Leinster club football championship: Ardee St Mary’s, St Loman’s and Naas progress to semi-finals

St Loman’s, Mullingar (Westmeath) 1-20 Emmet Óg, Killoe (Longford) 1-10

St Loman’s were very comfortable winners against a disappointing 13-man Killoe side in Longford on Sunday afternoon.

Danny McCartan (a mark) and Denis McGoldrick (open play) traded points before St Loman’s took complete control of the game in virtually every position. Points from Sam McCartan, John Heslin (a free), Danny McCartan and Ronan O’Toole preceded a wonderful individual goal from the latter, an All-Star nominee, in the 12th minute.

Further points ensued via Sam McCartan, Shane Dempsey, Heslin (another free), Sam McCartan (a 45, after his brother Danny had been denied a goal), and Dempsey again.

[ Kilmacud Crokes and their galacticos swat aside callow Éire Óg in Leinster quarter-final ]

Fine points from Paddy Moran and Mickey Quinn briefly stemmed the tide for Killoe, managed by former St Loman’s bainisteor Luke Dempsey, but, with Heslin spraying the ball around delightfully, Paddy Dowdall’s men increased their lead before the break when Shane Dempsey completed his hat-trick of points.

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In truth, all the Mullingar men needed to do in the second half was to keep the scoreboard ticking over. This they did at their ease, starting with another Dempsey point after 50 seconds. Emmet Óg’s woes were compounded by the dismissal of sub Cian Dooner in the 49th minute, a black card to follow his earlier yellow.

To their credit, they continued to plug away and were rewarded with a fine goal from Danny Mimnagh in the 55th minute. The sides equally shared four late points. Danny McCartan and Heslin notched a free each, Heslin’s coming in added-time after another Killoe sub Colm Coyle was red-carded, while Paddy Kiernan and Mark Hughes also pointed for a well-beaten Emmet Óg outfit.

St Loman’s, Mullingar: J Daly; E Hogan, D O’Keeffe, O Hogan; J Geoghegan, D Whelan, E Gaffney; S Flanagan (0-1), J Heslin (0-5, four frees); P Foy, S McCartan (0-4, one 45), K Regan; D McCartan (0-3, one free, one mark), R O’Toole (1-2), S Dempsey (0-5, one mark). Subs: K Reilly for Foy (41 mins), F Ayorinde for Flanagan (50), T Graham for Regan (50), R Jones for Gaffney (58), G Grehan for O Hogan (58).

Emmet Óg, Killoe: M Hughes; N Farrelly, L Hughes, E Farrelly; G Farrelly, R Moffett, C Farrelly; P Kiernan (0-1), R Keogh; D McGoldrick (0-1), M Quinn (0-1), E Keogh; D Mimnagh (1-1, one 45), M Hughes (0-3, one free), P Moran (0-1). Subs: C Coyle (0-1) for McGoldrick (19 mins), R McGoldrick (0-1) for N Farrelly (half-time), C Dooner for E Keogh (33), S Clarke for R Keogh (41), C Donohoe for C Farrelly (54).

Referee: A Nolan (Wicklow).

Leinster SFC quarter-final: Ardee St Mary’s (Louth) 3-9 Blessington (Wicklow) 2-5

A Dáire McConnon goal five minutes into the second half of Ardee St Mary’s Leinster club championship battle with Wicklow champions Blessington proved to be the decisive score in what was a tense and enjoyable provincial battle between two capable sides.

A small crowd arrived at Echelon Park, Aughrim for this clash but those who braved the bank side were soon scampering for shelter in the stand as the dark clouds rolled in and the rain began to fall, making underfoot conditions very difficult for the players.

Ardee St Mary’s got off to a dream start, a pair of Tom Jackson goals providing a brutal reply to Kevin Quinn’s opening free for Blessington and driving the Louth side five points ahead by the fifth minute.

But Blessington steadied the ship and started to play some nice football with the wind at their backs, a Mikey O’Connor free and Dan Cooney goal either side of a Ciarán Keenan point leaving things nicely poised at 2-1 to 1-2 with 11 minutes on the clock.

Brian Cardiff’s side lost full-back Conal Gallagher to injury after 15 minutes, bringing in Jack Cotter to replace him but this was a bad blow for the Blues who would also lose Jordan McGarr to a black card after 25 minutes.

But they headed for the dressing rooms in fine form after Jack Gilligan’s speculative strike managed to spin in past James McGillick for a precious goal after 31 minutes to leave the scoreboard reading 2-4 to 2-3 at the break, the lead somehow surviving a mini siege from Ardee St Mary’s late on.

McConnon’s goal five minutes after the break was huge, and it was followed by two superb scores from the excellent Ciarán Keenan and two from Liam Jackson who acquainted himself with every blade of grass at the Aughrim venue.

Blessington would only score once in the second half as Donal McKenny, Tiernan Corrigan and Páraic McKenny denied the Blues any real chance at a lifesaving goal.

A date with Kilmacud Crokes awaits Ardee St Mary’s. The Louth side has quality all over the field, but whether it’s enough to trouble the Dublin champions remains to be seen.

Blessington: Rob Gilligan; Steven Bohan, Conal Gallagher, Aaron Curran; Kevin Hanlon, Jack Gilligan (1-0), Paul McLoughlin; Craig Maguire, Dan Cooney (1-0); Eoin Keogh, Curtis Geraghty, Jordan McGarr; Dan Silke Fetherston, Kevin Quinn (0-3, two frees, one mark), Mikey O’Connor (0-1, one free). Subs: Jack Cotter for C Gallagher (15 mins), Anto McLoughlin for E Keogh, Martin Shannon for C Geraghty (both half-time), Stephen Carroll for K Hanlon (50), Adam Boland for D Cooney (59)

Ardee St Mary’s: James McGillick; Éimhín Keenan, Donal McKenny, Tiernan Corrigan; Kian Moran, Páraic McKenny, Carl Gillespie; Seán Callaghan, Robert Leavy; Ciarán Keenan (0-3), Liam Jackson (0-2), Jonathan Commins (0-2); Conor Gillespie, Dáire McConnon (1-1), Tom Jackson (2-0). Subs: Shane Matthews for C Gillespie (half-time), Tadhg McDonnell for T Jackson (59), Darren Clarke (0-1, one free) for D McConnon (60+2), Jay Cawley for P McKenny (60+3)

Referee: Patrick Maguire

Leinster SFC quarter-final: Naas (Kildare) 2-12 Summerhill (Meath) 0-8

The 10-point winning margin probably flattered Naas but, truthfully, this wasn’t far off the outcome that many anticipated.

Naas, three-in-a-row Kildare champions and the 2021 Leinster finalists, are experienced provincial performers at this stage while Royal County representatives have struggled badly in Leinster for the last 20 years.

Hosts Naas did wobble for 15 minutes or so in the third quarter when pressed in by a resurgent Summerhill who managed to reduce a five-point half-time deficit to just two.

And Summerhill had form for late smash and grab raids with the memory of their dramatic Round 1 win over Tullamore still strong.

But the door was firmly shut on them in the closing quarter as Naas reeled off an unanswered 1-5 to stride confidently through to a last-four clash with St Loman’s of Mullingar, in Mullingar.

Eoghan Prizeman’s 51st-minute goal was the clear turning point, doubling the Naas lead from three to six and breaking the back of Summerhill’s challenge.

Eamonn Callaghan, who will turn 41 shortly, came on in the second-half and scored two points for Naas while colleagues Alex Beirne and Darragh Kirwan shared out six points evenly between them.

Summerhill will rue the 12 wides they registered with nine of those coming in the first-half though Naas could equally point to three decent goal chances they didn’t take.

Kirwan was denied in a one-on-one in the 21st minute before wasting another great opportunity in the 28th minute with a shot that he dragged wide. Later on, Beirne surprisingly opted for a point when set clear by Kirwan after a lightning break from Naas.

The only slight downside for Naas supporters is that, unlike last year, the semi-finals won’t be played in Croke Park.

“Personally I rather the provincial grounds, I think there’s a better atmosphere,” said Naas manager Joe Murphy when asked if he’d prefer GAA headquarters. “I think Croke Park should be for the big days, for the finals.”

Naas: L Mullins (0-1, 1f); C Daly, C McCarthy, M Maguire; B Byrne; E Prizeman (1-0), E Doyle, Paddy McDermott; Paul McDermott, J Burke (0-1); A Beirne (0-3), D Kirwan (0-3, 1f), J McKevitt (0-1); D Hanafin, S Hanafin (1-0). Subs: E Callaghan (0-2, 2f) for D Hanafin & T Browne for McKevitt 42, N Aherne for Paul McDermott 55, K Cummins (0-1, 1f) for Kirwan 59.

Summerhill: S Muddiman; I Hughes, P Jennings, J Lavelle; A McDonnell, Ross Ryan, P Geraghty; A Flanagan, M Byrne; D Larkin, D McCabe, C Lyons; E Frayne (0-6, 5f), C Frayne (0-1), B Dardis (0-1). Subs: K Ryan for Lyons 41, D Dalton for C Frayne 55, J O’Shea for McDonnell 58, B Moran for Jennings 61.

Referee: A Coyne (Westmeath).

Naas (Kildare) 2-12 Summerhill (Meath) 0-8

The 10-point winning margin probably flattered Naas but, truthfully, this wasn’t far off the outcome that many anticipated.

Naas, three-in-a-row Kildare champions and the 2021 Leinster finalists, are experienced provincial performers at this stage while the Royal County representatives have struggled badly in Leinster for the last 20 years.

Hosts Naas did wobble for 15 minutes or so in the third quarter when pressed in by a resurgent Summerhil who managed to reduce a five-point half-time deficit to just two.

And Summerhill had form for late smash and grab raids with the memory of their dramatic round one win over Tullamore still strong.

But the door was firmly shut on them in the closing quarter as Naas reeled off an unanswered 1-5 to stride confidently through to a last four clash with St Loman’s of Mullingar, in Mullingar.

Eoghan Prizeman’s 51st minute goal was the clear turning point, doubling the Naas lead from three to six and breaking the back of Summerhill’s challenge.

Eamonn Callaghan, who will turn 41 shortly, came on in the second half and scored two points for Naas while colleagues Alex Beirne and Darragh Kirwan shared out six points evenly between them.

Summerhill will rue the 12 wides they registered with nine of those coming in the first half, though Naas could equally point to three decent goal chances they didn’t take.

Kirwan was denied in a one-on-one in the 21st minute before wasting another great opportunity in the 28th minute with a shot that he dragged wide. Later on, Beirne surprisingly opted for a point when set clear by Kirwan after a lightning break from Naas.

The only slight downside for Naas supporters is that, unlike last year, the semi-finals won’t be played in Croke Park.

“Personally I rather the provincial grounds, I think there’s a better atmosphere,” said Naas manager Joe Murphy when asked if he’d prefer GAA headquarters. “I think Croke Park should be for the big days, for the finals.”

Naas: L Mullins (0-1, one free); C Daly, C McCarthy, M Maguire; B Byrne; E Prizeman (1-0), E Doyle; Paddy McDermott, Paul McDermott; J Burke (0-1), A Beirne (0-3), D Kirwan (0-3, one free); J McKevitt (0-1); D Hanafin, S Hanafin (1-0).

Subs: E Callaghan (0-2, two frees) for D Hanafin and T Browne for McKevitt (42 mins) N Aherne for Paul McDermott (55), K Cummins (0-1, one free) for Kirwan (59).

Summerhill: S Muddiman; I Hughes, P Jennings, J Lavelle; A McDonnell, Ross Ryan, P Geraghty; A Flanagan, M Byrne; D Larkin, D McCabe, C Lyons; E Frayne (0-6, five frees), C Frayne (0-1), B Dardis (0-1).

Subs: K Ryan for Lyons (41 mins), D Dalton for C Frayne (55), J O’Shea for McDonnell (58), B Moran for Jennings (61).

Referee: A Coyne (Westmeath).