AND THEN THERE were four.
The contenders in this year’s Leinster senior club football championship has been whittled down to four from eight after yesterday’s quarter-final ties.
The clashes in Mullingar, Longford, Aughrim and Newbridge resulted in victories for Ballymun Kickhams, Emmett Óg Killoe, Portlaoise and Sarsfields.
It means the semi-finals on November 25th will now see Portlaoise face Emmett Óg Killoe while Sarsfields will meet Ballymun Kichams.
Here’s how yesterday’s quarter-final ties unfolded.
Ballymun Kickhams (Dublin) 2-13 Mullingar Shamrocks (Westmeath) 0-7
Ballymun Kickhams celebrated their return to the Leinster Club SFC after a 27-year absence with a comfortable victory over Mullingar Shamrocks in Cusack Park in Mullingar.
The recently-crowned Dublin champions exploded from the blocks to lead by 1-4 to 0-0 after 10 minutes with Davey Byrne raising their green flag. By half-time, Ballymun Kickhams were still able to enjoy a seven-point advantage, 1-7 to 0-3.
When Ted Furman found the net with a cracking finish just after the break for Ballymun Kickhams second goal, the Dublin side were able to start looking forward to the semi-final stage.
Mullingar Shamrocks, who were representing Westmeath for the first time in 12 years, only registered their first score from play by the 45th minute but were still 2-9 to 0-5 adrift. Ballymun Kickhams stayed in control and were ahead by 12 points at the final whistle.
Emmett Óg Killoe (Longford) 2-13 Navan O’Mahony’s (Meath) 0-8
Emmett Óg Killoe continued their excellent run in the provincial club championship with an emphatic success against Navan O’Mahony’s in Glennon Brothers Pearse Park.
They enjoyed an 11-point win as they built on their opening round win over Wexford champions St Anne’s. Emmett Óg Killoe lead by 0-7 to 0-4 at the break but grabbed two second-half goals to seal their success.
Midfielder Simon Kiernan hit the first before former AFL player Michael Quinn found the net for his side’s second goal. With county forward Seanie McCormack also accurate between the posts, Emmett Óg Killoe had enough to pull clear by the finish
Portlaoise (Laois) 3-15 St Patrick’s (Wicklow) 0-4
Portlaoise issued a powerful statement of intent when they crushed St Patrick’s by twenty points in Aughrim in this quarter-final match. The Laois side, who won their sixth successive county senior football title recently, have triumphed on the provincial stage by winning crowns in 2004 and 2009.
And on this latest evidence, they will be a force to be reckoned with in this year’s championship. They were effectively out of sight at the interval as they lead by 2-6 to 0-0 with Conor Boyle and Tommy Fitzgerald striking their goals.
Eoin Whelan added their third goal during the second-half to put them 3-13 to 0-3 ahead. The match petered out to its inevitable conclusion from there as they moved forward to the semi-final stage.
St Patrick’s Ronan Connolly and Brian McCormack of Portlaoise. Pic: INPHO/Ryan Byrne
Sarsfields (Kildare) 1-12 St Patrick’s (Louth) 2-6
Sarsfields got the better of 14-man St Patrick’s in their quarter-final meeting in St Conleth’s Park in Newbridge. The Kildare champions were in control in the first-half as they built up a 0-7 to 0-1 advantage.
St Patrick’s suffered a blow before half-time with the sending-off of Kevin Toner but a goal from Dessie Finnegan did ensure they only trailed by 0-7 to 1-2 at the break. Sarsfields stayed in front during the second-half with Robbie Confrey firing to the net in the 55th minute to effectively seal their success.
St Patrick’s grabbed a consolation goal from Colin McCann but Sarsfields had done enough to secure victory and move forward to the last four.
Sarsfields Robbie Confrey is head butted in the back by St Patrick’s goalkeeper Sean Connor after scoring a goal. Pic: INPHO/Donall Farmer
