MATTY FORDE, not for the first time, proved the hero as he inspired Kilanerin through a tense second-half before they eventually shook off a dogged Shelmaliers challenge in this WFC Senior football championship quarter-final at Wexford Park on Sunday last.

It was always going to take something special to haul Kilanerin back into this game after a dreadful start which saw them concede 1-2 inside the opening six minutes. They battled to remain in the game through a first-half when Shelmaliers should have shown their control more on the scoreboard.

Even on the resumption, Kilanerin continued to struggle for lengthy periods and were finding it increasingly difficult to prise open the opposition defence. They still trailed by a point with 13 minutes remaining, but it was during the closing stages that Forde stepped up to the plate with some superb points as they struck for 1-7 in the final quarter, while the Shels couldn't manage a single score during this period as they were forced into desperate defending.

If the Shels needed a good start they certainly received one. Derek Walsh pointed them in front inside three minutes, while one minute later Terry Gainfort crashed home a goal from a penalty after James Gordon was fouled as he moved in on goal. When Gainfort added a superb point from play they looked more than capable of repeating last year's win at the same stage as they were showing a real appetite and determination in their play.

Kilanerin had to wait until the eleventh minute for their opening score, a Forde point from play, while one minute later centre-forard Tommy Boland worked himself into position for a well-executed point. Kilanerin were now coming more into the game and were denied a goal when Shels 'keeper Paudie McMahon did well to keep out a low Gordon Hughes shot.

The sides went on to exchange points through Stephen Banville and Forde, while before the break the Shels had points through Aidan Cash and Gainfort, while Brian Dignam and Forde chipped in with efforts that left the Shels leading by 1-5 to 0-5 at the interval.

The manner in which Kilanerin started the second-half, with far more urgency in their play, suggested that the Shels defence was going to come under a severe test. Forde slotted over a great point from play, before he set up Gordon Hughes for another point, leaving the minimum separating the sides (1-5 to 07) after 37 minutes.

But the Shels still had enough players to share the burden with Brian Malone driving them forward out of defence, resulting in two points from Gainfort, one a '45 and the second a free, to restore their three-point advantage, leaving Kilanerin with a real fgtht on their hands to keep their championship hopes alive.

Battle-hardened and experienced, Pat Forde continually drove his side forward from centre-back during the closing 20 minutes. Matty Forde swung over two superb points from frees, before he set up substitute Mick Molloy for the equaliser (1-7 to 0-10) after 48 minutes. One minute later Molloy forced a superb save out of 'keeper McMahon at the expense of a fruitless '45.

Kilanerin were by this stage producing all the football. Forde pointed his side in front for the first time with five minutes remaining, while one minute later he lofted over a superb 50-metre point from play.

Such was their dominance at this stage that corner-back Conor Byrne advanced to point.

Two minutes from the end Forde robbed Malone after a short kick-out failed, going on to lay the ball off to Mick Molloy who found the inrushing Boland, and he dispatched it superbly to the net. Peter Hughes had the last say with a point as Kilanerin advanced through to the semi-final draw.

They will now take on St. Anne's in the first big meeting between the sides since the county final of 2001 which was won by the Rathangan men.

However, in their four championship clashes since then, Kilanerin boast a one hundred per cent record, meating that St. Anne's have some ground to make up.

- BRENDAN FURLONG