Seamus Duke
Four Roads 2-17 Oran 1-18
Four Roads sealed their place in the semi-finals with a hard-fought two-point win against Oran at Woodmount. There was never much between the sides and it took a Liam Óg Coyle goal in the 55th minute to bring Four Roads level, with Conor Morris grabbing the winning points late on.
Oran started best and, with Paddy Fallon on song from frees, they led by 0-9 to 0-3 after 19 minutes. Four Roads hit four points on the bounce to get back into it, but in the final minute of the half Shane Keane got a stick to Paddy Fallon’s long drive to divert it into the Four Roads net.
Then, in the last minute of injury time, Liam Óg Coyle was fouled in the large square. Noel Fallon’s penalty was saved by Jerry Fallon, but Conor Morris was following up and he fired home to leave the score Oran 1-11 Four Roads 1-9 at the break.
Twice Oran led by four points in the second half, but Four Roads kept the scoreboard ticking over.
Liam Óg Coyle’s well-taken goal in the 55th minute levelled the scores and, in the final minutes, a brace of points from Conor Morris (one free) saw the champions over the line.
Teams and scorers
Four Roads: Noel Fallon; Johnny Meares, James Dillon, Jimmy Hoey; Rory Coyle, Tommy Morris, James Cunniffe; Conor Kelly (0-1), Adam Kenny; Conor Morris (1-9, 7 frees), Jack Donnelly, Brian Mannion (0-1); Liam Óg Coyle (1-1), Conor Mulry (0-4), Adam Donnelly. Subs: Oisin Finneran (0-1) for Mannion (42), Trevor Fallon for Kenny (42), Cormac Mulry for C Kelly (56).
Oran: Jerry Fallon; Michael T McCormack, Declan Leonard, Kevin Crehan; Paul Kenny (0-1), Eamon Kenny, Darragh McCormack; David McDermott, Seamus Hussey (0-1); Shane Keane (1-1), Paddy Fallon (0-8, 2 ‘65s’), Eoghan Grady (0-1); Joseph Henry (0-1), Micheal Hussey (0-1), Cathal Kenny (0-4). Subs: Rory Connolly for McCormack (45), Paddy McCormack for Henry (52), Thomas Fallon for Crehan (60), Brian McGann for M T McCormack (62).
Referee: Francie Kelly.
Athleague 2-18 St Dominic’s 4-11
Athleague needed to win this clash to be certain of their place in the knockout stages and they did just that, but it was a real rollercoaster of a game that could have gone either way.
Dominic’s will wonder just how they managed to lose this game. They shot 17 wides, dropped at least five more short and wasted a couple of goal opportunities too. However, all credit to Athleague, they were economical in attack and made the opposition pay for their squander mania.
Dominic’s had goals on the board in the first half from Gavin Staunton after nine minutes and Jack Lohan after 18 minutes. But Cormac Kelly and Cian Murray were keeping Athleague ticking over in terms of points from play and frees, and at half-time it was St Dominic’s 2-6 Athleague 0-9.
Noel Watson rattled home goal number three for Dominic’s on the restart and, just when it looked like Dominic’s would pull away, Athleague came back into it again.
In the 42nd minute Tadgh Lyons scored an opportunist goal at the second attempt. But only four minutes later Dominic’s were in for a fourth goal when Ronan O’Meara fouled Connell Kennelly and Mickey Joe Egan blasted the resultant penalty to the Athleague net.
It was score for score after that. Late points from Gavin Staunton and Jack Lohan looked to have secured a draw for Dominic’s, but Athleague had the final say, with Cian Murray on target to give his team the narrowest of victories.
Teams and scorers
Athleague: Ronan O’Meara; Eoghan O’Brien, Darragh Heavey, David Delaney; James Murray, Eoghan Coyle (0-1), Niall Connolly; Tadgh Lyons (1-0), Cormac Kelly (0-9, all frees); Cathal Crehan, Daniel McCormack, Naoise Coyle; Thomas Clayton (0-1), Cian Murray (1-4), Colin Murray (0-2). Subs: Gary Fallon (0-1) for McCormack (48), Adam Beckett for Clayton (60).
St Dominic’s: Mark Miley (0-1, free); Mikey Moran, Mike Feely, Fergal Hoare; Ronan Kilcline, Micheal Byrne, Nathan O’Connor; Pauric Halpin, Ethan Connaughton; Jack Lohan (1-2), Johnny Murray, Connell Kennelly (0-1); Mickey Joe Egan (1-6, 1-0 pen, 2 frees), Noel Watson (1-0), Gavin Staunton (1-1). Subs: Colm Lyons for Murray (38), Sean Kilcline for R Kilcline (49).
Referee: Eadhainn Mac Suibhne (Mayo).
Tremane 1-16 Pádraig Pearses 0-16
Tremane finished top of the group table and remain unbeaten in the championship after this hard-fought three-point win against a wasteful Pádraig Pearses side at Woodmount on Saturday evening.
Pearses hit a total of 17 wides over the hour and, despite that, looked the better team in the opening half. At half-time they led by 0-9 to 0-5.
Tremane were much better on the restart and, when Evan Murray scored a fine goal in the 40th minute, it set them on their way. Peter Kellehan was once again a massive presence for Tremane as they eased into the last four of the championship.
The play-off situation
Tremane and Four Roads are now through to the semi-finals. In the quarter-finals, Oran will play Pádraig Pearses, while Athleague will meet St Dominic’s.
