O’Donovan Rossa Magherafelt 1-15 Sean O’Leary Newbridge 1-17
Down senior football final
Carryduff 1-11 Kilcoo 1-17
Kildare senior football final
Athy 1-17 Naas 0-18
Leitrim senior football final
Ballinamore Sean O’Heslins 0-14 Leitrim Gaels 1-19
London senior football final
Tír Chonaill Gaels 0-13 North London Shamrocks 3-7
***
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ATHY ARE THE Kildare senior club football champions once again after they ended Naas’s stranglehold on the county title.
Naas, managed this season by eight-time All-Ireland winner Philly McMahon, were bidding for a fifth straight title — and another chance to challenge for the Leinster title which has narrowly eluded them in recent years.
But it was Athy, whose last title came during the Covid-disrupted season of 2020, who ran out two-point winners in Newbridge.
It was the reigning champions who got off to the fast start and opened up an early four-point lead, 0-5 to 0-1, thanks to an early pair of two-pointers from Alex Beirne.
But the momentum tilted in the 24th minute when Barry Kelly struck for the game’s only goal for Athy, cutting the deficit to the minimum, 0-8 to 1-4.
Barry Kelly got the goal that @ATHYGFC needed just before half time 🥅
Athy then reeled off three of the final four scores of the half to lead at the break, 1-7 to 0-9.
County star Niall Kelly, who finished with six points, was instrumental as Athy kicked on after the restart, and when Kevin Feely pointed in the 48th minute, they led by six with one hand on the cup, 1-15 to 0-12.
Athy's Darren Lawler celebrates. James Lawlor / INPHO
James Lawlor / INPHO / INPHO
Naas, however, would not give up without a fight, with Beirne raising another orange flag from a free to keep Naas within four.
A couple of late points from Brian Maher kept the scoreboard ticking over from Athy, and despite another Naas two-pointer from Beirne at the death — taking his individual tally on the day to 0-10 — Athy weren’t to be denied their eighth county title.
Alex Beirne scored an individual 0-10, but it wasn't enough to save Naas. James Lawlor / INPHO
James Lawlor / INPHO / INPHO
In Derry, Newbridge retained their senior football title with a 1-17 to 1-15 victory over Magherafelt at Celtic Park.
Callum McGrogan’s early goal gave Newbridge a boost, but Magherafelt fought back soon after with Shane Heavron finding the net.
Newbridge held a narrow 1-6 to 1-5 lead at the break but made a telling burst in the third quarter.
Oisin Doherty’s two-pointer in the 45th minute left them six clear, 1-14 to 1-8, and they held off a Magherafelt fightback, Eamon Young notching the insurance score as they won by two.
Newbridge captain Conor McAteer leads the celebrations in Celtic Park. Lorcan Doherty / INPHO
Lorcan Doherty / INPHO / INPHO
In Down, Kilcoo claimed a magnificent seven-in-a-row of county titles with victory against Carryduff in Newry.
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Paul Devlin led the way with 1-3 for Kilcoo, including a first-half penalty which set the champions on their way to a six-point win, 1-17 to 1-11, and another county crown.
Meanwhile in Carlow, Old Leighlin won their first senior football championship in 12 years, defeating defending champions Rathvilly today by 1-11 to 0-13 at Netwatch Cullen Park.
Cathal Coughlan grabbed the injury-time winning point to decide a close contest with James Dowling scoring the only goal of the game early in the second half for the eventual winners.
Leitrim Gaels won their first-ever county title with an eight-point win against Ballinamore Sean O’Heslins, 1-19 to 0-14, while North London Shamrocks were 3-7 to 0-13 winners against Tír Chonaill Gaels in the London final.
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Athy stun five-in-a-row chasing Naas in Kildare final; Newbridge go back-to-back in Derry
Carlow senior football final
Derry senior football final
Down senior football final
Kildare senior football final
Leitrim senior football final
London senior football final
***
ATHY ARE THE Kildare senior club football champions once again after they ended Naas’s stranglehold on the county title.
Naas, managed this season by eight-time All-Ireland winner Philly McMahon, were bidding for a fifth straight title — and another chance to challenge for the Leinster title which has narrowly eluded them in recent years.
But it was Athy, whose last title came during the Covid-disrupted season of 2020, who ran out two-point winners in Newbridge.
It was the reigning champions who got off to the fast start and opened up an early four-point lead, 0-5 to 0-1, thanks to an early pair of two-pointers from Alex Beirne.
But the momentum tilted in the 24th minute when Barry Kelly struck for the game’s only goal for Athy, cutting the deficit to the minimum, 0-8 to 1-4.
Athy then reeled off three of the final four scores of the half to lead at the break, 1-7 to 0-9.
County star Niall Kelly, who finished with six points, was instrumental as Athy kicked on after the restart, and when Kevin Feely pointed in the 48th minute, they led by six with one hand on the cup, 1-15 to 0-12.
Naas, however, would not give up without a fight, with Beirne raising another orange flag from a free to keep Naas within four.
A couple of late points from Brian Maher kept the scoreboard ticking over from Athy, and despite another Naas two-pointer from Beirne at the death — taking his individual tally on the day to 0-10 — Athy weren’t to be denied their eighth county title.
In Derry, Newbridge retained their senior football title with a 1-17 to 1-15 victory over Magherafelt at Celtic Park.
Callum McGrogan’s early goal gave Newbridge a boost, but Magherafelt fought back soon after with Shane Heavron finding the net.
Newbridge held a narrow 1-6 to 1-5 lead at the break but made a telling burst in the third quarter.
Oisin Doherty’s two-pointer in the 45th minute left them six clear, 1-14 to 1-8, and they held off a Magherafelt fightback, Eamon Young notching the insurance score as they won by two.
In Down, Kilcoo claimed a magnificent seven-in-a-row of county titles with victory against Carryduff in Newry.
Paul Devlin led the way with 1-3 for Kilcoo, including a first-half penalty which set the champions on their way to a six-point win, 1-17 to 1-11, and another county crown.
Meanwhile in Carlow, Old Leighlin won their first senior football championship in 12 years, defeating defending champions Rathvilly today by 1-11 to 0-13 at Netwatch Cullen Park.
Cathal Coughlan grabbed the injury-time winning point to decide a close contest with James Dowling scoring the only goal of the game early in the second half for the eventual winners.
Leitrim Gaels won their first-ever county title with an eight-point win against Ballinamore Sean O’Heslins, 1-19 to 0-14, while North London Shamrocks were 3-7 to 0-13 winners against Tír Chonaill Gaels in the London final.
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