St Martin's (Wexford) 1-21; Na Fianna (Dublin) 2-17
Any team that travels down to Wexford Park should always expect the unexpected, and reigning Dublin, Leinster and All Ireland champions Na Fianna learnt to their cost on Sunday afternoon.
In a game for the ages where both sides emptied the tank, it was the local St Martin’s team which caused the shock of the day with a last-minute win.
When the sides met in the semi-final of this competition last season, it was the Mobhi Road outfit from north Dublin who emerged victorious in a tight game at Parnell Park; so revenge was sweet for the O’Connor clan and their teammates as they fought like tigers to get over the line when it seemed that Na Fianna’s know-how in tight situations might see them advance to the Leinster semi-final.
After being behind at the last minute, it took a point on the hour by sub Ben Stafford and then a pair of Rory O’Connor injury-time frees to edge home in front of an ecstatic home following.
St Martin’s now face Naas the weekend after this in the semi-final as they seek to follow Oulart The Ballagh who were the last Model County club to make a historic provincial breakthrough exactly a decade ago.
The maroon started tentatively and missed a few scores before going 0-4 to 0-1 ahead thanks to scores from Darren Codd, Barry O’Connor, Jake Firman and the exceptional Rory O’Connor (free), who was the chief playmaker on the day for the winners.
The Curries – Sean and Colin – got the scoreboard ticking for the Dubliners with three points between them.
A four-point home surge saw Rory with a brace of frees and Darren Codd and Mikey Coleman also raising white flags.
Na Fianna aren’t All-Ireland champions for nothing and by half-time they had stood up with Sean Currie goaling to level it 1-8 to 0-11 at the short whistle.
The topsy-turvy nature of the game continued as the Martins edged two in front 11 minutes after the restart with John and Rory to the fore.
Na Fianna found their rhythm with two fine points from midfielder Brian Ryan and a goal from the ubiquitous full-forward A.J. Murphy, edging them ahead by 2-11 to 0-15.
What had Martin’s left in the tank, if indeed anything at all? Rory again led the fightback and helped his cousin Barry to bury to the net to get the lead back, by 1-17 to 2-12.
The teams were both dying with their boots on and you knew neither would give up without a big fight. Na Fianna fought back to level and then had a goal chance which they made a hash of but were still two clear on the hour mark.
AJ Murphy should have goaled to seal the game but the sliotar flew over.
Young Stafford and Rory with a free responded to level and then the latter landed his ninth score of the day to put a dagger through Na Fianna hearts.
St Martin’s: C Quirke; E O’Leary, C Firman, P Dempsey; D Waters, D O’Leary, J Barrett; D Codd, A Maddock; J Firman (0-2), D Codd (0-2), J O’Connor (0-4, 0-1f); M Coleman (0-1), BO’Connor (1-2), R O’Connor (0-9, 0-6f) Subs: B Maddock for A. Maddock (46), B Stafford (0-1) for Coleman (48), S Audsley for O’Leary, inj. (58).
Na Fianna: J Tracey; M Murphy (0-1), C McHugh, S Burke; L Rushe, P O’Dea, P Feeney; B Ryan (0-2), J Meagher (0-1); S Currie (1-3), D Burke (0-2), J Kavanagh; T Brennan, A.J. Murphy (1-2), C Currie (0-6, 0-3f) Subs: C McCarthy for Brennan (HT), L Stacey for Kavanagh (52), D Clerkin for M. Murphy, temp (55-56).
Ref: James McGrath (Westmeath).
Kilcoo (Down) 0-16; Loughmacrory (Tyrone) 0-11
This was a case of Kilcoo old heads taking on and having the measure of Loughmacrory’s new kids on the block as the Mournemen had too much nous even in Healy Park on Saturday evening.
The winners now face a testing challenge against Fermanagh’s Erne Gaels in the upcoming Ulster club semi-final.
After losing dramatically to Errigal Ciaran last year, Kilcoo were taking nothing for granted this time around as they produced a thoroughly workmanlike if not spectacular performance which earned them a four-point win which felt much more than that.
Speaking of old heads, this club has dominated the Down scene with 13 of the past 14 championships to their name while appearing in no less than five provincial finals not to mention their signal year of 2022 when they won the All Ireland.
On the other side was a team which won their first Tyrone senior title this autumn so on the face of it, it seemed like there could only be one winner.
Kilcoo went about their task by trying to run the home side ragged and with the usual scoring suspects Paul Devlin, Shealan Johnston and Darryl Branagan scoring and hurting the Tyrone men with surging runs, it looked like the game could become very lopsided.
The Saints had their own answer and with the McElholm-McCullagh axis being closely watched, the contest showed they had other fine players into the game and Pauraic Meenagh and Cathaoir Gallagher both found shot defiant scores to leave Kilcoo only two ahead 0-7 to 0-5 at the break.
The winners now had the wind as an aid and they pushed further ahead as Devlin landed a two-pointer with almost immediately Darryl Branagan making it a double double to stretch the lead to five.
Eoin McElholm focused his teammates with a point and then McCullagh added another from a free to give their fans hope.
Gallagher reduced the margin even further with a well worked score initiated by McElholm. You just knew Kilcoo wouldn’t let anything slip and they showed their craft with two fine points from wing-back Miceal Rooney and Shealan Johnston’s two-pointer.
Six to the good at that stage, Loughmacrory responded again per McElholm and a Gallagher free, but they could not get a goal chance which was needed to get them back into serious contention.
The best chance came from Gareth Donaghy which goalkeeper Niall Kane diverted over the bar as his side set their sights on the challenges ahead on the way back east home.
Kilcoo: N Kane; A Branagan, R McEvoy, N Branagan; M Rooney (0-1), D Branagan (0-2), C Rogers; Aaron Morgan, Anthony Morgan (0-1); C Doherty (0-1), R Johnston (0-1), S Johnston (0-4, 1tp); P Devlin (0-5, 2f, 1tp), J Johnston, E Branagan Subs: J Devlin for A Branagan (11), S Og McCusker (0-1) for J Johnston (41), B McEvoy for Rooney (54)
Loughmacrory: O O’Kane; D Curran, N Kelly, A Macidulskas; S Dobbs, R Fox, S Conway; A Donaghy, C Donaghy; G Donaghy (0-1), E McElholm (0-2), C Gallagher (0-3, 1f); P Meenagh (0-3, 1tp, 1f), R McCullagh (0-2f), M McNameen B E Donaghy for Fox (52), R Grimley for Meenagh (52).
Ref: M McNally (Monaghan).
Erne Gaels (Fermanagh) 3-15; Kingscourt Stars (Cavan) 1-16
(AET)
Erne Gaels advanced to meet Kilcoo but they could have so easily beaten themselves in the Ulster Club SFC semi-final Kingscourt Stars staged an amazing comeback to force extra time at Kingspan Breffni on Saturday.
Declan Bonner’s Belleek side appeared to be home and hosed by half time after leading by 13 points at one stage. Even with less than 10 minutes to go there seemed no danger as they were nine points to the good approaching the home straight.
Meath star Jordan Morris then led a mesmeric revival alongside Cian Shekleton to draw level and force extra-time.
However, Erne Gaels obviously learnt a lesson with that late blitz and went about ruling the roost from the third throw-in which saw them establish their superiority and win by five points in the end.
Erne Gaels: B Ryder; S Minna, P Ward, U O'Reilly; O Kelm (0-3, 1tp), J McCann (1-0), B McCann (0-2, 1tpf); M Óg McGarrigle, R Lyons(0-1); B Mullin, T McCafferty (0-1f), A Kelm (0-1); S Rooney (0-2, 0-1f), U Kelm (1-1), O Johnston (1-2, 1tp) Subs: S Ryder (0-1f) for A Kelm (28), M Gilfeddar for O Johnston (42), D McCann (0-1) for S Rooney (45), S Rooney for T McCafferty (66), P Johnston for U Kelm (75).
Kingscourt Stars: T Martin; C McAvinney, J McCullough, S Gray; O Cunningham, A Shekleton, B Tully; J McKeon, P Meade; J Dillon, P Corrigan, C Dermody; J Morris (0-4, 1tpf), K Curtis, C Shekleton (0-12, 2tp, 0-2f) Subs: C Magee for J McKeon (19), M McKeon for K Curtis (ht), CYore (1-0) for C Dermody (41), S Burke for C Magee (75), KFarrelly for S Gray (75).
Ref: Enda McFeely (Donegal).
GAA RESULTS
Saturday 8 November
Tipperary SFC final
Clonmel Commercials 1-26 Kilsheelan-Kilcash 1-5
Connacht club SFC quarter-final
Ballina Stephenites (Mayo) 1-15 North London Shamrocks (London) 0-10
Ulster club SFC quarter-finals
Erne Gaels Belleek (Fermanagh) 3-15 Kingscourt Stars (Cavan) 1-16 (AET)
Kilcoo (Down) 0-16 Loughmacrory (Tyrone) 0-11.
Sunday 9 November
Limerick SFC final
Mungret St Paul's 0-12 Newcastle West 1-5
Connacht club SFC quarter-final
Moycullen (Galway) 1-20 Shamrock Gaels (Sligo) 1-9
Munster club SFC quarter-final
Eire Og Ennis (Clare) 0-20 Rathgormack (Waterford) 1-13
Ulster club SFC quarter-finals
Scotstown (Monaghan) 2-16 Naomh Conaill (Donegal) 0-16
Newbridge (Derry) 0-18 Madden Raparees (Armagh) 0-12
Leinster club SHC quarter-finals
Clough/Ballacolla (Laois) 2-16 Castletown Geoghegan (Westmeath) 0-20
Naas (Kildare) 2-17 Mount Leinster Rangers (Carlow) 1-17
Ballyhale Shamrocks (Kilkenny) 0-25 Kilcormac-Killoughey (Offaly) 1-18
St Martin's (Wexford) 1-21 Na Fianna (Dublin) 2-17
