point to cut the gap to just two in the 23rd minute.

Aughnasheelin fired over three points before the break. Gavin Sammon, Fintan Fitzpatrick (free) and Joe Early on target to leave the home side ahead by four points at half-time - 1-08 to 1-04.

Mulligan kicked over another free in the first minute of the second half. Four minutes later Sammon found Aaron Hoare and he fired a terrific shot to the net. Down the other end Kevin McWeeney brought off a fine save and Paul Early defended well and Bornacoola tried to find a response.

Fitzpatrick hit over three points (two frees) to extend his side's lead to nine points in the 44th minute. One minute later Fitzpatrick grabbed a goal. Sean McWeeney got up to pop over a terrific score in the 48th minute as the home side were dominant.

After 18 minutes without a score, Mulligan hit over a point in the 49th minute for the visitors and sub Conor McCauley followed up with another score minutes later.

Ciaran Cullen scored two excellent points for his side as they stretched the lead to 13 points in the 54th minute. Darragh Gunn was black carded for the home side in the 57th minute before the visitors scored consolation points.