Leinster club round-up: Ballyboughal and Emo must meet again in IFC

Ballyboughal and Emo must meet all over again after they played out a pulsating 3-14 to 2-17 draw after extra-time in their Leinster IFC quarter-final in Emo last Saturday.

The replay this Saturday afternoon in Ballyboughal (2.0).

A Paul Lawlor free two minutes into injury time in extra-time forced a replay for the hosts with the winners progressing to meet Meath champions Curragha in the provincial semi-final.

Emo started better and moved into an early 1-2 to 0-1 lead early the goal coming from a Lawlor penalty.

Ciarán Wynne converted a free for Boughal but Darren Strong and Lawlor added frees to see Emo move five ahead.

But Ballyboughal battled back with impressive centre-back Cormac Flynn scoring from play before Richie Downey scored an excellent goal. Tony Roone and Wynne added points to see Boughal move in front.

A David Gorman levelled things up and then the same player put fed Finbar Crowley who finished to the net past David Downey.

Another Ciarán Wynne free and a second Richie Downey however helped Ballyboughal to a 2-6 to 2-5 lead at half time.

Emo restarted in clinical fashion, scoring four points in quick succession – two from Strong and one each from Lawlor and Nigely Murphy.

Emo were three up again but Ballyboughal were level when Ben Callanan’s shot for a point dropped into the net.

Gerry Seaver’s pointed free edged Ballyboughal back in front with just over 20 minutes to play.

The visitors moved three clear with Seaver to the fore but then Emo hit the next four scores.

In the final minutes a Seaver free forced extra-time, Emo 2-13 Emo 2-13 Ballyboughal 3-10.

Lawlor and Strong (’45’) tagged on points in the first period of extra-time but scores from Seaver and Wynne had sides level at half-time in extra-time.

Strong’s eighth point pushed Emo ahead but Ballyboughal got two in-a-row, both from Seaver.

Ballyboughal led by a point in the dying embers before Emo were awarded a late, late free that was brought forward which Lawlor converted to force a replay.

Thomas Davis were beaten by Wicklow’s Glenealy 2-12 to 2-10 in their Leinster IHC quarter-final.

The Tallaght side were six points up with 15 minutes to go but the exertions of their qualifier clash with Raheny that went to extra-time last Wednesday maybe took its toll in the concluding stages.

Erin's Isle were also defeated in the Leinster IHC semi-final when Wexford’s St Mogue's overcame the Finglas side 1-19 to 3-7 in O’Toole Park.

SCORERS – Emo: Darren Strong 0-8 (0-1f, 0-1’45’), Paul Lawlor 1-4 (1-0 pen, 0-3f), Finbar Crowley 1-0, Evan Costello 0-2 (0-2f), Niall Wheeler, Nigel Murphy, David Gorman 0-1 each. Ballyboughal: Gerry Seaver 0-7 (0-4f), Richie Downey 2-0, Ben Callanan 1-1, Ciarán Wynne 0-3 (0-2f), Cormac Flynn , Tony Rooney, Jonathan Rooney 0-1 each.

EMO: David Whelan; Paddy Dunne, James O’Rourke, Brian Gorman; Padraig Kirwan, Shane Murphy, Liam Crowley; Niall Wheeler, Darren Strong; Cian Langford, Finbar Crowley, Nigel Murphy; David Gorman, Paul Lawlor, Evan Costello. Subs: Mark Carney for Kirwan (ht), Dylan Lalor for Langford (44), Brian Galvin for B Gorman (54), Ian Fennelly for Wheeler (76).

BALLYBOUGHAL: David Downey; Ciarán McGinley, Niall McElliggot, Willie Cooney; Tony Rooney, Cormac Flynn, Jonathan Rooney; Richie Downey, Cathal Flynn; Ciarán Wynne, John Rogers, Greg Rooney; Jack Ryan, Gerry Seaver, Ben Callanan. Subs: Jamie Flynn for Rogers (Black Card – 30 mins), Matthew Farrell for Ryan (52).

REF: Chris Dwyer (Offaly).