IT’S DOWN TO the last four senior football stage in two of the most prominent county championships in the country and the fixture details were finalised by both counties last night.
The Dublin and Kerry county boards pencilled their senior semi-final clashes in for the weekend of 13-14 October with St Vincent’s and Dr Crokes both chasing three-in-a-row in their respective counties.
In Dublin the senior semi-finals have been split with Ballyboden St-Enda’s, who have Michael Darragh MacAuley and Colm Basquel in their ranks, taking on Paul Mannion’s Kilmacud Crokes on Saturday 13 October. The following day St Vincent’s, who had Diarmuid Connolly making his comeback in last Sunday’s quarter-final, will be in action against Kevin McManamon’s St Jude’s.
St Vincent’s are hoping for a fifth county in six campaigns this year while Ballyboden were champions in 2015. Kilmacud Crokes have not win out since 2010 while 2009 finalists St Judes are still chasing their first crown.
Those semi-final games will be preceded in each case by senior 2 semi-final ties with Dublin All-Ireland winners Paul Flynn (Fingallians), David Byrne (Naomh Olaf) and Con O’Callaghan (Cuala) all still in action in that championship.
In Kerry the semi-finals have been pencilled in for a double-header in Austin Stack Park in Tralee on Sunday 14 October. The curtain-raiser sees Dingle, with Paul and Michael Geaney in action, up against an East Kerry side that can call upon David Clifford and Kevin McCarthy.
Then the second match sees Dr Crokes – who had Mícheál Burns, Gavin White and Fionn Fitzgerald in the Kerry squad this year – in action against Kerins O’Rahilly’s, the club of David Moran and Barry John Keane.
Dr Crokes are the reigning champions aiming for a third successive title this year and a seventh since 2010. Kerins O’Rahilly’s were last champions in 2002 and last finalists in 2008.
2012 beaten finalists Dingle haven’t won the title in Kerry since 1948 and East Kerry were last in the decider in 1999 when they claimed silverware.
Fixtures
Saturday 13 October
Dublin
SFC 1 semi-final
Ballyboden St Enda’s v Kilmacud Crokes, Parnell Park, 5.30pm
SFC 2 semi-final
St Mary’s v Fingallians, Parnell Park, 3.45pm
Sunday 14 October
Dublin
SFC 1 semi-final
St Jude’s v St Vincent’s, Parnell Park, 4pm
SFC 2 semi-final
Naomh Olaf/Thomas Davis v Cuala, Parnell Park, 2.15pm
Kerry SFC semi-finals
Dingle v East Kerry, Austin Stack Park, Tralee, 2pm
Dr Crokes v Kerins O’Rahilly’s, Austin Stack Park, Tralee, 3.45pm
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