St Gall's 0-10 Pearse Óg 0-8:ST GALL'S, the Antrim champions, eased their way into the semi-finals in Casement Park yesterday with a 0-10 to 0-8 victory over Pearse Óg from Armagh.

The Milltown men had the better attacking combination and former Fermanagh senior Rory Gallagher got them off to a bright start with a point in the first minute. A minute later CJ McGourty added another.

Pearse Óg opened their account after nine minutes when Paul Duffy lofted over a 45 and Seán Moore levelled on 15 minutes. Then St Gall’s slipped into gear as CJ McGourty, Seán Kelly, McGourty and Karl Stewart sent the home side 0-6 to 0-2 ahead after 22 minutes.

They didn’t score again before half-time while Pearse Óg narrowed the gap with a pointed free-kick by Marc Cullen and a long-range effort by Ronan Clarke.

Kevin McGourty stretched St Gall’s lead one minute after the restart but a point by Clarke and another from Duffy left just one point between the teams.

Seán Burke eased the pressure on St Gall’s but points by Conor Clarke and Declan McManus, from a Ronan Clarke pass, had the teams level after 51 minutes.

St Gall’s looked the most likely to snatch victory and they did just that with late points from Kevin Niblock and Kieran McGourty.

ST GALL’S: Ronan Gallagher; S Kennedy, A McClean, M Kelly; P Veronica, A Healy, S Kelly (0-1); S Burke (0-1), A Gallagher; Kieran McGourty (0-2), Kevin McGourty, T O’Neill; K Stewart (0-1), Rory Gallagher (0-1), CJ McGourty (0-3, 0-2 frees). Subs: C Clarke for Cullen (44 mins), K Niblock (0-1 free) for Rory Gallagher (48 mins), D O’Hare for Stewart (54 mins). C Gallagher for CJ McGourty (60 mins).

PEARSE ÓG: C McKinney; G McCoy, G Barton, A Mallon; P Duffy (0-2, one 45), C Rafferty, D Davidson; A Duffy, D Parkinson; K Hughes, Ronan Clarke (0-2), D McManus (0-1); M Cullen (0-1 free), S Clarke, S Moore (0-1). Subs: Ross Clarke for Davidson (35 mins), C Clarke (0-1, free) for Cullen (44 mins). E Maguire for S Clarke (60 mins).

Referee: C Reynolds (Down).