Keating the hero for Castledermot as they edge thrilling extra-time Leinster IFC quarter-final

Leinster Intermediate Club Football Championship quarter-final

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-N6sn9FB4Sg

"I don’t know too much about betting odds myself but I still think there are a couple of teams there that are more fancied than us" was what Castledermot manager Tony Gray said after seeing his side secure a Leinster Championship semi-final berth, but he may be tempted to find his local bookmaker and put a few euro on his young side to win it outright.

Castledermot were superb in their three point win and showed class, guts and composure to beat their Offaly opponents in a game full of incidents. There were periods of the game when the blues looked down and out, especially when they fell four points behind with just over 10 minutes left to play, but they dug deep and were able to force extra-time before eventually powering home to victory.

Nobody embodied Castledermot's Jekyll and Hyde performance more than corner-forward Gavin Keating. The youngster was slightly off colour in the first half and earned a booking for the second game in a row for not having his gumshields in his mouth, but his second half display and his heroics in extra-time were something to behold as he almost single-handedly pulled his side across the finish line.

He was actually about to be replaced just after receiving his yellow card, but the Castledermot management team wisely opted to speak to him at half-time rather than haul him off altogether.

From the first minute is was obvious that Ballycumber were a serious outfit, and corner-forward Joe Lowry kicked two fine points off either foot in the space of 60 seconds to provide a warning to the Castledermot defence. It was a warning that was heeded, and Castledermot's Ben Kelly marshalled him superbly for the rest of the tie, barely allowing him to get a kick for the remainder of the game.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3aFM-ggwHF8

David Keating, whose handling was slightly off in the early stages, got the Kildare champions up and running in the sixth minute with a point and that was soon followed by a close range point from Emmett O'Keefe after some good build up play by Harry Germaine.

Colm Quinn and Gavin Keating swapped frees at either end, before Fergal Daly boomed over a fine long range point to put the Faithful county side back in the lead. A point each from Gavin Farrell and David Keating either side of efforts from Ballycumber's Richard Dunne and Fergal Daly left the half-time score at 0-6 to 0-5 in favour of the visitors.

Castledermot had more possession and territory in the first 30 minutes, but they were wasteful on front of goal as they kicked seven wides while Ballycumber's conversion rate was much more efficient.

The feeling was that if they could up their accuracy they would win, but the opening three minutes of the second half couldn't have gone much worse. Whether it was a case of Ballycumber starting well, or Castledermot still figuratively being in the dressing room, the away side reeled off three points in the space of two minutes. Richard Dunne got the first before Adrian Kelly and Sean Hackett followed up with points.

The south Kildare men then got their lifeline as Emmett O'Keefe was hauled down when through on goal by Ballycumber stopper Leo Guinan -who received a black card as a result- and Gavin Keating stepped up to drive the penalty into the corner past replacement 'keeper Paul Kelly. Colm Quinn responded with a free at the other end but Farrell fired over his second score of the day with a monstrous effort from 50 yards out.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YOA5oh3nHQM

They were back to within a point and in the ascendancy, but the Castledermot bubble was soon burst once again. Patient build up play saw the ball fall to Quinn on front of goal, and he checked onto his left foot and drilled the ball into the bottom corner to stretch the gap to four again.

Keating took over then however by kicking a free, a huge point from play and then a '45 to leave just a point between the sides with a minute left to play. He then kicked a point free of epic proportions from the sideline at an extremely narrow angle to level the game and send Castledermot fans into raptures. Late in the game David Keating scored what looked to be the winner, but three minutes into stoppage time Gary Larking popped up at the other end with a fine score to bring the game into extra-time.

Extra-time was all Castledermot as Ballycumber looked out on their feet and were like a boxer against the ropes desperately trying to stay in the contest. Keating began the first period with a pointed free and a point from play either side of a Richard Dunne point before Vinny Dowling kicked over a beautiful curling effort for the blues. An Adrian Kelly point left just one between the sides going into the second half of extra-time.

Daly levelled things up with a free for Ballycumber, but Castledermot killed the game with a goal from Emmett O'Keefe who finished brilliantly after great work from Keating and Aaron Murphy teed him up. Daly and Keating traded frees late on and Castledermot ran out three point winners from a highly entertaining encounter.

Scorers for Castledermot: G Keating 1-8(1-0pen, 6f), E O'Keefe 1-1, D Keating 0-3, G Farrell 0-2 and V Dowling 0-1.

Scorers for Ballycumber: C Quinn 1-2(2f), F Daly 0-5(4f), R Dunne 0-3(1f), A Kelly and J Lowry 0-2 each, G Larkin 0-1.

Castledermot

P Murphy; B Kelly, D O'Keefe, L Cosgrave; H Germaine, P Murphy, B Nolan; G Hendy, O Doherty; B Nolan, D Keating, G Farrell; E O'Keefe, P Whelan, G Keating.

Subs used: V Dowling, A Roche and A Murphy.

Ballycumber

L Guinan; J Quinn, K Daly, A Daly; S Hackett, C Mc Donald, E Keena; J Egan, T Corcoran; Cormac Quinn, Colm Quinn, F Daly; J Lowry, R Dunne, A Kelly.

Subs used: G Larkin, D Donoghue, C Casey and P Kelly.