The Offaly SFC is down to the last four after a busy weekend of quarter-final action.
Holders Tullamore will face Edenderry in a repeat of last year’s semi-final, while Ferbane take on Shamrocks in the other semi-final on the weekend after next. In the first of the quarter-finals on Saturday, Cian Farrell scored 0-10 as Edenderry overcame Bracknagh by 0-16 to 2-7. Mikey Cunningham fired a brace of stunning goals after the restart to help Bracknagh to a two-point lead, but the outstanding Farrell ensured there wouldn’t be an upset.
In the second part of Saturday’s O’Connor Park double-header, Harry Plunkett kicked 0-7 and Oisín Keenan-Martin found the net as Tullamore cruised to a 1-13 to 1-3 victory over parish rivals Durrow.
Outsiders Ballycommon and Shamrocks served up the most dramatic quarter-final yesterday when penalties were needed to decide the outcome. After the sides finished level on 1-15 to 3-9 after extra-time, Shamrocks goalkeeper Sean 'Chip' O’Toole emerged as the hero by saving three penalties and scoring one as the Rahan-parish outfit prevailed 3-2.
Last year's runners-up Ferbane completed the semi-final line-up after edging out Rhode on a 0-12 to 0-10 scoreline.
Kevin Nugent and Cian Johnson slotted 0-3 each to give Ger Rafferty’s men a narrow win over the former long-time kingpins who sorely missed their injured talisman Niall McNamee.
Tweet𝘾𝙝𝙞𝙥 𝙊'𝙏𝙤𝙤𝙡𝙚 𝘽𝙧𝙚𝙖𝙠𝙨 𝘽𝙖𝙡𝙡𝙮𝙘𝙤𝙢𝙢𝙤𝙣 𝙃𝙚𝙖𝙧𝙩𝙨
— Official Offaly GAA (@Offaly_GAA) September 15, 2024
Shamrocks go through to the @Tullamore_Court Senior Football Championship Semi-Final in a pulsating game after a penalty shoot-out against Ballycommon earlier today.
This game was an absolute belter from… pic.twitter.com/8QmWYbjmRT