Didier kicks The House past St Kevin's and into semi-final

The Auld Shebeen Athy Intermediate Football Championship Quarter Final

Two Mile House 0-16

St Kevins 0-10

Two Mile House secured themselves a semi-final spot with a fine win over St Kevin’s on Sunday. The House had the upper hand for much of this game, largely due to the superb free-taking of goalkeeper Didier Cardonnier and even one exceptional score from play.

The eventual winners started this game strongly as they raced into a three-point lead in the opening five minutes with scores from Declan Kirwan, Aidan Casey and the first of Didier Cardonnier's frees.

St Kevin’s would respond in outstanding fashion however as they kicked the next four points of this game. The picks of the bunch being the final two in that sequence as Jamie Smyth excellently shimmied past his man before slotting one between the posts, which was followed by a smart finish from Jamie O’Brien after Barry Noone’s effort came back off the post.

Didier Cardonnier would draw the sides level with a 45’ that was made all the more impressive by the conditions surrounding it. The set-piece would be followed by points from play from Aidan Casey and a booming long-range score from Brian Collins that put his side ahead at 0-6 to 0-4.

Tom Baron would respond for Kevin’s with a burst forward from centre-back and after barrelling his way through the tackle managed to knock his effort over.

Two more Cardonnier frees would be added at the other end soon after.

Declan Kirwan would extend The House’s lead to four just before the break after drilling an effort goalwards. The shot would produce a superb save from Keith Fitzharris who tipped the ball over the bar.

A Barry Noone free-kick late in the half meant that the sides went in at 0-9 to 0-6 at the break.

St Kevin’s would get back to within two just after half-time but that was the closest they could reach for the remainder of this game as Two Mile House kicked it up a notch in the second half.

Scores from Declan Kirwan and James McGuinness extended the leading sides’ advantage as Kevin’s struggled to keep pace with the scoring at the other end.

Two Mile House would close out the win with relative comfort as they secured a semi-final spot.

Two Mile House, Didier Cardonnier 0-7 (0-5 frees, 0-1 45'), Aidan Casey 0-3, Declan Kirwan 0-2, Brian Collins 0-1, Nathan Sherry 0-1, James McGuinness 0-1, Chris Healy 0-1.

St Kevin's, Conor Murray 0-4 (0-1 frees), Barry Noone 0-3 (0-2 frees), Tom Baron 0-1, Jamie O'Brien 0-1, Jamie Smyth 0-1.

TWO MILE HOUSE: Didier Cardonnier; Tom Hennebry, Andrew May, Brian Collins; Conor Keogh, Chris Healy, James McGuinness; Glen Burke, Matthew Kelly; Andrew Cregg, Peter Kelly, Caomhan Doolan; Declan Kirwan, Nathan Sherry, Aidan Casey Subs: William Burke for Glen Burke (43 minutes), Tom Coleman for Declan Kirwan (53 minutes).

ST KEVINS: Keith Fitzharris; Jamie Smyth, Mark Grace, Robert Beirne; Alan Bennett, Tom Baron, Enda Keane; Brian Fogarty, Diarmuid Smith; Cormac Noone, Barry Noone, Ciaran Smyth; Conor Murray, John Fitzharris, Jamie O'Brien. Subs: Declan Flaherty for John Fitzharris (35 minutes), Conor Gordon for Robert Beirne (45 minutes), Jamie Kenna for Jamie O'Brien (50 minutes), Aeneas Murphy for Enda Keane (50 minutes).

Referee: Ken Doyle