A place in the top five was at stake in this play-off and in what was a feisty local derby it was the O’Connell’s who came out on top in extra time. A pulsating finish to normal time saw the teams share 2-01 over the last few minutes as the game swung from end to end.

Barry Murray landed a briliant free with practically the last kick of normal time to send the game into extra time where another Murray free was punched over the bar by Donal McAvinue for the winning score.

Derrylin manager, Mickey Cadden, was full of praise for his side after the game.

“I thought to be fair the boys battled right to the very end and they showed a great appetite and hunger of the game. I think to be honest if we had shown the same bit of go against Teemore and Irvinestown in our previous two games we might have had a few more points on the board.” Derrylin got off to a flyer registering a goal and point in the opening ten minutes. McAvinue was on the end of a good Derrylin move to fire home. Kinawley were a little stunned by this opening slavo and in truth they stubbled for much of the fit half and but for poor decision making in the O’Connell attack they could have been in a spot of bother.

Instead it was four Murray points, three from frees and a Louis Leonard point that saw Derrylin hold a slender one point advantage. Kinawley started to come more into the game as the half wore with Shaun Doherty and James Allen points helping to claw their way back close to parity.

Iggy Gallagher, the Kinawley manager, was left rueing the bad start his side got off to; “Those early scores meant we were always playing catch up. We got ourselves into a winning position by the end however and we almost snatched it but it wasn’t to be. Our focus is now the championship and it is good to be back playing football now.” The second half saw the teams go almost score for score. Leonard was again a dangerous finger attacking from deep for Derrylin while the ever reliable Doherty was on target for Kianwley as they edged ahead for the fist time. That lead wasn’t to last long however as Mark Leavey fisted to the net from a Neil Shannon centre. But with the winning post in sight for Derrylin they conceded a goal of their own when Kevin Martin fisted home a rebound from a Doherty saved shot.

Murray tied things up with a pressure free from the sideline and in extra time it was the O’Connell’s who had just that little bit extra in attack with McAvinue securing the win and a place in the top five and a chance of promotion to division one.