Round-Up of the Go-Ahead Ireland Intermediate Hurling Semi-Finals

Scoil Uí Chonaill advanced to the final of the Go-Ahead Ireland Dublin Intermediate Hurling Championship after getting the better of Kilmacud Crokes by 1-28 to 1-27 after extra-time in their absorbing last four clash on Clontarf Road. 

The sides traded blows throughout with neither side allowed to establish any prolonged periods of dominance as the visitors enjoyed a marginal 0-11 to 0-10 lead by half-time thanks largely to three points by full-forward James Neary and five frees from Darren Crowley.  

The ebb and flow continued as the sides finished deadlocked at 0-21 apiece by full-time but crucially, the hosts controlled the first period of extra-time with a Fionn Daly goal providing a sufficient buffer as Crokes rallied late on through a goal of their own by Conor Hayes. 

Daly impressed throughout for Scoil with a personal tally of 1-6, all of which came from open play, while Barry Cushen top scored with 0-12, including seven scores from placed balls. 

Brendan O’Connell chipped in with four points over the eighty minutes and with Robert Kennedy and Jack Kennedy adding two points apiece, they did just enough to prevail with Oisín Benham and Conor Coady to the fore defensively. 

Crokes will rue the second-half dismissal of Oisin McCann but it didn’t impact them too much considering the efforts of full-back Eamonn Allen, corner-back Ruairí Geraghty and Marty Connors at centre-back while goalkeeper Johnny Meagher kept them in the hunt with two superb saves. 

Finn Walsh and Oran O’Keeffe combined superbly at centrefield with the latter’s influence rewarded with six points but those scores and Crowley’s impeccable free-taking proved in vain by the end.   

It proved far more straightforward across at the 12th Lock as Lucan Sarsfields pulled away in the second-half on their way to a comfortable 1-30 to 2-14 victory against Crumlin. 

The relegation play-offs proved one-sided affairs with Good Counsel/Liffey Gaels proving too strong for St Peregrine’s at Blakestown Road, winning by 2-18 to 1-7. 

Across in Monastery Road, Eric Finn plundered a hat-trick as Round Towers Clondalkin defeated St Maur’s by 6-18 to 1-10. 

The hosts took their time to settle but points from wing-forward Liam O’Connor and Alex Darby at centrefield allowed them to take control of matters. 

The home defence ensured their team remained in the ascendancy with captain Gary Quinlivan and Donnacha Ó Deasúnaigh particularly influential while the hard-working Ben English and Sam Mulvaney (2-1) also caught the eye for a dominant Towers.  

IHC Semi-Finals: Lucan Sarsfields 1-30 Crumlin 2-14; Scoil Uí Chonaill 1-28 KilmacudCrokes 1-27 AET. 

IHC Relegation Play-Offs: St Peregrine’s 1-7 Good Counsel/Liffey Gaels 2-18; Round Towers Clondalkin 6-18 St Maur’s 1-10.