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Dean Rock's Ballymun Kickhams exited the 2021 Dublin SFC today. Laszlo Geczo/INPHO

Late drama all round as Dublin champions bow out and Mayo holders march on at the death

A wrap of today’s club football action from across the country, as Ballymun crashed out in the capital.

2020 DUBLIN SENIOR football champions Ballymun Kickhams have exited the 2021 race after a one-point quarter-final defeat at the hands of Lucan Sarsfields this evening.

Brendan Gallagher held his nerve to nail a 64th-minute free and send Lucan marching on, just after back-to-back deadball efforts from Dean Rock looked to have given Ballymun the perfect platform to snatch victory at the death after a comeback.

But the southsiders held out and finished 1-16 to 0-18 winners at Parnell Park; Ciaran Smith’s 27th-minute goal ultimately key.

In the earlier Dublin SFC quarter-final in Donnycarney, St Jude’s marched on after a 3-14 to 0-15 win over Thomas Davis. Jude’s were 1-8 to 0-9 up at half-time, thanks to a Niall Coakley penalty on 14 minutes, but Kevin McMenamin’s crew pushed on in the second period with late goals from Tom Lahiff and Shay Ryan sealing the deal.

A mouth-watering afternoon of club quarter-final action unfolded in Mayo too; late drama all round in the double-header at a wet and windy Bekan Centre of Excellence.

Holders Knockmore held on at the very end against Ballintubber to win 2-9 to 0-12; substitute goalkeeper Ryan McDonnell the hero as he saved a last-gasp Diarmaid O’Connor penalty — a controversial one which could have sent the game to extra time after a dramatic finale.

McDonnell replaced Colm Reape in the second half after he was forced to withdraw through illness, with Knockmore also losing one of their star forwards, Darren McHale, earlier in the game through injury. Ballintubber – without Cillian O’Connor – were dealt a significant blow down the home straight themselves, with Jason Gibbons sent off after a second yellow with 10 minutes to go.

Goals in each half from Aidan Orme and Peter Naughton – scorer of 1-6 in the end – were key for the reigning champions in a star-studded affair, broadcast live on RTÉ.

Beforehand, Fionn McDonagh kicked the winner at the very death as Westport completed a stunning comeback to see off Ballina.

With both sides, again, littered with current and former county stars, this one was pitted as Lee Keegan’s Westport v Padraig O’Hora’s Ballina, but it was McDonagh who stole the headlines, and snatched it with a late, great winner deep into injury time.

The first half was a real tale of two quarters; a Ballina goal courtesy of Luke Doherty ultimately the difference at the interval. Up until the first water break, it was all Ballina, the Stephenites simply rampant as they powered into a 1-4 to 0-0 lead. With Westport talisman Kevin Keane forced off through injury, they responded brilliantly with five scores in-a-row to get them up and running after the sos uisce, before Evan Regan made it 1-5 to 0-5 as half time approached.

The sides traded scores over and back through the second half, Ballina always in front as Westport lost Rory Brickenden to a black card, and it was 1-8 to 0-9 heading into the third quarter. Colm Moran and Alan Kennedy, on the frees in particular, had their shooting boots on down the home straight; the latter levelling matters before McDonagh’s winner:

In Tyrone, Errigal Ciaran prevailed after an eight-point quarter-final win over Loughmacrory. Goals from Cathal Corrigan and Ruairi Canavan were crucial; the sides level at 1-2 to 0-5 at half time, before Errigal Ciaran pushed on in the second period, with All-Ireland winner Darragh Canavan among those on target.

In Kildare, Naas reached their first senior club championship final in 30 years after a 1-17 to 1-9 win over Maynooth. They did so without a manager after Paul Kelly’s resignation just days ago; their second-half surge proving the difference today as Paul McDermott’s goal sealed the win.

Darragh Kirwan top-scored for Naas with 0-7 from play, while Eamonn Callaghan chipped in with 0-6, three of those frees. They now face Sarsfields or Cellbridge in the final.

And St Peter’s Dunboyne progressed to the Meath SFC final after a 0-9 to 0-5 win over Donaghmore-Ashbourne, with St Eunan’s returing to the Donegal senior decider after beating a 14-man St Michael’s on a scoreline of 0-10 to 0-5.

Results

Dublin SFC quarter-finals

St Judes 3-14 Thomas Davis 0-15

Lucan Sarsfields 1-16 Ballymun Kickhams 0-18

Tyrone SFC quarter-final

Errigal Ciaran 2-9 Loughmacrory 0-7

Mayo SFC quarter-finals

Westport 0-13 Ballina 1-9

Knockmore 2-9 Ballintubber 0-12

Kidare SFC semi-final

Naas 1-17 Maynooth 1-9

Meath SFC semi-final

St Peter’s Dunboyne 0-9 Donaghmore-Ashbourne 0-5 S

Donegal SFC semi-final

St Eunan’s 0-10 St Michael’s 0-5.

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