Kilkerley Emmets will take on Cooley Kickhams for the right to stay in the Senior Championship after they lost their respective relegation play-off semi-finals to O Raghallaighs and St Mary's over the weekend.

O Raghallaighs secured their place in the Senior Championship for 2018 when they came through the relegation semi-final against Kilkerley Emmets on a scoreline of 4-11 to 3-13 at Tallanstown on Saturday evening.

The decisive period of the game came in the 12 minutes before half time when the Drogheda men fired in four goals, as they built up a six point lead at the break. The Emmets fought back in the second half but were unable to complete the comeback.

It was Kilkerley who got off to the brighter start and a Tadgh McEneaney goal helped his side lead by 1-6 to 0-3 early in the second quarter.

However, Ben Rogan led the O Raghallaighs blitz as he fired in a hat-trick, including one from a penalty, while Eoin Moore added a fourth to see his side lead by 4-6 to 1-9.

The Drogheda men were unable to maintain that scoring return in the second half as Kilkerley fought back into the game.

A goal from a Shane Lennon penalty was followed by Tadhg McEneaney three-pointer to reduce the gap to just a single points entering the dying moments. However, in a tense finish the O Raghallaighs did enough to ensure they held out for victory.

Meanwhile, St Marys came through an ill-tempered clash with Cooley Kickhams at The Grove on Sunday morning. The Ardee men prevailed on a scoreline of 1-12 to 0-10 in a game that saw six players sent off following a melee in the closing stages.

A goal early in the second half from Brendan Matthews proved crucial as the Marys maintained their senior status.

Cooley kicked the opening point of the game through Brian White but that was soon cancelled out by Ronan Carroll. That set the pattern for an evenly contested first half that ended level at five points apiece.

The first six points of the second half were shared before Brendan Matthews got in for what proved to be the decisive goal. Matthews and Carroll followed up with points to extend the gap to 1-10 to 0-8.

Cooley were unable to bridge that gap over the remainder of the game and will now have to take on Kilkerley Emmets in the dreaded relegation play-off decider.

The Intermediate relegation semi-final produced an upset as Na Piarsaigh came out on top against St Fechins by 3-18 to 2-16.

The Termonfeckin side will now have to take on Young Irelands to decide who will stay in the Intermediate Championship for next season.

Na Piarsaigh got off to a great start as they scored the first three points through Robbie Murphy and Mark Larkin (2), only for the Fechins to get back into the game with a Dermot McConnell goal. However, Damien McGeeney found the net for the Dundalk side to help them lead by 1-8 to 1-7 at half time.

A Ronan Holcroft goal and points from Joe Corrigan and Eoghan Duffy helped the Fechins take a 2-10 to 1-9 lead early in the second half. Na Piarsaigh refused to let their heads drop and went on a scoring blitz as a David Boyle goal saw them move 2-13 to 2-10 clear at the end of the third quarter.

Mark Larkin stretched the advantage with a goal from a penalty and despite a late rally from the Fechins, Na Piarsaigh held out for a deserved win.

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