All-Ireland Intermediate Club Football Final:
St. Enda’s (Antrim) v Kilcummin (Kerry)
St. Enda’s travel to Croke Park on Saturday to face Kilcummin of Kerry in the All Ireland Intermediate club football final as they aim to put the icing on what has been the most remarkable season in the club’s history.
The Glengormley side collected the first senior football title in their history when they defeated Gort na Mona in this year’s Antrim Intermediate football final at Corrigan Park but few could have envisaged just where this victory would lead them to in the months that followed.
Long regarded as under achievers in Antrim, St. Enda’s appointed former Antrim supremo Frank Fitzsimmons as manager in 2017 and after gaining promotion from division 2 the Lamh Dhearg man and his assistants, Pat Hughes and Thomas McNulty led them to an impressive first season back in division 1.
Division 2 sides who have made the step up to division 1 in previous years have struggled to maintain division 1 status but St. Enda’s looked at home in the higher grade recording some excellent results which included a win over this year’s Senior Football championship winners, Erin’s Own Cargin.
Odhran Eastwood who scored 0-7 against An Spideal. His free taking could be vital on Saturday at Croke Park 
Ethan Gibson who came into the side for the Ulster final and was excellent against An Spideal
St. Enda’s ended their league campaign with a very healthy mid-table finish and this young side have all the attributes to push on and challenge for Senior honours in the not too distant future but for now the focus is very much on Croke Park on Sunday.
Despite that Antrim success there wouldn’t have been too many outside the county who would have fancied St. Enda’s to go on and claim the Ulster title. No Antrim club had won an Ulster Intermediate football title before though Dunloy and Moneyglass have contested finals but fell at the final hurdle.
There was a sense within the county and most certainly within the club that St. Enda’s had the players and the team to put that unwanted record to bed and the Saffron Gael have had the pleasure of following them on every step of the journey to Sunday’s final.
Monaghan representatives Doohamalet were their opponents as they returned to Corrigan Park, scene of their first ever Antrim win so they were back on familiar ground but cast as outsiders.
Kristian Healey will be hoping to continue his goal scoring record against Kilcummin 
Philly Curran who could be in line for a starting place on Saturday
The Hightown men were well prepared for their Ulster debut and an early Kristian Healy goal led to a 1-07 to 1-02 interval advantage but the experienced Farney men staged a second half come-back.
St Enda’s finished strongly however and a 52nd minute Ruairi Scott fisted major saw them over the winning line and into the semi-final and a meeting with Tyrone champions Tattyreagh.
The Red Hand champions had proved too strong for St Peter’s of Armagh in their quarter-final and assumed the role of favourites but St. Enda’s were unfazed.
A late James Darcy goal looked to have handed the initiative to the Tyrone champions but in a dramatic last few minutes it was late replacement Michael Morgan’s contribution which clinched the verdict for the Antrim men.
Morgan was sent into the fray in place of Ethan Gibson who had received a black card and when sent away by Odhran Eastwood the former clipped the leather between the posts to see St Enda’s move ahead. Morgan followed with another shortly after and the Hightown men were on their way to an Ulster final.
Ruairi Scott is likely to carry a scoring threat on Saturday 
Eoin Nagle the youngster is capable of causing Kilcummin problems
Cavan representatives Mullahoran provided the opposition for the history seeking St Enda’s in the final as the Hightown men sought to be the first team from the Saffron County to claim an Ulster Intermediate football title and this was to prove another close affair with the result in doubt right to conclusion.
The pivotal moment arrived with around seven minutes on the clock and only a point between the sides when Cormac O’Reilly’s rasper evaded the hands of the St Enda’s net minder Paddy Flood only to find the crossbar and when the clearance reached Joe Maskey the mid-fielder raced away to plant the leather in the net at the other end.
The Antrim champs had done enough and at the final whistle they held a 2-11 to 1-10 advantage and a first Provincial Intermediate title was theirs.
Ruairi Scott fires past Maghnus Breathnach for St. Enda’s second goal agaist An Spideal
All Ireland semi-final
St. Enda’s v An Spidal (Galway)
It was on to Pairc Tailteann in Navan and a meeting with Connaught champions, An Spidal of Galway and what a day in the sun it proved to be. Three goals in the opening 30 minutes put Naomh Éanna in control. Kristian Healy’s effort settling them into the game before Ruirái Scott opened daylight in the 20th minute. The third goal however was the game changer. The An Spidéal ‘keeper Maghnus Breathnach had made the headlines for his exploits during the Connaught championship whether it was saving penalties or converting match winning frees. Breathnach looked to join in further up the field when he was turned over close to 60 yards from goal. The ball broke to Joe Maskey and the big mid-fielder did the rest. Outside of the boot, into the wind, no problem. Joe Maskey sent the big support from Naomh Éanna in attendance into hysteria and the Antrim and Ulster champions never looked behind them.
If Naomh Éanna needed any inspiration beforehand, they got it the moment they took to the Páirc Tailteann surface. The roar from the travelling hoards bedecked in amber and black was something special and hair-raising. A moment every club in the country aspires for, to see their team take to the field in their first All-Ireland semi-final.
Michael Morgan, who’s late double earned St. Enda’s a place in the Ulster final, gets down to win possession at Pairc Tailteann
Despite An Spidéal threatening a comeback at the start of the second half, Naomh Éanna always remained in control. Their defence were immense throughout and the only occasion the Galway men carved open a goal scoring chance, Paddy Flood was equal to the task. Damien Gault returning at full back was immense while Conan Lyttle and Conor McAuley’s breaks from deep were tiring to watch. They never stopped and An Spidéal couldn’t deal with the variation in Naomh Éanna’s play.
Upfront, Odhran Eastwood top scored with 0-7 for his hours work but again the work rate and tenacity from which the whole attacking unit defended with from the front set the tone. Eoin Nagle and Ruirái Scott never gave the An Spidal defence a breather while the speed of Kristian and Peter Healy coming off the wings opened up the opposition time and again.
The Naomh Éanna men are now one step from All Ireland glory. Standing in their way are Kilcummin from Kerry and the Munster champions look a formidable side and will probably start Sunday’s final as favourites but that’s unlikely to trouble Frank Fitzsimmons and his side.
At the time of writing no team has been announced but I wouldn’t expect there to be too many changes from the last day. Frank Fitzsimmons has a strong and talented panel at his disposal and has shown that he is not afraid to make changes where he deems them necessary.
Joe Maskey rises to break the ball
The former Antrim manger and his backroom team will have watched Kilcummin, as he has with all the sides on this year’s unforgettable journey and left nothing to chance and their background work on An Spidal and their ‘Roving Goalkeeper’ certainly paid dividends.
Our reporter, Brendan McTaggart and photographer, Dylan McIlwaine attended Friday night’s press conference at Hightown and later in the week we will bring you interviews from that press conference. We will also bring you reports on Kilcummin’s journey to Saturday’s final and analyse where their greatest threat might come from.
The Saffron Gael will be at Croke Park on Saturday as we continue to record St. Enda’s inspirational journey and hope to capture the celebrations. We wish Frank Fitzsimmons, Pat Hughes, Thomas McNulty and the St. Enda’s team every success.
St. Enda’s press home their advantage against An Spideal
Naomh Éanna v (An Spidal): Paddy Flood; Killian Jennings, Damien Gault, Mick McNamee; Conan Lyttle, James McAuley, Conor McAuley; Ethan Gibson, Joe Maskey; Peter Healy, Ruiraí Scott, Kristian Healy; Michael Morgan, Odhran Eastwood, Eoin Nagle.
Subs: Ciarán O’Neill for M Morgan (HT); Philly Curran for E Gibson (60); Donal Walsh for O Eastwood (60)
Scorers: Odhran Eastwood 0-7 (6 f’s); Ruirái Scott 1-1; Joe Maskey 1-00; Kristian Healy 1-00; Eoin Nagle 0-1