Brace yourself Croker, we’re coming on the double

Paudie Clifford controlled the game for Fossa

As super Sundays go, it doesn’t get much better than what’s in store.

Two slick East Kerry clubs, Fossa and Rathmore, will hit the capital with a vengeance next weekend for a glorious Croke Park double header that, all going according to plan, will culminate with a brace of All-Ireland titles and two triumphant journeys home.

And to add an extra competitive edge to proceedings, both opponents hail from Tyrone which indicates that two tough, no-holds barred encounters will feature on the programme.

Fossa face Stewartstown Harps at 1.30pm with Rathmore taking on Galbally Pearses at 3.30pm.

In the junior championship semi-final at O’Moore Park in Portlaoise this afternoon, a seven points haul from David Clifford – six from play – and timely goals from Cian O’Shea, Emmet O’Shea and Eoin Talbot kept Adrian Sheehan’s side well in control against Castletown of Meath.

The Leinster champions battled hard but, to be honest, they were always going to struggle against a side that looked in a different class and Fossa simply had too much style and guile in all departments.

David Clifford: Kicked seven points

They led by seven points at half-time and when the final whistle sounded, the scoreboard read 3-14 to 0-11 and David Clifford needed all the skills of Harry Houdini to wriggle free from the swarm of supporters that raced onto the field to greet him, with grown men almost falling over themselves in their attempts to get a selfie with the golden boy of the GAA.

Paudie Clifford was, once again, pulling all the strings for Fossa and he had a hand in so many scorers, although they spurned several gilt-edged goal chances.

It almost goes without saying, at this stage, that the Cliffords delivered again and the O’Shea brothers, Matt Rennie, Daniel O’Connell and Eoin Talbot all contributed handsomely while, whenever Castletown threatened, Shane O’Sullivan was rock solid between the sticks.

If the Cliffords and O’Sheas delivered the goods for Fossa, then the Ryan brothers did likewise for Rathmore in the intermediate championship semi-final in Cork’s Páirc Uí Rinn.

The had a comfortable nine points victory over Wexford side Fethard St Mogues, finishing on a 2-16 to 1-10 scoreline, with Shane, Mark and Cathal contributing 1-7 between them, Shane notching 1-3, Mark chipping in with 0-4 and Cathal registering 0-1.

Paul Murphy will put his experience to use

Rathmore always held the upper hand but although Fethard raised a few eyebrows late in the first half when they hit 1-4 without reply, there was always going to be just one result.

What will have pleased Rathmore most of all is that 10 different players got their names on the scoresheet in what was a most impressive and cohesive team performance.

Shane Ryan was goalkeeper turned poacher after 12 minutes when he out-jumped the Fethard netminder to finish the ball to the net and Rathmore led 2-5 to 1-4 at the break, the other goal coming from John Moynihan while Richard Waters registered the Wexford’s side goal two minutes before the short whistle.

Although St Mogue’s, to their credit, remained competitive to the end, Rathmore’s ability to pick off scores at key stages proved decisive.

It has all the makings of a great occasion in Dublin next weekend and,although the two Tyrone clubs might have ideas of their own, it might be time to start gathering the bonfire material in Fossa and Rathmore.

Fossa team and scorers: S O’Sullivan, B Myers, F Coffey, K McCarthy, R Doyle, D O’Connell, D O’Keeffe (0-1), E Talbot (1-0), P Sheahan, P Clifford (0-2, 0-1 45), C O’Shea (1-0), M Rennie (0-1), H Buckley (0-1), D Clifford (0-7, 0-1 free), E O’Shea (1-1).

Subs: R Colleran for R Doyle; A Wharton for P Sheahan; T O’Shea (0-1) for E O’Shea; C Doyle for K McCarthy; M Dennehy for M Rennie.

Rathmore team and scorers: K O’Keeffe, D Murphy, J O’Sullivan, MJ Kelliher, F Holohan (0-1), P Murphy (0-1), B O’Keeffe (0-1), M Ryan (0-4), C Ryan (0-1), M Reen (0-1), C Spiers (0-1, 0-1 free), B Friel (0-1), S Ryan (1-3, 0-1 free, 0-1 mark), J Darmody, J Moynihan (1-0).

Subs: C O’Connor for Holohan; D Reilly for Darmody; A Darmody for Friel; G O’Keeffe for Reen; J O’Mahony for M Ryan.

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