LOUGHMORE-CASTLEINEY and Dr Crokes will contest the Munster Club SFC final after victories over Éire Óg Ennis and Rathgormack respectively.
Fresh legs off the bench ensured that Loughmore advanced to their first provincial football final since 1973 with a five-point victory in front of 928 fans at Cusack Park.
Substitutes Ciarán Connolly and Philip O’Connell fired late goals to secure the Tipp double champions’ progress.
The Loughmore camp had suffered from illness in their hurling semi-final defeat to Ballygunner last weekend but showed few lingering aftereffects in the opening minute.
Having contested the throw-in, John McGrath snuck inside to take a pass and laid off for his younger brother Brian to bundle to the net.
Éire Óg were backed by a strong but swirling wind which they failed to master. Still, they were level in the seventh minute.
Ikem Ugwueru intercepted the ball and was fouled approaching goal. Referee Brendan Griffin initially signalled a free but on closer inspection, awarded a penalty. Mark McInerney stepped up to fire home.
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Loughmore proved far more efficient as they worked the ball close to the target. Liam McGrath, Ciarán McGrath, Liam Treacy, and John Ryan scored via that method for a 1-4 to 1-0 lead.
When Éire Óg did hit back in the 26th minute, it was with another goal. Ciarán Russell got in around the end line and looped a handpass across for Gavin Cooney to rise highest and palm in.
Dr Crokes' Charlie Keating gets to the ball ahead of Rathgormack's Peter Walsh. Ken Sutton / INPHO
Ken Sutton / INPHO / INPHO
A McInerney brace gave them their only lead; 2-2 to 1-4 at half-time.
Loughmore had the opening four points after the break via Treacy, a Liam McGrath free, Ciarán McGrath, and Tomás McGrath.
In a feisty finish, Griffin red-carded a member of both backroom teams for separate incidents.
The gap was back to the minimum in the 55th minute when the vital score arrived with Tommy Maher teeing up Connolly to beat the keeper.
They led by four, 2-9 to 2-5, but Éire Óg kept working the ball close to goal. Twice, they had to settle for points from Luke Pyne and Manus Doherty.
Loughmore settled it in the fifth and final minute of added time. John McGrath secured the kick-out and sent O’Connell freewheeling into open country to unleash a cool near-post finish.
In Fraher Field, Dr Crokes had just one point to spare in denying Waterford champions Rathgormack a historic victory.
Four points each from Micheál Burns and Tony Brosnan ensured the Kerry kingpins will contest a first Munster final since 2018, when they won their eighth title.
Conor Murray and James Power twice gave the wind-assisted hosts an early lead but each time Brosnan levelled before Burns’ pair earned a two-point advantage.
That was still the gap at half-time, 0-7 to 0-5, thanks to a closing score by young Crokes corner-back Maidhcí Lynch.
Shane Murphy protected that lead with a save from Peter Walsh and another Brosnan free had the lead at three entering the closing stages.
Jason Curry scored two points and Crokes had to survive a late goalmouth scramble to advance.
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Loughmore end 51-year wait for shot at Munster SFC glory as Dr Crokes await in final
Munster Club SFC semi-finals
LOUGHMORE-CASTLEINEY and Dr Crokes will contest the Munster Club SFC final after victories over Éire Óg Ennis and Rathgormack respectively.
Fresh legs off the bench ensured that Loughmore advanced to their first provincial football final since 1973 with a five-point victory in front of 928 fans at Cusack Park.
Substitutes Ciarán Connolly and Philip O’Connell fired late goals to secure the Tipp double champions’ progress.
The Loughmore camp had suffered from illness in their hurling semi-final defeat to Ballygunner last weekend but showed few lingering aftereffects in the opening minute.
Having contested the throw-in, John McGrath snuck inside to take a pass and laid off for his younger brother Brian to bundle to the net.
Éire Óg were backed by a strong but swirling wind which they failed to master. Still, they were level in the seventh minute.
Ikem Ugwueru intercepted the ball and was fouled approaching goal. Referee Brendan Griffin initially signalled a free but on closer inspection, awarded a penalty. Mark McInerney stepped up to fire home.
Loughmore proved far more efficient as they worked the ball close to the target. Liam McGrath, Ciarán McGrath, Liam Treacy, and John Ryan scored via that method for a 1-4 to 1-0 lead.
When Éire Óg did hit back in the 26th minute, it was with another goal. Ciarán Russell got in around the end line and looped a handpass across for Gavin Cooney to rise highest and palm in.
A McInerney brace gave them their only lead; 2-2 to 1-4 at half-time.
Loughmore had the opening four points after the break via Treacy, a Liam McGrath free, Ciarán McGrath, and Tomás McGrath.
In a feisty finish, Griffin red-carded a member of both backroom teams for separate incidents.
The gap was back to the minimum in the 55th minute when the vital score arrived with Tommy Maher teeing up Connolly to beat the keeper.
They led by four, 2-9 to 2-5, but Éire Óg kept working the ball close to goal. Twice, they had to settle for points from Luke Pyne and Manus Doherty.
Loughmore settled it in the fifth and final minute of added time. John McGrath secured the kick-out and sent O’Connell freewheeling into open country to unleash a cool near-post finish.
In Fraher Field, Dr Crokes had just one point to spare in denying Waterford champions Rathgormack a historic victory.
Four points each from Micheál Burns and Tony Brosnan ensured the Kerry kingpins will contest a first Munster final since 2018, when they won their eighth title.
Conor Murray and James Power twice gave the wind-assisted hosts an early lead but each time Brosnan levelled before Burns’ pair earned a two-point advantage.
That was still the gap at half-time, 0-7 to 0-5, thanks to a closing score by young Crokes corner-back Maidhcí Lynch.
Shane Murphy protected that lead with a save from Peter Walsh and another Brosnan free had the lead at three entering the closing stages.
Jason Curry scored two points and Crokes had to survive a late goalmouth scramble to advance.
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Day of Destiny Dr Crokes GAA GAA Loughmore-Castleiney GAA