Round-Up Of the Go-Ahead Ireland Junior 1 Football Semi-Finals

The Go-Ahead Ireland Dublin Junior 1 Club Football Championship semi-finals took place on Sunday morning with both matches remaining right in the balance up until the final whistle. 

Ultimately, it was St Finian’s Swords and St Finian’s Newcastle that booked their place in the decider and more importantly, confirmed their berth in the Intermediate Club Championship for 2026. 

In Balgriffin, St Finian’s Swords netted in the dying minutes to secure a thrilling 3-15 to 4-11 victory over a desperately unlucky Beann Éadair side. 

The Howth side pounced for two early goals before St Finian’s availed of the gale at their backs to hit 2-11 on the bounce with their goals coming through the influential David Hattie and Killian Ryan while Andy Mallon showed all his class and experience during this dominant period. 

That momentum was maintained in the early stages of the second-half as they pushed thirteen points clear but Beann Éadair clawed their way back into contention thanks to a brace of excellent two-pointers from Darragh McGhee. 

They continued to impress through the efforts of Rohan O’Shea at midfield, Ronan Fitzpatrick, McGhee and Jake Gibbons with goals over the hour by Ben Kennedy, Gibbons, Marcel Haas and O’Shea edging Beann Éadair in front in the closing stages. 

There was one final twist however as Hattie delivered a superb pass to find Brandon Caffrey, who cut inside before firing a clinical finish to the net for the match-winning score. 

Hattie (1-2), Caffrey (1-1) and Ryan (1-1) proved the main scorers for a St Finian’s side that edged home thanks to three Conor Halpin points and a brace apiece from Senan Crosbie and Matt Murray.  

It proved equally tight across in O’Toole Park as St Finian’s Newcastle recovered from an eight-point deficit with twenty minutes remaining to defeat Wanderers by 2-13 to 3-8. 

One of the key performers for the winners was Aidan Burke, who joined the attack from wing-back to telling effect with a personal tally of 1-2. 

His scores and those of midfielder Sean O’Reilly (1-1) allowed St Finian’s to close the gap as the contest evolved with Mark Molloy and Aaron Molloy chipping in with points in the final quarter to secure their final berth.  

JFC1 Club Semi-Finals: Beann Éadair 4-11 St Finian’s Swords 3-15; Wanderers 3-8 St Finian’s Newcastle 2-13.