Na Fianna advanced to the final of the Go-Ahead Ireland Dublin Under 21 ‘A’ Football Championship following their narrow 1-13 to 1-11 victory against Ballinteer St John’s at St Mobhi Road on Saturday afternoon.
They now move onto a decider against holders Ballyboden St Enda’s in O’Toole Park next Saturday afternoon (2.00).
It was the visitors who started on the front foot through an early goal from Joey Quirke but Na Fianna gradually regained control of matters thanks to the influential showings of both Seamus Smith and Tom Brennan.
Ballinteer clawed their way back into a marginal lead courtesy of a trio of excellent scores from play by Jack Long but a goal from Cathal Hickey edged Na Fianna into a narrow 1-7 to 1-6 interval lead.
The contest remained tight upon the restart with the hosts impressing through the efforts of Aidan Neville, Jack Guinan, Dan Day, Ben Gaughran and Ben O’Connell while Ballinteer were left ruing three attempts that struck the upright.
However, with Mark McNally, Long, Patrick Coleman and Matthew Gardiner all to the fore, St John’s remained in the hunt but a late free from Smith put paid to their title ambitions.
It proved similarly tight in the ‘B’ Championship semi-final in Rolestown as Thomas Davis pipped Fingal Ravens by 0-10 to 0-9.
Like most games on Saturday, the wind dominated matters with the visitors entering the break with an 0-7 to 0-2 lead, thanks largely to two points apiece from their impressive midfield pairing of Jack O’Connor and Sean Benton and the free-taking of Fionn Lynch.
The Tallaght outfit worked feverishly after the break to deny Ravens scoring opportunities with both Kai Young at full-back and Jamie Palmer at centre-back excelling in the central positions.
With captain Kevin Mullarkey leading by example and Ross Mullarkey offering a hugely energetic display in attack, the visitors held their nerve with Tadgh Farrelly’s point a vital score as they progressed to a final date with St Brigid’s next Saturday.
There was another away win in the ‘D’ decider as St Mary’s Saggart plundered goals at critical times to defeat Na Fianna by 5-1 to 2-8 in St Pat’s Drumcondra.
The visitors played against the elements in the opening-half but still managed to eke out an interval lead courtesy of two goals from Jacob Comiskey and another green flag raised by Tadgh Morris.
Na Fianna impressed in the second-half in restricting their opponents but the concession of two penalties to Dean Simpson and exceptional performances from centre-back Harry O’Keeffe and Dan O’Kelly at midfield helped St Mary’s home with two points tospare.
Elsewhere, Beann Éadair, Trinity Gaels and Clanna Gael Fontenoy finished their seasons on a high with final victories against Parnell’s, St Mark’s and Castleknock respectively.
U21 ‘A’ FC semi-final: Na Fianna1-13 Ballinteer St John’s1-11.
U21 ‘B’ FC semi-final: Fingal Ravens0-9Thomas Davis0-10.
U21 ‘D’ FC final: Na Fianna2-8St Mary’s Saggart5-1.
U21 ‘F’ FC final: Beann Éadair6-11 Parnell’s2-5.
U21 ‘G’ FC final: St Mark’s2-4Trinity Gaels3-11.
U21 ‘H’ FC final: Clanna Gael Fontenoy 0-11 Castleknock 2-4 AET.
