Colm O’Rourke and son Shane sent off - and Diarmuid Connolly black-carded - in controversial Leinster quarter-finals
Simonstown Gaels’ first ever foray into the Leinster club championship ended in a 1-12 to 1-9 defeat by Rhode, though it will most likely be remembered as the day when the father and son pairing of Colm and Shane O’Rourke were both sent off for the Meath club.
“It’s not the sort of history I would like,” said Colm afterwards.
Rhode led by two when Shane O’Rourke was sent off on 39 minutes, and stretched the gap out to seven points thanks to Conor McNamee’s close-range goal.
A penalty for Eanna Donoghue and late points for Sean Tobin and Michael Brennan shifted the momentum but Niall McNamee fisted a late score to set up a semi-final clash between Rhode and Seán O’Mahonys of Louth.
O’Mahony’s had a 1-8 to 0-8 win over Kildare champions Sarsfields.
They led 0-4 to 0-2 at half-time, before Stephen Fisher plundered a goal to put them on their way. County star Alan Smith inspired a spirited fightback from Sarsfields. But late scores from Ben McLaughlin and Kilcoyne pulled O’Mahony’s through.
Captain Diarmuid Connolly’s first-half black card didn’t derail favourites St Vincent’s from booking their semi-final place with a 0-16 to 0-8 win over Carlow’s Palatine.
Conolly was sidelined in the first half after an off-the-ball incident involving Shane O’Neill.
In Connolly’s absence, Tomás Quinn led the way but it was Cormac Diamond’s immense display that had tongues a-wagging.
Palatine did keep their opponents honest for the majority of the game but lost their discipline and shape in the second half and Quinn, Diamond and Shane Carthy capitalised accordingly.
St Vincent’s were electric in the opening stages, going 0-4 to 0-0 up after just five minutes. Diamond had three points to his name by the end of the half, taking two of them in that early spell. Enda Varley had opened the scoring and Carthy added the other.
Palatine settled a little when Shane O’Neill found his range in the fifth minute but that was the last score for 20 minutes as the wide count grew, St Vincent’s guilty for eight of them by the end of the half.
Connolly’s black card came in the 20th minute after referee Niall Ward consulted with his umpire. Shane O’Neill was yellow card for his involvement in the off-the-ball incident with the All-Star.
Jamie Kenny registered Palatine’s second score in the 25th minute, which was quickly followed by Diamond’s third point. O’Neill notched his second point in the 27th minute to finish off the half, reducing Palatine’s deficit to two points, 0-5 to 0-3, going into the interval.
Vincent’s now play St. Columba’s Mullinalaghta, who beat St. Loman’s Mullingar 0-14 to 1-9.
James McGivney was exceptional and kicked five points while captain Shane Mulligan and Aidan McElligott got vital scores at the end as Loman’s tried to get back into the game.
