MAYO’S KILTANE AND Monaghan’s Truagh advanced to the AIB All-Ireland intermediate club football final today.
Kiltane defeated Cork’s Clyda Rovers by 2-9 to 0-9 in their semi-final tie played at Duggan Park in Ballinasloe. Kiltane laid the foundations for their win in the first-half as they were ten points clear at the interval.
Ultan Corrigan struck their first goal to put them 1-4 to 0-2 ahead before Mikey Sweeney created the opening for Shane Lindsay to hit home the second goal. A point by Tony Gaughan, a member of the London side that reached last year’s Connacht final, left the winners 2-7 to 0-3 ahead at the break.
Clyda Rovers fought back in the second-half but found scores hard to come by as they trailed by 2-9 to 0-6 with ten minutes left. They were awarded a penalty in the finale but Paudie Kissane’s effort went over rather than under the bar.
Kiltane ran out six-point victors and will hope to become the first Mayo club to lift the All-Ireland intermediate title next month. They’ll face Truagh in that final after the Monaghan club got the better of Geraldines from Louth with 2-10 to 1-9 success in their clash in Crossmaglen.
Truagh made the early running to lead 0-7 to 0-4 at the break and then got an early second-half boost when Mark Counihan billowed the back of the Geraldines net. They stretched their lead to 1-9 to 0-5 with ten minutes remaining.
But then Geraldines produced a superb comeback to rattle off 1-4 without reply and tie the teams entering the finale. Extra-time looked on the cards before Daniel McKenna proved Truagh’s hero as his goal secured their passage to the All-Ireland final.
The sides will now face off in the decider on Sunday February 9th in Croke Park.
RESULTS
All-Ireland IFC club semi-finals
Kiltane (Mayo) 2-9 Clyda Rovers (Cork) 0-9
Truagh (Monaghan) 2-10 Geraldines (Louth) 1-9