Luke Dempsey, the manager of the Killoe Emmet Og senior football squad Photo: Syl Healy
It was somewhat of a struggle to get the better of Longford Slashers in the previous round but there was no doubting Killoe’s superiority on this occasion as their slick side stepped up another gear to score a comfortable win over the disappointing title holders Colmcille.
Killoe Emmet Og . . . 1-13 Colmcille . . . 1-7
Luke Demsepy’s charges were dominant for most of the Senior Football Championship semi-final clash at wet and windy Glennon Brothers Pearse Park on Saturday evening with influential substitute Ronan McGoldrick snatching the crucial goal in the 43rd minute.
A wayward Colmcille kick out went straight to Michael Quinn and he delivered the ball back into McGoldrick who got the vital touch to find the back of the net to leave Killoe leading by 1-7 to 0-5.
That made amends for the disallowed Gavin Farrelly goal in the early stages of the game for what was deemed a square ball by the referee Donal Kane after he consulted with his umpires.
Killoe still ended up 0-5 to 0-1 ahead at the break with Mark Hughes accounting for the entire Emmet Og tally in the first half.
The 2019 and 2020 champions should have been further ahead going into the second half with the clean through Michael Quinn missing a glorious chance of a goal when he blasted the ball wide in the 29th minute.
While Colmcille awoke from their slumber to close the gap to just the minimum of margins (0-6 to 0-5) after enjoying their best spell on the changeover, the pressure was lifted when Killoe captain Cian Farrelly fired over a cracking point just before the killer blow of the Ronan McGoldrick goal.
Killoe kicked another six points and were in cruise control during the remainder of the match to book their place in the county final on Sunday October 15 with Fergal Sheridan grabbing a scrappy consolation goal for Colmcille in the fourth minute of stoppage time.
KILLOE EMMET OG: Micheal Hughes; Niall Farrelly, Liam Hughes, Ronan Keogh; Evan Farrelly, Darren Moffett, Coim Coyle; Ryan Moffett, Paddy Kiernan; Denis McGoldrick (0-1), Gavin Farrelly, Cian Farrelly (0-2); Daniel Mimnagh (0-2), Michael Quinn, Mark Hughes (0-6, 4 frees, 1 ‘45).
Subs:- Ronan McGoldrick (1-1) for C Coyle (injured, 39 mins); Eamon Keogh for D McGoldrick (45 mins); Shane Clarke for E Farrelly (45 mins); Cian Dooner (0-1) for P Kiernan (stoppage time).
COLMCILLE: Noel Farrell; Conor Grant, Enda Macken, Gerard Mulligan; Shaun McKeon, Ruairi Harkin, Declan Reilly; Jack Macken (0-1, free), Fergal Sheridan (1-0); Shea Farley, Cathal Reilly, Vinny Hourican; Barry McKeon (0-4, 3 frees), Cathal McCabe (0-1), Alan McKeon.
Subs:- Paul McKeon (0-1) for S Farley (half-time); Dylan McCabe for C Grant (55 mins).
Referee: Donal Kane (Young Grattans).
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