Garrycastle (Westmeath) 3-11 Ratoath (Meath) 2-12
Garrycastle survived a late comeback by Ratoath to deservedly win an entertaining match in Mullingar on Sunday afternoon.
The Meath champions got off to a good start with a point apiece from Conor Rooney and Joey Wallace, but fine play by veteran Dessie Dolan teed up Alex Gardiner for a well taken goal in the sixth minute to edge the home team ahead.
Garrycastle scored seven unanswered points between the ninth and 27th minutes, three of them from frees by Dolan, and they were well worth their interval lead of 1-9 to 0-5.
Ratoath came right back into contention by scoring 1-2 without reply in the opening five minutes of the second half, the goal gifted by the home defence to half-time sub Cian Rogers. Garrycastle responded with a flicked goal by another half-time sub Tom O’Halloran in the 36th minute.
Michael Monaghan scored his side’s third goal in the 43rd minute and the Westmeath men led by 3-11 and 1-8 with 12 minutes of normal time remaining.
However, the visitors dominated the closing quarter during which they scored 1-4 without reply, the goal from yet another interval sub David McGowan in the first minute of added-time, but Garrycastle hung on for a deserved win.
Garrycastle: S Brennan; M Guiheen, J Donohue, M McCallon; D Harte, J Gaffey, G McCallon; J Barrett, J Dolan; A Monaghan (0-2), E Monaghan, M Monaghan (1-2); J Sheerin (0-2), A Gardiner (1-1), D Dolan (0-3, three frees). Subs: G Heneghan (0-1, free) for D Dolan (half-time), T O'Halloran (1-0) for A Monaghan (half-time), E Mulvihill for E Monaghan (55 min), J Nugent for M Monaghan (57), C Cosgrove for Gardiner (60), J McGuire for Harte (62).
Ratoath: S Duffy; S Brazil, C McGill, L Newe; C Ó Fearraigh, G McGowan, E Boyle; K McCabe, D Kelly; E Wallace (0-6, five frees), C Rooney (0-3), B O'Connor; J Wallace (0-1), C O'Brien, C Ahearne (0-1, free). Subs: A Gerard for Brazil (half-time), D McGowan (1-1) for O'Connor (half-time), C Rogers (1-0) for Ahearne (half-time), D McPartlin for Duffy (39 mins), B McGowan for O'Brien (47 mins).
Referee: B Cawley (Kildare).
Portlaoise (Laois) 1-11 St Patrick’s (Wicklow) 2-8 (Portlaoise win 5-4 on penalties)
Seven-times Leinster champions Portlaoise have advanced to this year’s semi-finals but only after surviving a titanic battle and penalty shootout with St Patrick’s at Aughrim on Sunday.
Portlaoise got off to a flying start with points from Ricky Maher and Conor Boyle in the opening five minutes but thereafter St Pat’s had the better of it in the first half and were worth their 1-4 to 0-5 lead at the break.
Stephen Duffy put his side ahead with a goal in the seventh minute when he chipped the Portlaoise ‘keeper from close range, the St Patrick’s captain set up for the score by winger Paul O’Brien.
The nip and tuck exchanges continued throughout the second half with St Pat’s managing to keep their noses in from for the majority of the time.
Portlaoise brought on inter-county goalkeeper Graham Brody, and more often than not he advanced from his goal as they sought an equalising score.
David Holland went desperately close to a goal for Portlaoise only for his fizzing effort to come back off an upright while substitute Paul Calhillane also pulled his shot wide from a good scoring position.
But deep into injury time the pressure told as midfielder Kieran Lillis fired over a point that sent the tie into extra-time (0-9 to 1-6).
Portlaoise took the lead through Ronan McEvoy but were rocked back on their heels when Paul O’Brien bundled the ball home following a long ball from Tommy Kelly.
Lillis then put Portlaoise back in front when he found the back of the net but St Pat’s refused to surrender as Matthew Traynor fired over the equaliser to take the game to a penalty shootout where Portlaoise prevailed.
Portlaoise: M Nolan; D Seale, F Flanagan, D Holland; C Finn, B Mulligan, P Downey; K Lillis (1-1), C McEvoy; B Glynn, C Boyle (0-2), G Dillon; B McCormack (0-2, 0-2 frees), B Carroll (0-2, 0-2 frees), R Maher (0-2). Subs: D Larkin for B Glynn, G Brody for M Nolan, R McEvoy (0-1) for B McCormack, P Cullinane (0-1) for R Maher, C Rogers for P Dowene, R Maher For P Cullinane, J Kavanagh for B Carroll
St Patrick's: S Doyle; W Doyle M Traynor (0-2), P O'Keane; S Murley, S Ffrench, C Doyle; J Crowe (0-1), D Healy (0-1); P O'Brien (1-0), P McWalter, B Doyle (0-1); N Donnelly, S Duffy (1-1), T Kelly (0-2). Subs: C McGettigan for s Duffy, J Delahunt for P McWalter, S Duffy for B Doyle, P McWalter for C McGettigan.
Referee: J Hickey (Carlow).
Éire Óg (Carlow) 1-12 Sarsfields (Kildare) 0-9
Carlow football champions Éire Óg produced a dominant second half performance, outscoring visitors Sarsfields of Kildare by 0-7 to 0-1, at Dr Cullen Park to book a Leinster semi-final meeting with Portlaoise.
Éire Óg looked to be in trouble as they trailed 0-5 to 0-2 after the opening quarter but they forced their way back into the game with a well-taken point from full forward Ross Dunphy on 16 minutes before Chris Blake knocked over a free.
And the game then turned in Éire Óg’s favour when a Sarsfields kick-out was broken down in midfield by Seán Gannon, helped on by Ross Dunphy to Jordan Morrissey who cut inside his man to pick his spot low to Paddy O’Sullivan’s right.
With the sides level - 1-5 to 0-8 - at the break, Éire Óg wasted no time seizing control in the second half as a Chris Blake score was followed by Cormac Mullins kicking a brace of superb points from play.
Ray Cahill narrowed the gap to to two points when he got Sarsfields back on the scoreboard but it was to be his side’s only score of the half and from there on in it was all Éire Óg.
Following a magnificent point from a sideline kick by Éire Óg substitute Niall Quinlan, an altercation between Quinlan and Sarsfields full back and captain Seán Campbell led to a straight red card for the Sarsfield man while Quinlan was black-carded.
Éire Óg: R Keating; R Mahon, M Fitzgerald, B Kavanagh; J Lowry, M Furey, P McElligott; J Morrissey (1-1), C Mullins (0-2); S Gannon (0-1), D O'Brien (0-1), E Ruth; C Blake (0-5, 0-4 frees), R Dunphy (0-1), C Hulton. Subs: D Hayden for Hulton (42 mins), N Quinlan (0-1) for Mullins (50), R Denieffe for Quinlan (55, black card).
Sarsfields: P O'Sullivan; C McConnell, S Campbell, T Aspell; C Kavanagh (0-1), C McEnerney Aspell, D Ryan; C Costigan (0-1), C McDonnell (0-2, 0-2 frees); S Ryan, D McKenna, C Hartley (0-1); C Coffey (0-2), R Cahill (0-1, 0-1 free), A Smith (0-1). Subs: S Doyle for Kavanagh (40 mins), B McDonnell for C McConnell (46), K Hartley for Cahill (52), D Shalvey for Ryan (52), C Byrne for McKenna (57).
Referee: A Nolan (Wicklow).
