10 YEARS AGO

TYRONE asked serious questions of Kerry in the All-Ireland semi-final but, ultimately, came up short as they lost 0-18 to 1-11 at Croke Park.

For so long Kerry held the upper hand, but Tyrone sparked a revival that saw them draw level after 62 minutes – but they didn’t trouble the scoreboard again.

Just six minutes earlier they had trailed by five, but a 1-2 salvo – Peter Harte with a penalty after Barry Tierney was fouled – saw them grab all the momentum.

They were unable to hold it though as Paul Geaney (2), Anthony Maher and Barry John Keane secured Kerry a final date against Dublin or Mayo.

Tyrone’s Sean Cavanagh was critical of the officiating in the aftermath, with Tyrone playing the role of heels after the controversy over Tiernan McCann’s suspension – ultimately overturned on appeal – for his part in Darren Hughes’ sending off in their quarter-final win over Monaghan.

“Obviously there’s been an awful lot of negativity around this team,” he said.

“It’s not for me to judge whether that has been fairly or unfairly but all we’re looking for is fair play. It was very hard to take.”

Armagh secured a spot in the ladies semi-finals with a strong finish against Donegal.

Yvonne McMonagle’s second goal had put Donegal three up heading into the final quarter, but Caroline O’Hanlon responded with a green flag and Katie Daly saved well from McMonagle to secure the win for the Orchard County.

Wexford u-21 hurling boss JJ Doyle hit out at Antrim’s tactics as the Model County recorded a 1-20 to 1-8 All-Ireland semi-final win.

The Saffrons opted to play two sweepers and Doyle stated afterwards that it “would probably put some football games in a good light.”

20 YEARS AGO

THERE was an All-Ireland SHC semi-final for the ages as Galway defeated Kilkenny on an incredible 5-18 to 4-18 scoreline.

Eddie Brennan roasted the Galway defence in the opening quarter and his low finish provided the first green flag of the day, but Ger Farragher slotted home a pair of goals inside a minute gave them a seven-point lead.

Henry Shefflin drilled in from close range before the break and there was still time for John Hoyne to net as Galway led 2-11 to 3-5 after a manic first half.

If that first period belonged to Farragher – he scored 2-7 – the second was all about Niall Healy who plundered a 12-minute hat-trick to send Galway through.

That third Healy goal had put them 11 points clear and although they were outscored 1-6 to 0-1 from there, Brennan with another goal, Galway held on.

There were goals aplenty too in the first Nickey Rackard Cup final as London defeated Louth 5-8 to 1-4.

In the All-Ireland SFC quarter-final, Armagh ruthlessly dispended with Mick O’Dwyer’s Laois, the Orchard County winning 2-17 to 1-11 in the end.

Laois had started the brighter but the Ronan Clarke-Steven McDonnell combination struck again as the former set up the latter to send Armagh in 1-8 to 0-6 ahead.

Oisín McConville added a second goal with Clarke and Martin O’Roukre causing panic for the Laois defence on a comfortable day’s work for the Ulster champions.

30 YEARS AGO

BOOM, boom, boom, let me hear you say Jayo! Dublin’s new darling of the Hill took just 23 minutes to slam to the net as Dublin reached the All-Ireland final at the expense of Cork.

The twinkle-toed 19-year-old was faced with incredible media hype and fan adulation, but it didn’t seem to impact him on the pitch

Afterwards, Rebel boss Billy Morgan told the players that he was stepping away having been in charge since 1986, delivering two Sam Maguire triumphs in that spell, but he would ultimately be talking back for another season.

In a novel All-Ireland MFC semi-final, Westmeath were much too strong for Tipperary as they won 1-14 to 0-10 to reach their first final in 32 years.