St Joseph's book spot in Kelly Cup final with Ballyroan Abbey and Crettyard set to contest other semi-final

St Joseph’s have been in flying form to start 2022, as manager Michael Dempsey and his squad set their sights on improving on last season’s display and challenging for the Jack Delaney Cup. The men from Kellyville have failed to kick on at Senior level after back-to-back U-21 successes in 2015 and 2016, but perhaps this is the year they make that step up.

They have put in several dominant displays in the Kelly Cup so far. St Joseph’s started their campaign by routing Ballylinan. Their marquee forward, Michael Keogh, fired in a stunning four goals en route to a facile seventeen-point victory.

St Joseph’s were in goal-scoring form once more in round two, as they dispatched of O’Dempsey’s. Keogh bagged a hat-trick this time round in their seven-point victory. In their final group game against Clonaslee St Manman’s, Keogh was once again to the fore, scoring another hat-trick while the likes of Eoghan O’Flaherty and Dylan Doyle also impressed.

That 100% record saw them easily through to a league semi-final against Graiguecullen, who would prove a much sterner test. Graiguecullen are another side that possesses the potential to challenge for the throne that Portarlington currently sits on, as they welcome a talented batch of young footballers into the fold following Minor success last season.

Another boost for them is the transfer in of a former Carlow Senior footballer, Lee Walker. The lively forward was superb on his debut, as Walker scored 2-6 against Stradbally in round one of the Kelly Cup to help get Graiguecullen up and running.

Graiguecullen then easily accounted for Intermediate outfit, Timahoe, in round two as they ran out sixteen-point winners. That result confirmed their place in the semi-final, as they travelled to meet St Joseph’s in Kellyville on Saturday afternoon.

Lee Walker continued his red-hot form by scoring the only goal of the first half in this one, as the away team led narrowly, 1-6 to 0-7, at the half-time interval. However, St Joseph’s defensive ability triumphed in the second half, as they only conceded a single point in the next thirty-minute period.

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Matthew Campion’s second-half goal helped them on their way to victory, with Michael Keogh being once again in fine form throughout. They ran out 1-12 to 1-7 winners at the full-time whistle.

St Joseph’s opponent in the final is undecided yet as the other semi-final has not been played yet. Ballyroan Abbey did book their place in that semi-final thanks to a 1-13 to 3-6 victory over Killeshin in group D.

Intermediate champions Park-Ratheniska have made a solid start to 2022, as they defeated Emo over the weekend by two points. Jimmy Langton and Stephen Knowles scored the goals for Kieran Kelly’s charges, but the win did not see them through to the semi-final.

Crettyard had played out a draw with Park-Ratheniska in the opener, before having seven points to spare in a win over Emo in round two. That means they advance on scoring differences and will take on Ballyroan Abbey for a place in the Kelly Cup final.