St Columba’s, Mullinalaghta (Longford) 2-15

Éire Óg (Carlow) 0-3

Mullinalaghta became the first Longford team to qualify for the Leinster club SFC final following a facile victory over 12-man Éire Óg at Glennon Brothers Pearse Park.

The three-in-a-row Connolly Cup winners will face Kilmacud Crokes in a real David versus Goliath decider in a fortnight's time after a dominant performance. Éire Óg's misery was compounded by the dismissals of Ross Dunphy, Christopher Blake and goalkeeper Robert Moore.

The visitors created a number of early chances but failed to take them. St Columba's eventually settled into the game and took a 0-6 to 0-1 lead into the interval thanks to points from Donie McElligott, Brendan Fox, David McGivney (two), Rian Brady and Gary Rogers, with Blake registering the Carlow champions' sole reply. The losers finished the half with 14 men after Ross Dunphy received a straight red card following an incident involving Aidan McElligott.

Mickey Graham's charges tightened their grip on proceedings in the second half when James McGivney and Aidan McElligott raised green flags in the 44th and 49th minutes to extend their lead to 13 points. Éire Óg were down to 12 men by the 50th minute after Blake and Moore received their marching orders as Mullinalaghta tagged on five late points to book their final place in emphatic fashion.

St Columba’s, Mullinalaghta - P Rogers; S Cadam, P Fox, C Brady; F Mulligan, S Mulligan, D McElligott (0-2); D McGivney (0-4, 3f), J Keegan (0-2); G Rogers (0-1), J McGivney (1-0), B Fox (0-2); J Matthews (0-1), R Brady (0-3), A McElligott (1-0). Subs: Conor McElligott for A McElligott, M Cunningham for R Brady, Cian McElligott for J Matthews, L Meehan for S Mulligan.

Éire Óg - R Moore; F O’Toole, M Fitzgerald, B Kavanagh; S Rea, P McElligott, J Lowry; K Chatten, M Ware; S Gannon, J Morrissey, E Ruth; C Mullins, D O’Brien (0-2), C Blake (0-1). Subs: M Furey for J Morrissey, R Mahon for J Lowry, D Flynn for S Rea, G McGill for M Ware.

Referee - A Nolan.

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