Kilcummin players from left, Pádraig Nagle, Matt Keane, Ian Devine and Kevin McCarthy celebrate following victory over Two Mile House in the AIB GAA Football All-Ireland Intermediate Championship semi-final.
AIB All-Ireland Club Intermediate Football semi-finals
KILCUMMIN (KERRY) 0-11 TWO MILE HOUSE (KILDARE) 0-10
NAOMH ÉANNA (ANTRIM) 3-9 AN SPIDÉAL (GALWAY) 0-11
By Kevin Egan
Kilcummin of Kerry and Belfast club Naomh Éanna will contest this year’s All-Ireland club intermediate football final at Croke Park on Saturday, February 9th after they came through the challenge of Two Mile House and An Spidéal respectively this afternoon in very different styles.
Two Mile House were aiming to become just the third Leinster club to reach the final of this competition in 15 years of trying, and they travelled to the Gaelic Grounds as rank outsiders for their clash with Kilcummin of Kerry, who were hoping to become the sixth team from the Kingdom to win this championship.
The Kildare club were rocked on their heels early on when county star Peter Kelly was shown a black card after just ten minutes, having already scored two points and helped Two Mile House into an 0-3 to 0-0 lead.
Kilcummin turned the resultant free into a Gary O’Leary point and three points each for Noel Duggan and Matt Keane helped them to reach half time 0-8 to 0-6 in front.
Mark Sherry set up scores for Chris Healy and Aidan Casey to tie up the game early in the second half and the door opened even wider for Niall Browne’s men when Kevin Gorman was sent off for Kilcummin after a second bookable offence.
They failed to hit the front however, and while they were able to cancel out Kilcummin points twice in succession, when Philip Casey fired over from long range in the 61st minute, they didn’t have time to find one more equaliser and it was the Kerry side that advanced by 0-11 to 0-10.
Life was much more comfortable for Naomh Éanna, who burst out of the blocks with an early goal from Kristian Healy, slammed to the net after a quick exchange of handpasses left him one-on-one with Maghnus Breathnach, and they never looked back.
A second goal from Rúairí Scott made it 2-3 to 0-3, and with half-time looming, a remarkable strike from Joe Maskey effectively settled the tie. Breathnach’s driving runs out from his own goal have become something of a trademark for the Galway county player but after his pass was intercepted 50 metres from his own goal, Maskey was able to take aim and deliver an inch-perfect kick off the outside of the right boot that floated perfectly into the net.
An Spidéal rallied before half time with three points to cut the gap to six at the interval, but some superb second half points from Odhrán Eastwood ensured that Naomh Éanna had plenty to spare up until the final whistle at Páirc Tailteann, winning by 3-9 to 0-11 at the finish.
The Easkey team that defeated Red Hugh's in the AIB All-Ireland Club Junior Football Championship semi-final.
AIB All-Ireland Junior Club Championship Semi-Finals
EASKEY (SLIGO) 1-08 RED HUGH’S (DONEGAL) 0-09
BEAUFORT (KERRY) 0-12 DUNDALK YOUNG IRELANDS (LOUTH) 0-10
By Dan Bannon
Easkey of Sligo and Beaufort of Kerry will play each other in this years AIB All-Ireland Junior Club Championship Final.
With so much at stake, both finalists made that seismic leap with a slight quiver, handing out narrow semi final defeats and setting up a Croke park date on the 9th of February.
Beaufort carried on the proud Kerry tradition within the junior grade to make them the 11th Kingdom team to reach the All-Ireland decider since the competition’s inauguration in 2002 with a stirring comeback victory over the Louth Champions Dundalk Young Irelands in O’Moore Park, Portlaoise.
Beaufort’s Fergal Hallissey top scored on the bright afternoon with half of his side's total, but it was his point from play with ten minutes remaining that turned the screw.
Having been down by four points at one stage, Hallissey inspired his mid-Kerry colleagues down the stretch.
Louth County star Derek Maguire gave an exhibition of point taking from the sweeping position with three of his own in the first half giving the underdogs a three point lead at the half time whistle.
Dundalk midfielder Seán McLoughlin picked up a second booking and the surge of momentum was going the Munster champions way.
Jordan O’Donoghue levelled the game for the valiant Irelanders on two occasions but Hallissey would not be denied along with full forward Ciaran Kennedy notched the insurance score to give the Kerry men an breathtaking victory.
Easkey will in fact be the first Sligo team to make the decider at this grade having surpassed Donegal champions Red Hugh’s in Sean O’Heslin Park, Ballinamore Co Leitrim.
James Lindsey struck the game defining goal on three quarter time, having enjoyed the breeze at their backs for the opening half Dessie Sloyan’s troops took an sizeable 0-7 to 0-3 lead going in at half time.
Damien Browne lead the comeback for the Ulster champions, however the goal, the result of short Easkey 45’ scrambled away and dropped to Lindsay.
That was the cushion the Connacht men needed to advance. Those are the margins.
