Paul Keane reports from Donaghmore-Ashbourne GAA grounds
MEATH TEAMS RARELY win easily in the AIB Leinster club SFC, if at all, so perhaps it was no surprise that Wolfe Tones made such tough work of their quarter-final win.
Leading by 14 points after nearly 40 minutes of their quarter-final encounter, Shane McCoy’s side looked set to comfortably secure their return to Ashbourne for a semi-final against The Downs of Westmeath on 28 November.
But when the scoreboard displayed just a four-point advantage for the Meath champions deep into injury time, as 1995 finalists An Tóchar pushed hard for a remarkable result, the hosts were mightily relieved to hear the full-time whistle.
Wolfe Tones' Kyle Moran. James Crombie / INPHO
James Crombie / INPHO / INPHO
An Tóchar simply left themselves too much to do with Kyle Moran inspiring a brilliant first 40 minutes or so for Wolfe Tones.
Moran scored six points in all from his wing-forward position while the victors effectively turned the screw with 1-3 in a three-minute spell early in the second half.
During that mini-blitz, full-forward Cian O’Neill scored a two-pointer and a goal, and with 38 minutes on the clock, Tones were 1-15 to 0-4 up.
That should have been that, but a previously unimpressive An Tóchar suddenly came to life, the Garden County side outscoring Tones by 2-9 to 0-5 for the remainder of the contest.
Goals from Wicklow duo Conor Fee and John Paul Nolan, along with a couple of two-pointers from John Paul Nolan and Luca Nolan, cut the gap by 10 points.
Tones held out, however, to secure a semi-final clash with The Downs of Westmeath on 28 November, back in Ashbourne.
Meath teams in general have struggled in Leinster with the county last producing a provincial club finalist in 2004, Skryne, and last producing a winner, Dunshaughlin, in 2002.
So An Tóchar fancied their chances of an upset but struggled badly in the opening half and hit the interval trailing by seven points, 0-3 to 0-10.
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Moran was terrific for Tones who overwhelmed the visitors with their hard running, clever overlaps and score-taking.
Kevin O Sullivan rolls it into the back of the net!😮💨
Unbelievable composure to take it around the keeper and finish into an empty net🥶
@TheDownsGAA | @gaaleinster | #ClubberTV https://t.co/XCllIfKRlG
Tones’ difficulties later on were compounded by the loss of former Meath forward Sarán Ó Fionnagain with a knee injury, probably ruling him out against The Downs.
The Westmeath side had to dig in for their seven-point win over a Kilanerin-Ballyfad side that had previously shocked a fancied Newtown Blues of Louth.
With a firm grip on midfield, the Wexford champions led The Downs by 0-10 to 1-3 at half-time, Niall Mitchell’s goal keeping the favourites in it.
Goals from Joe Moran and Kevin O’Sullivan in the second half helped 2022 finalists The Downs to turn the screw and county star Luke Loughlin contributed an important 0-4 too.
"That is absolute class and quality from Ronan Coffey!"🤌
What a score by Coffey to give @PortGAA a 4-point advantage
@gaaleinster | #ClubberTV https://t.co/8wHC41PUf9
Leinster title favourites Cuala, victors on Saturday evening against Sarsfields, will face Portarlington in the last four but the three-in-a-row Laois champions just about edged out underdogs Rathvilly.
An early Colm Murphy goal left Port’ in a strong position with a 1-3 to 0-1 lead but Liam Gavin’s two-point score in response indicated the back-and-forth that lay ahead.
Port’ led 1-5 to 0-6 at the interval and stretched the gap to six points at 1-11 to 0-8 in the 56th minute following another Murphy point.
That should have been a wrap, but Gavin raised another orange flag for Rathvilly before hitting the net in the sixth minute of stoppage time, leaving only one in it.
Wolfe Tones scorers: Kyle Moran 0-6, Cian O’Neill 1-2 (1 tp), Oisín Martin 0-3, Caolán Ward 0-3 (1 tpf), Sarán Ó Fionnagain 0-2, Ben Reilly 0-2, Adam O’Neill 0-1, Thomas O’Reilly 0-1.
An Tóchar scorers: John Paul Nolan 1-4 (1-2f, 1 tpf), Conor Fee 1-3, Oisín Cullen 0-2, Luca Nolan 0-2 (tp), Joao Vitor Fagundes 0-1, JJ Brady 0-1.
WOLFE TONES
1. Ciaráin Ó Gallachóir
3. Shane Glynn (Captain), 4. Andrew Crawford, 2. Conor Sheppard
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5. Oisín Martin, 6. Ross Gallagher, 17. Adrian Crawford
8. Adam O’Neill, 9. Eoin Donegan
10. Caolán Ward, 11. Thomas O’Reilly, 12. Kyle Moran
15. Sarán Ó Fionnagain, 14. Cian O’Neill, 20. Ben Reilly
SUBS
21. Rioghan O Beaglaoich for Adrian Crawford (47)
22. Evan Curley for Ó Fionnagain (56)
18. Fiachra Ward for Cian O’Neill (60)
23. Ryan Fox for Reilly (62)
AN TÓCHAR
1. Peter Byrne
4. Eoin Murphy, 3. Matthew Fox, 2. Luke Kenny
21. Lorcan Smith, 6. Matt Nolan, 7. Luca Nolan
8. Oisín Cullen, 9. Ger Byrne
5. Gavin Fogarty, 11. Darragh Fee, 22. Joe Heatly
13. Conor Fee, 14. Éanna Nolan, 15. John Paul Nolan
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Wolfe Tones, The Downs and Portarlington book Leinster semi-final spots
Leinster Senior Club Football Quarter-Finals
****
Paul Keane reports from Donaghmore-Ashbourne GAA grounds
MEATH TEAMS RARELY win easily in the AIB Leinster club SFC, if at all, so perhaps it was no surprise that Wolfe Tones made such tough work of their quarter-final win.
Leading by 14 points after nearly 40 minutes of their quarter-final encounter, Shane McCoy’s side looked set to comfortably secure their return to Ashbourne for a semi-final against The Downs of Westmeath on 28 November.
But when the scoreboard displayed just a four-point advantage for the Meath champions deep into injury time, as 1995 finalists An Tóchar pushed hard for a remarkable result, the hosts were mightily relieved to hear the full-time whistle.
An Tóchar simply left themselves too much to do with Kyle Moran inspiring a brilliant first 40 minutes or so for Wolfe Tones.
Moran scored six points in all from his wing-forward position while the victors effectively turned the screw with 1-3 in a three-minute spell early in the second half.
During that mini-blitz, full-forward Cian O’Neill scored a two-pointer and a goal, and with 38 minutes on the clock, Tones were 1-15 to 0-4 up.
That should have been that, but a previously unimpressive An Tóchar suddenly came to life, the Garden County side outscoring Tones by 2-9 to 0-5 for the remainder of the contest.
Goals from Wicklow duo Conor Fee and John Paul Nolan, along with a couple of two-pointers from John Paul Nolan and Luca Nolan, cut the gap by 10 points.
Tones held out, however, to secure a semi-final clash with The Downs of Westmeath on 28 November, back in Ashbourne.
Meath teams in general have struggled in Leinster with the county last producing a provincial club finalist in 2004, Skryne, and last producing a winner, Dunshaughlin, in 2002.
So An Tóchar fancied their chances of an upset but struggled badly in the opening half and hit the interval trailing by seven points, 0-3 to 0-10.
Moran was terrific for Tones who overwhelmed the visitors with their hard running, clever overlaps and score-taking.
Tones’ difficulties later on were compounded by the loss of former Meath forward Sarán Ó Fionnagain with a knee injury, probably ruling him out against The Downs.
The Westmeath side had to dig in for their seven-point win over a Kilanerin-Ballyfad side that had previously shocked a fancied Newtown Blues of Louth.
With a firm grip on midfield, the Wexford champions led The Downs by 0-10 to 1-3 at half-time, Niall Mitchell’s goal keeping the favourites in it.
Goals from Joe Moran and Kevin O’Sullivan in the second half helped 2022 finalists The Downs to turn the screw and county star Luke Loughlin contributed an important 0-4 too.
Leinster title favourites Cuala, victors on Saturday evening against Sarsfields, will face Portarlington in the last four but the three-in-a-row Laois champions just about edged out underdogs Rathvilly.
An early Colm Murphy goal left Port’ in a strong position with a 1-3 to 0-1 lead but Liam Gavin’s two-point score in response indicated the back-and-forth that lay ahead.
Port’ led 1-5 to 0-6 at the interval and stretched the gap to six points at 1-11 to 0-8 in the 56th minute following another Murphy point.
That should have been a wrap, but Gavin raised another orange flag for Rathvilly before hitting the net in the sixth minute of stoppage time, leaving only one in it.
Wolfe Tones scorers: Kyle Moran 0-6, Cian O’Neill 1-2 (1 tp), Oisín Martin 0-3, Caolán Ward 0-3 (1 tpf), Sarán Ó Fionnagain 0-2, Ben Reilly 0-2, Adam O’Neill 0-1, Thomas O’Reilly 0-1.
An Tóchar scorers: John Paul Nolan 1-4 (1-2f, 1 tpf), Conor Fee 1-3, Oisín Cullen 0-2, Luca Nolan 0-2 (tp), Joao Vitor Fagundes 0-1, JJ Brady 0-1.
WOLFE TONES
1. Ciaráin Ó Gallachóir
3. Shane Glynn (Captain), 4. Andrew Crawford, 2. Conor Sheppard
5. Oisín Martin, 6. Ross Gallagher, 17. Adrian Crawford
8. Adam O’Neill, 9. Eoin Donegan
10. Caolán Ward, 11. Thomas O’Reilly, 12. Kyle Moran
15. Sarán Ó Fionnagain, 14. Cian O’Neill, 20. Ben Reilly
SUBS
AN TÓCHAR
1. Peter Byrne
4. Eoin Murphy, 3. Matthew Fox, 2. Luke Kenny
21. Lorcan Smith, 6. Matt Nolan, 7. Luca Nolan
8. Oisín Cullen, 9. Ger Byrne
5. Gavin Fogarty, 11. Darragh Fee, 22. Joe Heatly
13. Conor Fee, 14. Éanna Nolan, 15. John Paul Nolan
SUBS
Referee: Kevin Williamson (Offaly).
****
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An Tóchar GAA CLUB FOOTBALL GAA Gaelic Football Kilanerin-Ballyfad GAA Leinster club football championship Portarlington GAA Rathvilly GAA The Downs GAA Wolfe Tones GAA Wrap