What a weekend it was for Emo rounders securing their spot in two All-Ireland finals in the intermediate men’s competition and junior mixed competition, with the junior ladies falling just short.
The achievement is even more impressive as it’s Emo’s first year at adult level in the sport after years of success at juvenile level.
First up in Trim Centre of Excellence in Meath last Sunday was the turn of the Intermediate men, after topping their group they were slight favourites going into the game against their opponents Fenagh from Carlow.
The first innings ended with Fenagh leading 1-0. After the 2nd innings all was level on a score of 3-3. Emo then got a stranglehold in the game and would go into the lead in the 4th innings and never relinquished it from there on in.
Laois minor football and hurling star Brochan O’Reilly put in a man of the match performance with some monstrous hits and leading the Emo side to a 28-23 victory and now play Michael Glaveys of Roscommon in the final.
Next up for Emo was the turn of the junior ladies who had a huge battle on their hands against St Clare’s of Cavan who are former All-Ireland champions from 2010 and 2011, who only made their comeback to the sport in recent years after years of absence.
St Clare’s sailed through their group and remarkably only conceded three runs in their four games giving the Emo ladies a sizeable task on their hands.
While being aware of St. Clare’s pedigree, Emo went into this game with all guns blazing and gave St. Clare’s the fright of their life, leading 5-2 after the 2nd innings.
By the end of the 4th innings, St. Clare’s had taken the lead, 6-5. Unfortunately, for the Emo ladies they could not regain the lead and eventually lost 14-8.
Despite the best efforts from player of the match Gráinne Keogh who excelled at short stop helping Emo push the Cavan side all the way to the end.
Emo’s last match was the junior mixed semi-final against Kilmeena of Mayo where Emo were looking to bounce back from the ladies defeat and book their place in another final.
Impressively, the Emo ladies led the way all through the game and ended to be the difference in this encounter. Brilliant performances from the likes of Chloe Keenan and Anna Hanlon who put their earlier loss behind them to lead Emo over the finish line.
In the end Emo were never in any real trouble in this game and finished winners on a score of 25-7 who now face St. Senans of Limerick in the junior mixed final.
Emo’s two All-Ireland finals will take place on the weekend of September 17 in the National GAA Centre of Excellence in Abbotstown. The matches will more than likely be on Saturday, September 17, but this will be confirmed in the coming days.
Emo Men’s panel: Emo Men’s panel: Paul Lawlor (Captain), Brendan Horgan, Seán Downey, Eddie McEvoy, Mark Fahy, Ryan Little, Declan O’Mahoney, Brochan O’Reilly, Padraig Langford, Aaron Whelan, Jim Gleeson, Michael Slevin.
Emo Ladies’ panel: Claire Hyland (Captain), Miriam O’Shea, Ciara Crowley, Anna Hanlon, Lorraine Slevin, Claire Suda, Mamen Torrecilla-Tremps, Catríona Downey, Catherine Moore, Chloe Keenan, Ruth O’Connell, Eva Lawlor, Niamh Horgan, Catherine O’Keeffe, Gráinne Keogh.
Emo Mixed panel: Michael Slevin (Captain), Padraig Langford, Aaron Whelan, Anna Hanlon, Catríona Downey, Ryan Little, Gráinne Keogh, Claire Suda, Eddie McEvoy, Paul Lawlor, Chloe Keenan, Jim Gleeson, Brochan O’Reilly, Ciara Crowley.
SEE ALSO – Rathdowney and Courtwood to contest Junior ‘C’ football decider following semi final wins
