Gaels and Na Fianna progress to decider
O’LOUGHLIN Gaels of Kilkenny will face Dublin champions Na Fianna in the Leinster Club SHC decider after the pair came through their respective semi-final encounters yesterday.
The Kilkenny kingpins saw off Kilcormac-Killoughey on a 0-17 to 0-12 scoreline, with the Offaly champions rallying in the second half in an ultimately failed bid to reel in their opponents, who built up a big lead, 0-10 to 0-3 at the break.
Indeed, they did cut the arrears back to three points but failed to create a goalscoring chance of note in the closing stages, when O’Loughlin Gaels found another gear and pulled clear.
After a closely-fought opening, the Kilkenny side found their rhythm and their scores were supplied in the main by Sean Bolger, Mark Bergin and Owen Wall.
The half-time advantage should have been greater but the Gaels’ shooting was often wayward and they were made to sweat it out on the restart, with the free-taking of Adam Screeney helping the Offaly men work their way back into the tie.
They didn’t get close enough and late scores from Bergin (free) and Conor Heary were O’Loughlin Gaels’ insurance points.
Na Fianna also had to withstand a late rally when seeing off Naas by 2-14 to 0-17, with the Dublin champions earning that final date with their Kilkenny opponents at Croke Park next Saturday.
With Colin Currie in fine scoring form for Na Fianna, they built up a 0-8 to 0-6 interval lead and things got even better when goals from AJ Murphy and Ciaran Stacey put them 2-9 to 0-9 clear.
The Kildare men stormed back with scores from Jack Sheridan and Cathal Dowling getting them to within a point, but no closer.
In the Ulster Club SFC semi-final, Glen edged out Naomh Conaill.