Round Up: U21 Football Championship Semi Finals

Ballymun Kickhams and Ballyboden St Enda’s will meet in this year’s Go Ahead Dublin Under 21 ‘A’ Football Championship final following their last four wins against Cuala and Ballinteer St John’s respectively on Saturday afternoon.

In Páirc Ciceam, second-half goals proved telling as Ballymun dominated after the break en route to a 2-10 to 0-11 win against Cuala.

Having trailed by 0-6 to 0-4 at the break, the hosts seized control of matters with goals by Dara Kane and Davy Leonard setting them on the road to victory.

Robbie Bolger excelled up front for the winners, with Dean Robertson, Kieron Kelly, Cian Nolan and Sean Parnell also playing key roles for Kickhams.

Jamie Conroy kicked three points for Cuala, but his scores and two points apiece by Liam Fitzgerald and Cuan Nugent alongside strong displays from Darach Ó Cofaigh Byrne and Aodhan English proved in vain by the final whistle.

It proved even tighter at Páirc Uí Mhurchú as Ballyboden St Enda’s required extra-time to see off holders Ballinteer St John’s by 0-15 to 0-14.

In what was a repeat of last year’s decider, the sides were deadlocked at 0-9 apiece at the end of normal time but Boden finished the stronger in the second period of extra-time to gain revenge for last year’s defeat.

Daire Sweeney kicked eight points for the hosts, and with Ryan O’Dwyer chipping in with three scores, St Enda’s did just enough to prevail thanks to further points from Mark McGlynn, Robbie O’Reilly, David Keane and Ciaran Duggan.

Evan Nugent delivered a towering defensive display for Ballyboden with the likes of Michael McDonald, Oisin Byrne and Eoin Behan also hugely influential over the eighty-plus minutes.

The trend for home victories continued into the ‘B’ Championship as Clontarf and Castleknock advanced at the expense of Fingal Ravens and St Sylvester’s respectively.

Castleknock pipped Syls by 0-11 to 1-7 while Clontarf controlled the second-half when beating Ravens by 1-19 to 1-11.

The free-taking of Dylan Kettle saw the visitors trail by just 0-9 to 0-7 at half-time but a goal from Charlie Costello and points from Luke O’Boyle and Conor Rooney saw Clontarf build up an unassailable lead.

In the ‘C’ Championship, Skerries Harps were pushed all the way before edging St Anne’s by 2-14 to 2-12 in a cracking encounter in Bohernabreena.

The visitors were well served at the back by Ronan Geoghegan, Aidan Coleman and Simon Connolly, while Ethan Dunne produced a powerful performance at midfield.

Joe Delaney looked sharp in the Harps attack, kicking five points, with Luke Whelan (1-2) and Paddy Kelly (0-2) also catching the eye.

Cillian Emmett scored the remaining Skerries goal with Dunne (0-2), Conor Moore (0-2) and Callan Kelly (0-1) also troubling the umpires.

It proved far more straightforward for St Jude’s, who eased past Erin’s Isle by 0-21 to 0-4 at Farnham Drive.

Dublin minor Eoghan Costello was a key performer for the visitors from wing-back with Eoin Kenny (0-6) and Mick Lawlor (0-4) the pick of the St Jude’s attack.

U21 ‘A’ FC semi-finals: Ballymun Kickhams 2-10 Cuala 0-11; Ballyboden St Enda’s 0-15 Ballinteer St John’s 0-14 AET.

U21 ‘B’ FC semi-finals: Clontarf 1-19 Fingal Ravens 1-11; Castleknock 0-11 St Sylvester’s 1-7.

U21 ‘C’ FC semi-finals: Erin’s Isle 0-4 St Jude’s 0-21; St Anne’s 2-12 Skerries Harps 2-14.

U21 ‘D’ FC semi-finals: Round Towers Clondalkin 1-9 St Brigid’s 1-8; Ballyboden St Enda’s 1-9 Whitehall Colmcille 3-5.

U21 ‘E’ FC semi-finals: St Patrick’s Palmerstown 0-7 St Jude’s 4-11; St Mary’s Saggart 2-5 Parnell’s 1-9.

U21 ‘F’ FC semi-finals: Castleknock 3-10 Ballyboden St Enda’s 3-4; St Peregrine’s 3-6 Kilmacud Crokes 0-9.