Dublin senior football championship quarter-final roundup

BALLYBODEN ST ENDA'S 3-15 BALLINTEER ST JOHN'S 3-10

THOMAS DAVIS 1-12 CASTLEKNOCK 0-5

By Paul Keane

Just days shy of his 40th birthday, Conal Keaney delivered again for Ballyboden St Enda's with two late insurance points to secure their Dublin SFC semi-final place.

Leading by 10 points with 54 minutes on the clock, the 2016 All-Ireland winners should have cruised through more comfortably to the last four.

But a late revival from southside neighbours Ballinteer St John's, which included goals from Fearghal Duffy and David Devereux, reduced the deficit to just three points in stoppage time.

Ballinteer then had a goal chance cleared off the line by another 'Boden veteran, Declan O'Mahoney, and from the resulting clearance they worked the ball up the field for Keaney to point.

A minute later, Keaney stepped up to a sideline kick out on the right wing and curled an exceptional left footed kick between the posts to seal a slightly flattering five-point win.

Ballyboden's reward for the win is a semi-final clash with Na Fianna who defeated Whitehall Colmcille by 1-12 to 1-11 in the first of the quarter-finals on Saturday afternoon.

Kenny Naughton's 'Boden will kick themselves for not making life easier on themselves in the closing stages given how they controlled the game virtually throughout.

Jack Lundy did pinch a fourth minute goal from the penalty spot for Ballinteer but when 'Boden responded with an unanswered 1-6, the goal coming from Warren Egan who went on to score 2-2, the favourites assumed pole position.

Ballyboden led by 1-9 to 1-6 at half-time and a strong third quarter which yielded goals for Egan and Darren O'Reilly helped them to open up a 10-point gap on two occasions.

Ballinteer looked set for a heavy defeat, particularly after losing full-forward Luke Breathnach to injury in the 50th minute when they'd already used their full allocation of subs.

But they showed real character to haul themselves back into the contest, Duffy tapping home a 54th minute goal after the ball squirmed loose from a clutch of players and Devereux then booting in from 13 metres out after good work in the buildup by Lundy.

When Lundy then pointed in the 59th minute there were just three in it, a gap that remained in place until Keaney, who turns 40 next weekend, eventually took centre stage with his two stoppage time scores.

Meanwhile, Thomas Davis cruised to a surprisingly comfortable 10-point win over Ciaran Kilkenny's Castleknock in the remaining quarter-final tie this afternoon at Parnell Park.

The draw for the last four was conducted after the game and pitted the Tallaght outfit against holders and Leinster champions Kilmacud Crokes, who defeated Cuala 0-14 to 1-9 on Saturday.

It's a first semi-final for Thomas Davis since 2019 when they went on to reach the decider.

They led Castleknock virtually from start to finish, hitting five points in a row between the ninth and 19th minutes to put clear daylight between the sides for the first time.

Gavin Carruth was assigned man marking duties on inter-county star Kilkenny and did a terrific job, holding the multiple All-Ireland winner scoreless and eventually hobbling off late on with a leg injury.

County man Cian Murphy was among the first-half scorers for Thomas Davis who took a 0-7 to 0-2 lead into the interval.

They then took a giant step towards victory when Eamon Conroy was fed by the excellent Conor Guilfoyle for a 42nd minute goal.

Dublin U-20 star Adam Waddick, Guilfoyle and free-taker Fionn Murray all added points in the final quarter to ease Thomas Davis to victory.

Ballyboden St Enda's scorers: Warren Egan 2-2, Colm Basquel 0-7 (0-2f, 0-1m), Darren O'Reilly 1-1, Ryan O'Dwyer 0-2, Conal Keaney 0-2 (0-1 s/l), Alan Flood 0-1.

Ballinteer St John's scorers: Jack Lundy 1-3 (1-0 pen, 0-1f), Fearghal Duffy 1-1, David Devereux 1-0, Colm Fitzpatrick 0-1 (0-1f), Paddy Connaughton 0-1, Luke Breathnach 0-1, Donnacha Carey 0-1, Oran McIvor 0-1, Liam Smith 0-1.

Ballyboden St Enda's: Darragh Gogan; Cathal Flaherty, Shane Clayton, Paddy Dunleavy; Eoin Behan, Alex Gavin, Ryan Baynes; Michael McDonald, Luke O'Donoghue; Alan Flood, Ross McGarry, Colm Basquel; Darren O'Reilly, Ryan O'Dwyer, Warren Egan.

Subs: Michael Darragh Macauley for McDonald 43, Conal Keaney for O'Reilly 46, Declan O'Mahoney for Baynes 49, Kieran Kennedy for O'Donoghue 50, Brian Bobbett for Basquel for 57.

Ballinteer St John's: JB Carthy; Paddy Connaughton, Liam Smith, Diarmuid Kennedy; Iain O hEithir, Ben Millist, Dan O'Leary; Eoghan Fitzpatrick, David Devereux; Donnacha Carey, Jack Lundy, Colm Fitzpatrick; Fearghal Duffy, Luke Breathnach, Oran McIvor.

Subs: David Murray for Carey h/t, Nickey Devereux for O'Leary h/t, Aodhan Clabby for McIvor 43, Liam Fenton for C Fitzpatrick 43, Joe Sweeney for E Fitzpatrick 46.

Referee: Darren Delaney.

Thomas Davis scorers: Fionn Murray 0-4 (0-3f, 0-1 45), Eamon Conroy 1-1, Conor Guilfoyle 0-3, Sean Farrelly 0-1, Cian Murphy 0-1, Eoin Kirby 0-1, Adam Waddick 0-1.

Castleknock scorers: Ger McDermottroe 0-1 (0-1f), Rob Shaw 0-1, Tommy McDaniel 0-1, Kevin Stephenson 0-1, Eoin O'Brien 0-1.

Thomas Davis: Robert Crilly; Aaron Shorten, Gavin Carruth, Adam Fallon; Eoin Lambert, Sean Kennedy, Cian Murphy; Adam Waddick, Ryan Deegan; Davy Keogh, Eamon Conroy, Sean Farrelly; Conor Guilfoyle, Eoin Kirby, Fionn Murray.

Subs: Chris Sallier for Lambert 50, Oisin Kelly for Carruth 55, Sean Reilly for Guilfoyle 56, Kai Young Byrne for Keogh 61.

Castleknock: Morven Connolly; Niall Millmore, Eoin O'Brien, Ciaran Murphy; Shane Boland, Rob Shaw, Tom Shields; Darragh Warnock, Senan Forker; Ben Galvin, Tom Quinn, Ger McDermottroe; Tommy McDaniel, Ciaran Kilkenny, Eoin Sawyer.

Subs: Kevin Kindlon for Galvin 41, Kevin Stephenson for Forker 47, Paul Burke for Millmore 51, Conor Chawke for Sawyer 53, Seamus O'Carroll for McDaniel 56.

Referee: Gary McCormack.