WHEN Dundalk Young Irelands edged out St Mochta's in a low-scoring Junior Championship final at Clan Na Gael Park three years ago, few would have expected either side to be contesting an Intermediate decider by 2010, but by 5.30pm on Saturday evening one of this year's IFC surprise packages will be just 60 minutes away from senior football.

If Mochta's passage to the last four last Friday was easier than expected, then the challenge posed to the Irelanders by Oliver Plunkett's was equally timid.

With a draw against O'Raghallaigh's and a win over Roche Emmets in their form book, the Mell men were being tipped to go all the way in some quarters, but midway through the first half at Haggardstown, they were already treading water.

An early Dermot Mone free got Irelands off the mark, but the Plunkett's defence went completely AWOL two minutes later, allowing Johnny Lynch to breeze through for a well-finished third-minute goal.

Despite playing against the wind, the Dundalk men continued to pile forward and Mark Savage put them five points up after just seven minutes, 1-2 to no score.

Plunkett's racked up 12 wides over the hour and they had two on the board by the time Emmet Kelleher opened their account in the 12th minute from a free.

As difficult as Seamus O'Hanlon's men were finding it to create scoring chances, their opponents seemed to be able to carve their way through the Plunkett's rearguard at will and Derek Maguire almost added a second goal when he blazed a good opportunity over the bar.

Mark Savage added another point soon afterwards to make it 1-4 to 0-1, and while substitute Dean Carolan pulled one back for Plunkett's before the break, they were probably fortunate to adjourn just five points in arrears, 1-4 to 0-2.

If Irelands were expecting a second-half backlash, nothing of the sort materialised.

Mark Savage and John Moroney traded points in the eighth and fourteenth minutes respectively, but that was to be Plunkett's last contribution as Young Irelands closed the game out impressively in the final seven minutes.

Maguire with a free and Johnny Lynch with back-toback efforts from play put eight between the sides.

Irelands weren't finished there, however, and Maguire converted two frees before driving over a shot that struck both posts before dropping over the bar.

Plunkett's had long given up the ghost by that stage and Nicholas O'Connor applied the final nail with a point in the last minute. DUNDALK YOUNG IRELANDS: Tom O'Connor; Ciaran Murray, Mickey Mone, Peter Nixon; Peter Flynn, Aaron Rogers, Robbie Farrell; Andrew Nixon, Gerry Nixon; Nicholas O'Connor 0-1, Johnny Lynch 1-2, Joe Flynn; Dermot Mone 0-1f, Derek Maguire 0-5 (0-3f), Mark Savage 0-3. Subs: Subs: Kevin Keelan for M Mone (36), Graham Carr for G Nixon (51); Simon Flynn for D Mone (57). OLIVER PLUNKETT'S: Conaire Quigley; Frank Daly, Darragh Matthews, Cillian Matthews; Gavin Sullivan, Brian O'Neill, Stephen Keely; Brian Fitzpatrick, Emmet Kelleher 0-1f; Cian Matthews, Rory Taaffe, Trevor Walsh; John Moroney 0-1, John Kermath, Frank Taaffe. Subs: Dean Carolan 0-1 for T Walsh (26), Sean Og Walsh for F Taaffe (58). REFEREE: Paul Finnegan. LAST year's Junior champions St Mochta's can now harbour realistic hopes of playing senior football next season after hammering Clans in this IFC quarter-final in Knockbridge last Friday.

However, the Louth Village men might have preferred a stiffer test ahead of their semifinal meeting with Dundalk Young Irelands, for they hardly broke sweat against a Clan na Gael side who threw in the towel far too early for their supporters' liking.

The Castletown men, missing three key players in Stephen Fitzpatrick (holidays), Paul Gore (injured) and Keith Cunningham (suspended), had the stiff diagonal breeze in their favour in the first half and initially it was an even contest as the tie's first six points were shared.

Mochta's led three times through points from play by Nigel Farrell and Declan Byrne and a free from the county man, only for Colm Finnegan to reply from placed balls on each occasion – 0-3 apiece after 14 minutes.

And Clans got their noses in front – for the only time in the game – when Conall McKeever was twice involved in a move that led to a score for Paddy McEneaney.

However, poor defending from an Eamonn O'Neill point effort that dropped short allowed Martin McGahon to restore parity, the first of four consecutive scores in eight minutes by Mochta's.

Byrne accounted for two frees and the other point was a brilliant 50-metre diagonal effort by Farrell – 0-7 to 0-4 after 25 minutes.

Finnegan spoiled his 100% record from frees by sending one against the post, but Clans did get another point on the board on the stroke of halftime when McEneaney split the posts following a wellworked free.

Five minutes after the restart the alarm bells were ringing in the Clans camp, however, when McGahon was allowed to run unchallenged from half-way before making it 0-8 to 0-5 as the defence retreated.

Most of the damage was done between the 39th and 41st minutes, though, as Mochta's remarkably helped themselves to 1-3 without reply.

A brace of O'Neill points opened the floodgates and half

- John SAVAGE in Haggardstown