Cloonan sees red as Athenry crash out

Birr 0-15 Athenry 0-6

Birr 0-15 Athenry 0-6

Dunloy 1-14 Mount Sion 1-13

Defending champions Birr will face Antrim's Dunloy in the All-Ireland club championship final after the Offaly club humbled arch-rivals Athenry.

Birr bossed the contest from start to finish and Athenry finished the match with just 13 players on the park after star full-forward Eugene Cloonann was joined by Donal Moran in receiving his marching orders.

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In this afternoon's other semi-final, Dunloy shocked Waterford's Mount Sion in Mullingar to win by just a single point.

The Antrim side, who were quoted as high as 11-1 to reach the final, raced out of the blocks and quickly established a healthy lead.

They were on the scoreboard after just 30 seconds, Liam Richmond firing over, and when Paddy Richmond found the back of the net 10 minutes later, it afforded Dunloy a 1-5 to 0-2 advantage.

But Dunloy, who became the only Ulster club to win a hurling All-Ireland title when they lifted the trophy back in 1983, were increasingly put under pressure as the half wore on and Micheal White brought his side right back into contention with a goal just before the break.

Mount Sion carried that momentum into the second period and finally came on terms at 1-12 each.However, after both sides had traded scores, the referee awarded Dunloy a contentious free for over-carrying deep into injury time and Alastair Elliot stepped forward to slot the sliothar over the bar and claim a place in the final.