Most table toppers dumped out of promotion race

Remarkably after a thrilling midweek of Football League semi-final action seven of the eight teams that booked their final spots and subsequent promotion to a higher division came from outside the top two in each division.

Gaeil Colmcille were the only team in the four divisions that offered two promotion spots to the top four teams (Div 2, Div 3, Div 4 and Div 5) to actually finish top of their group and win their semi-final as the Kells club's second string saw off Duleek-Bellewstown's second team to set up a final meeting with third placed Moylagh who hammered second placed Kilmainhamwood 7-12 to 0-12.

In Div 2 senior sides Simonstown and Seneschalstown, who finished third and fourth respectively in their divisions, saw off second placed Duleek-Bellewstown and table toppers Navan O'Mahonys.

Seneschalstown came from behind at half-time to beat O'Mahonys 1-13 to 0-10, while a goal proved decisive to give Simonstown a 1-8 to 0-9 victory over Duleek-Bellewstown.

There was a similar scenaio in Div 3 as the teams in third and fourth were too strong for the sides in first and second with Castletown getting the better of Slane by 2-11 to 1-10 to secure promotion and a final spot where they will face Kilbride who finished with a flurry of two-pointers to earn a 4-15 to 2-14 win over St Michael's and promotion to Div 2.

In Div 4 table toppers Bective suffered just their second loss of the campaign as they were beaten 1-16 to 1-16 by Drumbaragh and denied promotion. In the other semi-final Ratoath's second team were too strong for St Brigid's, sealing their promotion from third place with a 1-17 to 2-9 victory.

Gaeil Colmcille bucked the trend in Div 5 as they topped the table and earned promotion with the 3-12 to 1-17 win over Duleek-Bellewstown.

In the divisions below five, the top two contested straight finals with both teams earned promotion.

In Div 6 Summerhill edged out Boardsmill in a thriller, 3-20 to 4-16, while the Div 8 title went to St Ultan's who scored a comfortable win over Bective, 1-20 to 0-9.

Inn Div 1 the top two sides Ratoath and Summerhill won their respoective semi-finals with Ratoath cruising past Wolfe Tones 1-20 to 0-11 and Summerhill getting the better of Gaeil Colmcille 1-18 to 1-10 to set up a repeat of the Keegan Cup final in Friday's Div 1 decider.

The the Div 3 final between Castletown and Kilbride will be refixed following the sad passing of Kilbride's Rachel McManus. The remaining finals will be played across Friday and Saturday evening and the fixtures are:

FRIDAY 24th JULY

Dunganny - Ratoath v Summerhill, FL Div 1 final, 7.15pm.

Castletown - Moynalty v St Patrick's, FL Div 9 final, 7.15pm.

Skryne - Longwood v St Mary's, FL Div 10 final, 7.15pm.

Martry - Dunsany v Cortown, FL Div 11 final, 7.15pm.

SATURDAY 25th JULY

Dunganny - Simonstown v Seneschalstown, FL Div 2 final, 7pm.

Walterstown - Drumbaragh v Ratoath, FL Div 4 final, 6pm.

Cortown - Gaeil Colmcille v Moylagh, FL Div 5 final, 6pm.

Boardsmill - Dunderry v Na Fianna, FL Div 7 final, 6pm.