Stradbally and The Nire will face off in the Waterford SFC final next Sunday following their respective wins over Balinacourty and An Rinn at the weekend.

Stradbally avenged last year's final defeat to Ballinacourty with a terrific 1-10 to 1-6 victory at Fraher Field on Saturday night to reach their 13th final in 15 seasons. The win was achieved despite the Reds playing more than half the game with 14 players after Paddy Kiely was dismissed just before half-time.
The sides were level on 0-5 to 1-2 at the interval, but Stradbally were never headed after Robert Ahearne palmed home a goal four minutes after the restart. With Shane Briggs and Gary Hurney to the fore, the champions narrowed the gap to the minimum, 1-6 to 1-7.

But late points from David Grey and Shane Ahearne (two) sealed Stradbally's place in the final as 'Courty also finished the game with 14 men after Gary Hurney was given his marching orders.

In the second semi-final at Fraher Field last night, The Nire withstood a late rally from An Rinn to hold on for a 0-10 to 0-9 victory. The Gaeltacht club, who were bidding to reach their first final since 1925, missed two late chances to equalise.

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