2024 AIB All-Ireland Club Junior Football Championship Semi-Final – Naomh Padraig, Muff (Donegal) 1-13 Kilmurry (Cork) 2-10 (Naomh Padraig won 3-1 on penalties)

Naomh Padraig, Muff (Donegal) defeated Kilmurry (Cork) 3-1 on penalities after the sides finished level after extra time in the 2024 AIB All-Ireland Club Junior Football Championship Semi-Final on Sunday January 12th at Parnell Park Dublin.

Naomh Padraig defeat Kilmurry on penalties after thrilling clash https://t.co/cZ2pCbcDJ6

— Irish Examiner Sport (@ExaminerSport) January 12, 2025

Naomh Padraig defeat Kilmurry on penalties after thrilling clash

Report by Conor Breslin for the Irish Examiner newspaper

All-Ireland Club JFC semi-final: Naomh Padraig (Donegal) 1-13 Kilmurry (Cork) 2-10 (Naomh Padraig win 3-1 on penalties)

After 80 minutes of football and a penalty shootout, the blue and yellow of Naomh Padraig, Uisce Chaoin were the ones invading the field with delight as the Donegal side secured a 3-1 penalty shootout win an exciting winter’s afternoon in Parnell Park.

The Cork side put in a gallant effort and for a long time looked to be in the driving seat as the game entered extra-time, but a late penalty score by Naomh Padraig’s Kevin Lynch gave them the lifeline they needed to crawl back into this tie and draw level to send the game to penalties.

At four penalties apiece, substitute Conor Kelleher was the only Cork player to land his penalty, while Naomh Padraig’s Caolan McColgan, Lynch, and Rory Hirrell all found the target to put them into their first ever All-Ireland junior final.

The game began with Naomh Padraig creating the first clear chance as Eunan Mullan’s high ball was contested by Lynch, whose punch struck the post and went wide.

Drew McKinney and Denis O’Mullane traded early wides before Kevin Doherty opened the scoring for the Donegal side with a free.

Kilmurry quickly responded through Liam Wall’s free, but Doherty restored Naomh Padraig’s lead with a powerful solo effort.

However, the Donegal side struck a major blow in the 11th minute when Denis O’Mullane linked up with his brother John, who found Lawrence Aisling to palm the ball into the net, giving Kilmurry a 1-0 to 0-2 lead.

A lull followed as both sides struggled to convert chances, but a long ball from John O’Mullane allowed Lloyd Aisling to break through and point. Naomh Padraig’s Caolan McColgan reduced the deficit with a stunning 35-metre effort before Wall’s second free restored a three-point lead.

The momentum shifted a minute before half-time when Kilmurry’s Tomás Collins received a black card for fouling McColgan, with Jonathan Toye converting the resulting free, leaving the Cork side ahead 1-3 to 0-4 at the break.

Naomh Padraig dominated early in the second half. McColgan scored from a tight angle before Toye powered through the defence to equalise. The Donegal side took the lead for the first time since the 10th minute as Toye added his third point.

McColgan extended the lead with a sensational 40-metre strike, but Wall and Denis O’Mullane brought Kilmurry level entering the final quarter.

A turnover in defence allowed Lawrence Aisling to edge the Cork side back in front, but another black card — this time for Aisling — helped Naomh Padraig.

Lynch levelled from a free, but he missed a chance to take the lead moments later, striking the post. Wall’s fourth point under pressure in injury time put Kilmurry back ahead, but Lynch sent the game to extra-time with a perfectly struck 45, tying the score at 1-7 to 0-10.

Kilmurry began extra-time in style. Lloyd Aisling’s grounded effort struck the crossbar but went over for a point, and Rory Duggan capitalised on gaps in the Naomh Padraig defence to slot the ball into the corner of the net, raising Kilmurry’s second green flag.

Despite traded points from Lynch and Sean O’Leary, Kilmurry led by three at the end of the first period of extra-time.

Lynch’s free was the only score in the second period of extra-time until Caolan McColgan glided through three Kilmurry men before being brought down inside the box and awarded a penalty which Lynch placed into the corner of the net to make it 2-9 to 1-13 as the match entered injury time.

Kilmurry suffered their third black card of the afternoon for descent following the penalty decision but the Cork men were handed another lifeline when Denis O’Mullane knocked over a close free to level the match for a sixth and final time sending the match to penalties.

In the shootout, Naomh Padraig held their nerve. McColgan, Lynch, and Hirrell converted their penalties, while only Kelleher scored for Kilmurry. Naomh Padraig left the capital victorious and now prepare for their first-ever All-Ireland junior final on January 25.

Scorers for Kilmurry: L Aisling (1-1); L Wall (0-4, 0-2 f); R Duggan (1-0); L Aisling (0-2), D O’Mullane (0-2, 0-1); D McIntyre (0-1).

Scorers for Naomh Padraig: K Lynch (1-4, 0-1 ‘45’, 0-1 f, 1-0 penalty); J Toye (0-3, 0-1 f); C McColgan (0-3); K Doherty (0-2, 0-1 f); R Hoy (0-1).

NAOMH PADRAIG: O McCauley; C Kelly, C Harkin, D McIntyre; M McCarron, J Toye, J McCallion; E Mullan, C McColgan; O McIntyre, K Doherty, D McKinney; J McCauley, K Lynch, C McColgan.
Subs: R Hirrell and R Hoy for McCarron and Kelly (both half-time); A McCarron for Toye (53); D Keaveney for Doherty (59); C Kelly for McIntyre (65); J McColgan for McCauley (69); J McCauley for Mullan (70)

KILMURRY: J McDonnell; A O’Mahony, W Ronan, S O’Leary; B Hinchion, T Collins, A Aisling; K Kelleher, J O’Mullane; L Wall, L Aisling, R Duggan; Lloyd Aisling, J O’Mullane, D O’Mullane.
Subs: J O’Mullane for O’Mahony (44); D Linehan for D O’Mullane (62); D O’Mullane for Collins (74)

Referee: David Hickey (Carlow)

Match Coverage

This game will be live on Sport TG4 YouTube

Match Preview

Preview: It's a busy weekend of AIB GAA Club championship action with two All-Ireland finals and three All-Ireland semi-finals to be decided. #GAABelong #TheToughest https://t.co/XAxWvKrUZx

— The GAA (@officialgaa) January 10, 2025