By TOM O'RIORDAN (Irish Independent)

THE magical boot of teenage wonder kid Mattie Forde had Kilanerin's supporters punching the air in delight at Páirc Uí Síocháin in Gorey yesterday.

Forde's scoring exploits sent Edenderry crashing out of the AIB Leinster Club football championship after a quarter-final of high entertainment.

Having scored 4-4 in the previous round, the focus of attention was on the 19-year-old trainee carpenter who showed great maturity in holding his nerve to punish the Edenderry defence with a 0-10 tally which the Offaly champions had no answer to.

GREAT DISPLAY
Six of those points came from frees, three from play before he landed his final score with a great sideline kick from more than 50 yards out.

The athletic looking Forde is a precocious talent, with strength and a fleetness of foot which had the Edenderry defence in trouble before he capped a great display with three points in the closing minutes, a free, an angled shot from the right corner and then his sideline kick.

Edenderry tried every trick in an effort to get back in the game during the last quarter after Kilanerin, who had been stung by an equalising goal from Declan Flynn early in the second half and then found themselves trailing after Tony Kenny pointed his third free, managed to find exceptional rhythm in their game.

Edenderry brought on three substitutes, switched about their forces but the best efforts of Peter Brady, Cillian Farrell and Sean Óg Farrell in the attack were unable to make the openings, despite a good supply from Shane Connell and James Mullan at midfield.

That ineffectiveness is reflected in the fact that all their six points came from frees.

In the opening quarter Edenderry looked razor sharp and well worth their 0-3 to 0-1 lead which could so easily have been more. One goalbound shot was kept out by a last ditch block from a defender and another from Brady skimmed the outside of a post.

Then, Forde's accuracy from frees and the efforts of Michael Hegarty and midfielder Jim Darcy gave the home side an 0-7 to 0-4 interval lead.

On the resumption Edenderry picked up the pace. A defence-splitting move involving James Mullen, the impressive Shane Bagnall and Brady ended with Wayne Mooney crossing for Flynn to flick to the net for the goal followed immediately by the lead point by Kenny.

Kilanerin looked shocked but when they found their feet they not alone took the game to Edenderry but played magnificent football with Michael Higgins at centre-back, wingers Gordon Hughes and Michael Hughes, Seamus Hughes at midfield, Donie Noonan at centre-forward and John Hegarty at full-forward all to the fore, while the handling skills of goalkeeper Barry Hughes settled many nerves.

It was a great run by Pat Forde which enabled his brother to notch the equalising free with 15 minutes remaining.

It was then that we saw the best of the Wexford champions with a foul on Hegarty allowing Forde to give them the lead again before Seamus Hughes rose to great heights at midfield.

INSPIRATION
His point, after collecting the ball in his own defence, was sheer inspiration as was the score that followed from Noonan which put them three points clear.

Cillian Farrell narrowed the gap with a pointed free, but Forde was again on the mark to restore the three-point lead.

SCORERS Kilanerin: M Forde 0-10 (6f), J Darcy, S Hughes, D Noonan and M Hegarty 0-1 each. Edenderry: T Kenny 0-3 (3f), D Flynn 1-0, P Brady 0-2 (2f), C Farrell 0-1 (f).

KILANERIN B Hughes; M Darcy, P J Gethings, M Hughes; G Hughes M Higgins, M Hughes; D Darcy, S Hughes; N Darcy, D Noonan, P Forde; M Hegarty, J Hegarty, M Forde.

EDENDERRY D Seery; S Bagnall, A Murphy, W Mooney; J Hurst, F Cullen, B Malone; S Connell, J Mullen; J Mason, C Farrell, D Flynn; P Brady, S Óg Farrell, T Kenny. Subs: C O'Connell for Kenny; A Mahon for Bagnall. N Comerford for Flynn.

REF W Whelan (Laois).

The Irish Times

Kilanerin found the pace, power and strength of the opposition difficult at times, but it was a marvellous display of point taking from corner forward Mattie Forde which eventually paved the way for their five point victory over Edenderry in their AIB Leinster club Senior F championship quarter-final at Gorey yesterday. Powered on by the magnificent Seamus Hughes at midfield, Kilanerin finished strongly having fallen behind early in the second half and it was Forde who applied the finishing touch with a clinical display of finishing. Forde finished a game with a tally of 0-10 bringing his personal tally to an amazing 4-14 from two games. Edenderry had started the game impressively with two early pointed frees from Tony Kennedy and Peter Brady but it was Forde who replied with a pointed free after eight minutes.

Kilanerin through the powerful midfield play of Seamus Hughes took the initiative in the second quarter to lead 0-7 to 0-4 at the interval through four Forde points and one each from Michael Hegarty and Jim Darcy.

Within three minutes of the restart Edenderry were in front through a Declan Flynn goal following good approach play by John Mason and a Tony Kenny point. It was at this stage that Seamus Hughes began to control midfield and with Forde adding four more magnificent points, one a great effort from the sideline, Kilanerin went on to control the final quarter. They will play Kildare champion's Sarsfields in the semi-final.

KILANERIN: B Hughes; M Darcy, T J Gethings, Micheal Hughes; G Hughes, M Higgins, M Hughes; J Darcy (0-1), S Hughes (0-1); D Noonan (0-1), P Forde, M Hegarty (0-1); M Forde (0-10), J Hegarty N Darcy.

EDENDERRY: D Seery; S Bagnall, A Murphy, W Mooney; J Hurst, F Cullen, B Malone; S Connell, J Mullen; K Farrell (0-1), J Mason, D Flynn (1-0); P Brady (0-2), S Óg Farrell, T Kenny (0-3). Subs: C O'Connell for Kenny, N Comerford for Flynn, A Mahon for Bagnall. Referee: E Whelan (Laois).

The Cork Examiner

A MARVELLOUS display of point taking from Kilanerin’s Mattie Forde paved the way for their five point victory over Edenderry in their AIB Leinster Club Senior Football Championship quarter final at Gorey yesterday.

Powered on by the magnificent Seamus Hughes at midfield, Kilanerin finished strongly, having fallen in arrears early in the second half, and it was Forde who applied the finishing touch with a clinical display of scoring.

Forde ended the game with a tally of 0-10, bringing his total over two games to an amazing 4-14, and there was nothing the Edenderry defence could do to cope with his silken skills.

Edenderry had started the game impressively with two early pointed frees from Tony Kenny and Peter Brady but the Wexford champions ended the half leading 0 7 to 0 4.

Within three minutes of the restart, Edenderry were in front with Declan Flynn goaling. However, Kilanerin soon took control and there was no way back for Edenderry.

Scorers, Kilanerin: M. Forde 0-10, J. Darcy, S. Hughes, D. Noonan, M. Hegarty 0-1 each. Edenderry: D. Flynn 1-0, T. Kenny 0-3, P. Brady 0-2, K. Farrell 0-1.

KILANERIN: B. Hughes, M. Darcy, P.J. Gethings, Michéal Hughes, G. Hughes, M. Higgins, Michael Hughes, J. Darcy, S. Hughes, D. Noonan, P. Forde, M. Hegarty, M. Forde, J. Hegarty, N. Darcy.

EDENDERRY: D. Seery, S. Bagnall, A. Murphy, W. Mooney, J. Hurst, F. Cullen, B. Malone, S. Connell, J. Mullen, K. Farrell, J. Mason, D. Flynn, P. Brady, S. O´g Farrell, T. Kenny. Subs; C. O’Connell for Kenny, N. Comerford for Flynn, A. Mahon for Bagnall.

Referee: E. Whelan, Laois.