Leinster SHC Club Quarter-Finals

Na Fianna (Dublin) 3-20 Clough Ballacolla (Laois) 1-15

St Martins 1-15 Naas 0-13

Kilcormac Killoughey 1-17 St. Mullins 1-12 

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NA FIANNA HIT the afterburners late on at Parnell Park to secure an AIB Leinster club SHC semi-final date with St Martin’s of Wexford.

Leading by five points with 55 minutes on the clock, 2023 finalists Na Fianna were living a little dangerously at Parnell Park.

But two goals in the closing minutes, from top scorer AJ Murphy, who hit 1-4 overall, and goalkeeper Jonathan Tracey from a penalty, eased them through to the last four.

Having lost to O’Loughlin Gaels narrowly in last year’s final, and with this year’s Kilkenny representatives now out of the picture, Na Fianna will fancy their chances of going one better.

But manager Niall O Ceallachain, the new Dublin boss, will want to tidy up in a few areas ahead of their return to Parnell Park (3pm) next Sunday to face St Martin’s who overcame Naas of Kildare by 1-15 to 0-13.

Na Fianna hit eight wides, dropped a series of point attempts short, struck the woodwork and had a couple of goal chances saved, all of which could have been punished if Clough Ballacolla were really firing.

Willie Hyland’s visiting side, who hadn’t played since the Laois final six weeks, did start well and led 1-4 to 0-3 after Stephen ‘Picky’ Maher’s 10th minute goal.

But they were overwhelmed for the rest of the half and trailed by five points at the interval, 1-12 to 1-7.

That five-point margin was still there with only five minutes left to play as the sides played out a score-for-score back and forth.

It wasn’t Na Fianna at their best but the pressure was on Clough Ballacolla to push on and they couldn’t, opening the door for the hosts to kill it off with that late spurt of scores.

For Naas, it was another provincial club championship defeat at the redeveloped St Conleth’s Park following the footballers’ defeat there last weekend.

Rory O’Connor struck 11 points, all from placed balls, while Jack O’Connor netted as St Martin’s, who led by four points at half-time, comfortably secured their quarter-final win.

Meanwhile, star studded Kilcormac-Killoughey were pushed all the way in a 1-17 to 1-12 quarter-final win over St Mullins of Carlow.

The Screeney brothers, Adam and Jack, drilled seven points between them while Daniel Hand netted in the Offaly champions’ quarter-final win at Netwatch Cullen Park.

They led by nine points at one stage after a lightning start but were reeled back in by the hosts who were superbly led by James Doyle, 1-4.

Kilcormac-Killoughey, winners of this competition in 2012, will travel to Mullingar (1.15pm) to face surprise packets Castletown Geoghegan in the semi-finals next weekend.

Na Fianna scorers: AJ Murphy 1-4, Colin Currie 0-7 (0-4f, 0-2 65), Ciaran Stacey 1-1, Jonathan Stacey 1-0, (pen) Donal Burke 0-2, Jack Meagher 0-2, Sean Currie 0-1, Brian Ryan 0-1, Paul O’Dea 0-1, Diarmuid Clerkin 0-1.

Clough Ballacolla scorers: Stephen Maher 1-9 (0-7f), Cillian Dunne 0-2, Stephen Bergin 0-1, Kevin Mulhall 0-1, Aidan Corby 0-1, Robbie Phelan 0-1.

NA FIANNA

1. Jonathan Tracey

7. Kevin Burke
3. Conor McHugh
2. Sean Burke

5. Paul O’Dea
6. Liam Rushe
9. Peter Feeney

8. Brian Ryan
12. Sean Currie

22. Jack Meagher
13. Colin Currie
11. Donal Burke (Captain)

15. Gavin King
14. AJ Murphy
10. Ciaran Stacey

SUBS

20. Diarmuid Clerkin for King 46
18. Sean Ryan for Brian Ryan 52
25. Joe Kavanagh for Donal Burke 56
4. Donal Ryan for O’Dea 59
19. Gerry Spollen for Colin Currie 60

CLOUGH BALLACOLLA

1. Cathal Dunne

4. Cormac Hogan
3. Darren Maher
5. Joe Corby

2. Diarmaid Conway
6. Lee Cleere
7. Jordan Walshe

8. Aidan Corby (Captain)
9. Kevin Mulhall

11. Robbie Phelan
13. Willie Dunphy
14. Stephen Maher

15. Stephen Bergin
10. Mark Hennessy
18. Cillian Dunne

SUBS

17. Joe Pearson for Darren Maher 42
20. Padraig Brennan for Hennessy 51
12. Sean Corby for Cillian Dunne 59

Referee: Eamonn Furlong (Wexford).