Castletown Liam Mellows (Wexford) 0-13 Ballyboden (Dublin) 2-16
Naomh Máirtín (Louth) 1-8 Portarlington (Laois) 0-14
The Downs (Westmeath) 4-8 Tullamore (Offaly) 3-13
Athy (Kildare) 1-16 Summerhill (Meath) 0-9
RM Block
Clonmel Commercials (Tipperary) 2-11 St Finbarr’s (Cork) 1-17
They lived dangerously to begin with, but Ballyboden St Enda’s eventually got it going in Wexford to ease through to the last four of the AIB Leinster Club SFC.
Tied at half-time against hosts Castletown Liam Mellows at Chadwicks Wexford Park, the possibility of Dublin-based favourites losing there on consecutive weekends was a possibility.
The previous Sunday, All-Ireland club hurling title holders Na Fianna were beaten by St Martin’s.
Boden, coached by Eamon O’Reilly, belatedly came good. They used the second-half wind to their advantage, ultimately overwhelming Castletown and streaking to a 2-16 to 0-13 win.
Former All-Star Colm Basquel struck 1-4 while Dublin colleagues Ross McGarry and Alex Gavin scored 1-5 between them. Gavin’s 42nd-minute goal left eight between the teams at that stage.
Ballyboden’s supporters have another road trip to look forward to next Saturday week as they take on Tullamore at Glenisk O’Connor Park, Co Offaly.
Tullamore overcame The Downs by 3-13 to 4-8. They were made work for it, though, and were hanging on at the end despite leading by 11 points late in the game.
Coached by Stephen Rochford, the three-in-a-row Offaly champions built on a 1-8 to 1-2 half-time lead with further goals from Niall Furlong and Cillian Bourke.
However, goals in the 56th and 57th minutes from The Downs duo Jonathan Lynam and Charlie Drumm, as well as a couple of late Luke Loughlin two-pointers, cut the deficit to two.
Laois champions Portarlington held firm in Drogheda, securing a 0-14 to 1-8 win to set up a semi-final clash with Athy on Saturday week in Newbridge, Co Kildare.
Athy, who beat Summerhill 1-16 to 0-9 on Saturday evening, had the luxury of watching the Port’ game.
Portarlington led by 0-9 to 0-4 at half-time but Tom Gray’s goal for Naomh Máirtín tied it up. The hosts couldn’t kick on though, as Portarlington – with Darragh Galvin and Colm Murphy contributing 0-8 between them – ground it out.
Meanwhile, St Finbarr’s finished strongly on Saturday afternoon to see off Clonmel Commercials 1-17 to 2-11, setting up a semi-final clash with Éire Óg, Ennis, on November 23rd.
St Finbarr’s will have home advantage at Páirc Uí Chaoimh for that last-four tie, though they had to dig deep in Clonmel to advance.
Steven Sherlock top scored for the Cork side with nine points but they were trailing at half-time, 1-9 to 1-8.
When Sean O’Connor netted Commercials’ second goal in the 46th minute, leaving the Tipperary side 2-10 to 1-11 up, they looked primed for a big win before being suckered by the visitors late on.
