Shane O’Neill’s still holding out hope of making last four

After two rounds of the new‑look Ulster Club Championship, one of the semi‑final pairings has already been confirmed, with last year’s All‑Ireland intermediate champions Knockbride setting up a meeting with 14‑time Ulster champions Donaghmoyne.

Both sides topped their respective groups.

The Monaghan champions breezed to a big win at Errigal Ciaran, while Knockbride saw off newcomers Shane O’Neill’s by three points in Group Three.

Group Two remains the only section yet to be decided after St Eunan’s edged a tense encounter with Kinawley — albeit amid some controversy.

At Dunmoyle, Donaghmoyne looked like a well‑oiled machine, clicking into gear against a shell‑shocked Errigal Ciaran.

If the previous weekend’s win over Bredagh was the aperitif, last Saturday was very much the main course as the Monaghan side took control and never looked back, scoring a brace of goals in each half and playing with style and quality throughout.

Built on solid defending — Grace Cumiskey, Fiona and Sharon Courtney consistently on point, and goalkeeper Linda Martin sweeping up — Errigal were always on the back foot.

Maria Canavan hit 0‑4 for the hosts, while youngsters Katie Rose Mallon, Shannon Cunningham and Claire Canavan worked hard. But only on brief occasions did Canavan and Michaela Moore’s runs open gaps.

On an afternoon when Catriona Murnaghan again led the Donaghmoyne attack with 1‑4, Cora Courtney netted twice and Lauren Garland added four points, this was a powerful display built on precision and clinical movement. Errigal were well beaten ahead of their final group game at Bredagh.

Manager Anne Marie Burns was delighted to see her side back in the last four.

“It was great to get the win today against a good team. Two years away probably hurt us a bit, but the girls turned in a great shift,” she said. Burns’ assessment was spot on — there is a renewed hunger and a level of conditioning that could be hard to stop.

“They look fresh and well‑conditioned. We’re certainly in a better place than we have been, and we’re delighted to be in the semi‑final.”

It finished 4‑11 to 0‑8, with Donaghmoyne now set to travel to the Cavan champions.

Knockbride, meanwhile, edged out Armagh’s Shane O’Neill’s in a tense contest in Cavan, winning 1‑19 to 3‑10 in front of a bumper crowd.

Two of the province’s top attackers were on show, with Knockbride’s Abby Reilly helping herself to a remarkable 1‑11, while Aimee Mackin finished with 1‑6 for the visitors.

Fresh from their win over Steelstown, Knockbride led by three at the break. Mackin opened the scoring in the first attack, teed up by sister Blaithin.

By 18 minutes Knockbride were five ahead, with Mackin, Reilly, Abbie Connor and Sorcha McDonnell exchanging points before Reilly cracked home a goal. Blaithin Mackin’s goal on 23 minutes cut the gap, although the home side still held the advantage.

Mackin and Connor swapped points early in the second half, and Sinead McDonnell’s goal hauled Shane O’Neill’s back into contention. But Knockbride’s rigid defence — Amie Lynch and Sinead O’Reilly outstanding — repelled several key raids, while Reilly’s accuracy settled nerves.

With four in it entering the closing stages, Mackin had to settle for a point from a free, and Knockbride secured an historic last‑four spot. Shane O’Neill’s now face Steelstown, and a home win could yet be enough to claim the best runner‑up position.

Donegal’s St Eunan’s bounced back from their heavy loss to Moneyglass with a narrow win over Kinawley, who were left stung by a late penalty that sealed the victory for the black and amber.

The spot‑kick proved particularly frustrating for Brian Boru’s manager Garrett Bannon.

St Eunan’s had led 1‑9 to 2‑2 at the break, both teams playing some excellent football. Ashling Nee, Alisa Tobin and Laoise Ryan were constant threats for the Letterkenny side.

Heading into the closing stages the sides were level at 2‑12 apiece, only for the penalty to edge St Eunan’s to a 3‑12 to 2‑13 win.

Tobin finished with an impressive 2‑3, Ryan hit 0‑4 and Nee added 0‑2, while Ciara O’Donnell carved out a goal for the Donegal side.

Gemma McCaffrey and Lisa Maguire shared the Brian Boru’s goals, with McCaffrey also landing nine points. Joanne Doonan, Roisin O’Reilly and Keelan Murphy added to the Fermanagh champions’ tally.

Kinawley now host a fancied Moneyglass side who arrive with a strong scoring difference and are widely tipped to reach the semi‑finals.

Ulster Intermediate Championship

In the Ulster intermediate football championship, Truagh, Mullaghbrack, Cornafean and Donegal’s Naomh Columba booked their semi‑final places. Truagh dominated St John’s, easing to a comfortable 2‑9 to 0‑5 win, with Caoimhe Moran hitting 1‑5.

Burren came up just short at Naomh Columba, while Cavan’s Cornafean had a two‑point win at home to Moortown, 0‑13 to 1‑8. Brianna Vincent hit the Moortown goal and Caitlin Crozier added 0‑4, but Cornafean took the plaudits to set up a meeting with neighbours Truagh.

Amy Wharton, Deirbhlie McCaffrey, Kate McGovern and Niamh McCaffrey were all among the points, with Wharton’s dead‑ball accuracy proving crucial.

Ulster Junior Championship

In their first return to the Ulster junior championship since winning an All‑Ireland title in 2011, Tyrone champions Sperrin Óg eased into the last four with a 3‑15 to 1‑8 win over Shercock.

Three two‑pointers from Niamh O’Neill helped the Greencastle side to a 12‑point victory; she also added a goal in a superb player‑of‑the‑match display.

Leah McGuigan hit four points, while Aimee McGuigan and Alice McGlinchey grabbed the goals.

Ederney are also through to the last four, three first‑half goals steering them to a first Ulster win as they beat Middletown 4‑8 to 1‑12.

Caoimhe Hughes’s goal and a well‑worked Erin McCann point cancelled out early scores from the Erne champions.

Katie Teague restored the Ederney lead with a goal, although Middletown levelled through points from McCann and Therese Scott. In the latter stages of the half, Teague and Beibhinn McMenamin struck key goals as the visitors led by eight at the break.

Despite an early second‑half point from McElhill, Ederney struggled, and Middletown turned the screw. Annie McGeown was excellent, while Katie Taylor and points from McCann and McGeown cut the gap to three. Taylor also cracked an effort off the post before Tia McFarland was yellow‑carded heading into the home straight.

After going 20 minutes without a score, Teague’s goal finally put daylight between the teams again, and Ederney held out to tee up a meeting with either Muff or Mayobridge. Desertmartin, meanwhile, beat Sarsfield’s 2‑10 to 0‑6 in a one‑sided win for the Derry side.