IT WILL BE Munster versus Ulster on the double in Croke Park tomorrow week for the AIB All-Ireland junior and intermediate club football finals, after Listowel Emmets, Arva, St. Patrick’s of Cullyhanna and Cill na Martra all justified their status as warm order favourites in this afternoon’s semi-finals.

However while the junior duo from Kerry and Cavan cruised to comfortable victories, it was very different for both St. Patrick’s and Cill na Martra, with both clubs relying on second half goals to pull them through tough contests against Allenwood and Castlerea St. Kevin’s.

Cill na Martra dominated the opening exchanges against Castlerea in Portlaoise, with an early score from Dan Ó Duinnín from the right wing among the highlights as they controlled both possession and territory in the early stages.

Good shooting from Adam and Darren McDermott at the other end kept Castlerea in the game however, while Shane Keenan justified his late call up to the starting team with a stellar performance, full of running and crowned by a glorious left-footed point on the run. The West Roscommon club, who conceded some incredibly low totals in their run to this stage of the competition, defended brilliantly while midfielder Michael Conroy was off the pitch with a black card, and looked like marginally the better side at half-time, with the sides level at 0-6 each.

Castlerea continued in that vein after the interval and took their first lead of the game, but the contest turned decisively in favour of John Evans’ side when they struck two goals in 30 seconds midway through the second half. Micheál Ó Deasúna palmed in the first goal at the end of a slick team move, and when Maidhcí ÓDuinnín seized the next kickout, he played in Dan Ó Duinnín, who was able to deliver a slick sidestep and finish to establish a commanding lead.

Castlerea dominated the closing stages however and will have their regrets, not least Shane Keenan’s shot for goal that was saved, and a 35 metre effort from Darren McDermott that tailed wide in the fifth minute of stoppage time, leaving it 2-10 to 0-15 at the final whistle.

In Navan, Ross McQuillan’s thunderous strike to the roof of the Allenwood net after 11 seconds of the second half was the crucial score in St. Pat’s of Cullyhanna’s 1-11 to 0-11 win over the Kildare side in the other semi-final.

Playing with the aid of a slight breeze, Allenwood overcame a couple of early wides and the loss of Arron Dunne to injury to lead by 0-4 to 0-1 after the first quarter, with Johnny Doyle raising the loudest cheer of all when he hoisted the ball over from 45 metres out.

However Cullyhanna dominated the next 15 minutes and earned a one-point half-time lead, which could have been more but for an excellent save from Luke Anderson to deny McQuillan.

The Orchard County star made no mistake when he slammed the ball into the roof of the net after picking up a breaking ball from the opening throw in, and when the Ulster champions kicked on to lead by five points, they looked like they might win at their ease.

Instead Allenwood rallied, drawing within two through late points from Doyle and Billy Maher, before Aidan Nugent’s fourth score of the afternoon rounded off the scoring with the last attack of the game.

Kildare were also represented in the junior semi-finals, where Milltown took on Arva, but they had no answer to the Cavan side, who eased to a 2-16 to 1-7 victory. Kevin Bouchier kicked seven points and also assisted Barry Donnelly’s first half goal, and while Milltown rallied on the back of a goal from Ronan O’Shea with ten minutes gone in the second half, Arva kicked on again and restored their double-digit lead in the closing moments, through substitute Paul Finnegan’s closing major.

It was even more one-sided at Glenisk O’Connor Park in Tullamore, where Barry Sweeney was the goalscorer in a 1-11 to 0-3 win for Listowel Emmets over Mayo’s Lahardane McHales. Cormac Mulvihill opened the scoring for the Kerry men, and there were 27 minutes gone on a day with no real wind, before Lahardane got off the mark.

Niall and David Collins kicked the first two points of the second half to make it 1-10 to 0-1 with 36 minutes gone, and from then on it was plain sailing for Listowel, who dropped to second gear and still were never under any real pressure.

All-Ireland Intermediate Club Football Championship Semi-Finals

Allenwood 0-11 Cullyhanna 1-11

Castlerea St Kevin’s 0-15 Cill na Martra 2-10

All-Ireland Junior Club Football Champions Semi-Finals

Listowel Emmets 1-11 Lahardane MacHales 0-3

Arva 2-16 Milltown 1-7

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