LAST UPDATE | 23 Nov 2024
ARDEE ST MARY’S of Louth have reached their first-ever Leinster senior final after edging a tight battle with St Loman’s to emerge as one-point victors in Mullingar.
Down champions Kilcoo booked their place in the Ulster final after a commanding victory over Scotstown of Monaghan in what was a rematch of last year’s Ulster-quarter-final.
Ardee will be the first Louth club to contest the provincial senior decider since Mattock Rangers in 2002.
A late Seán Callaghan score proved to be decisive against the Westmeath champions who were leading by 0-6 to 0-5 at half-time. Sam McCartan had a last-minute chance to send the game to extra-time, but a free from 47 metres proved to be too difficult to convert as the Ardee contingent celebrated their historic achievement.
Ciarán Keenan then helped Ardee back into the lead with the first two points of the second half through a mark and a score from play. The sides continued to trade scores with no more than a point separating them in the third quarter. A Jack Geoghegan point gave Loman’s a slim advantage after 45 minutes.
Cian Moran scored an equalising point with seven minutes of normal time remaining. Ardee then pushed two in front through Jonathan Commins and a Ronan Carroll free with heading into injury time.
Sam McCartan and Eoghan Hogan responded to level matters in the dying moments before Callaghan’s late winning point.
Ciaran Keenan splits the posts from an impossible angle as @Ardeestmarysgfc closes the gap on @StLomansGAAClub 👏
— Clubber (@clubber) November 23, 2024
Half time:@StLomansGAAClub 0-06@Ardeestmarysgfc 0-05
Second half gets underway right now - tune at https://t.co/yMkMTpFmTc 🔗 pic.twitter.com/tmPRcLMXBf
They will go on to face Cuala who overcame in Tullamore in the other Leinster semi-final.
Meanwhile, Kilcoo exacted revenge on Scotstown with an 11-point victory over last year’s Ulster finalists.
The sides were deadlocked at five points each after 27 points but Kilcoo stretched ahead with two goals just before half-time through Jerome Johnston and Christopher Rooney.
Two more Kilcoo goals followed in the first five minutes of the second half as Micéal Rooney and Ceilum Doherty struck for the net to push the Down side into a 4-6 to 0-5 lead. Micéal Rooney grabbed his second goal in the 48th minute with Kilcoo already out of sight.
They will now progress to a fourth final in five seasons, having won in 2019 and 2021. They also lost the 2022 final to Glen.
The other Ulster semi-final between Clann Eireann (Armagh) and Errigal Ciaran (Tyrone) takes place tomorrow.
Leinster SFC Semi-Final
St Loman’s 0-14 Ardee St Mary’s 0-15
Ulster SFC Semi-Final
Kilcoo 5-10 Scotstown 0-14
Now that would be a match to see
As a one off spectacle it would be. However as an ongoing thing its impossible at that time of year. If Toulon contributed anything to the French national team this game would be pointless…
If this game was to take place at this point Toulon would dominate as they would be in the middle of their season so fully match prepared whereas the Chiefs would not be match fit and not ready for competitive rugby.
If the match was to take place at a time when both teams were in their season then I believe that the Chiefs would win comfortably as southern hemisphere is just better at rugby than the northerners
Wow…..would luv to see it,northern v Southern Hemisphere! Hopefully they could get date would suit both & not disrupt national teams,so both side would have there full fittest strongest playing!
Before the summer tours of northern national teams. Middle of june. Only problem will be that the won’t be the same year winners. They can find time for 10 gamed of a lions tour why not 1 or 2 for clubs.