Hugh Gibbons rescued gritty Allen Gaels with three late pointed frees in this sparkling AIB Connacht Club Senior Football Championship quarter-final at Markievicz Park yesterday.

St Mary's were leading by 1-10 to 0-10 with five minutes remaining when a last-gasp Gaels rally forced the home side into conceding costly frees.

Gibbons opened the first half scoring with an early point and the Leitrim champions were two points ahead when Mark Breheny kicked the first of his seven points in the ninth minute.

The visitors led 0-8 to 0-4 at half time after points by Paschal Bree and Breheny in the closing stages of the half kept the Sligo kingpins in the game.

Three points without reply by a rejuvenated St Mary's edged them ahead 0-9 to 0-8 in the 39th minute and a Jonathan Davey goal after 48 minutes put them three points clear.

Allen Gaels refused to surrender and their three unanswered points insuring a replay in Carrick-on-Shannon next Saturday.

St Mary's full forward Mark Breheny was named man-of-the-match.

ST MARY'S: N Walsh; J Martyn, D Carroll, C Walsh; A Collery, N Murray, P Leonard; J Campbell, D Keane; M Bree, R Bree, P Bree (0-1); J Daly(1-1), M Breheny (0-7, 0-3f), D Caffrey. Subs: D Downes for Caffrey (50 mins); N Smith for Campbell (58).

ALLEN GAELS: T Nolan; A McKeon, L Moran, A Canning; N Gilbane, D Lynch, K McWeeney; N Moran (0-1), G McWeeney (0-1); J Gilbane (0-1), P Kenny (0-2, 0-1f), A Fee; H Gibbons (0-7, 0-5f), A Cullen (0-1), S McGuire. Subs: P McGovern for Canning (52 mins); M McGowan for McGuire (54).

Referee: C Collins (Mayo)