Quinn pounces to put Emmett Óg in clear

Emmett Óg Killoe (Longford) 2-13 Navan O’Mahony’s (Meath) 0-8

Two goals in the early stages of the second half proved to be the decisive scores as the impressive Longford champions advanced to meet Portlaoise in the semi-final.

Emmett Óg were slow to settle but they eventually got on top to hold a well-deserved 0-7 to 0-4 lead at the break with their scores coming from six different players.

Emmett Óg made a terrific start to the second half with a fisted goal from powerful midfielder Simon Kiernan and the Killoe side found the back of the net again moments later.

All Star nominee Michael Quinn capitalised on a terrible mistake by a Navan defender to intercept a wayward pass and raced through unchallenged to fire the ball into the back of the net.

Although the Navan side closed the gap through a point apiece from Jake Regan (45) and Stephen Bray (free), it was never going to be enough to trouble Emmett Óg.

Scorers Emmett Óg Killoe: M Quinn 1-1 (1 45), S McCormack 0-4 (2f), S Kiernan 1-0, R McGoldrick 0-3, D McGoldrick 0-2, J McCormack, E Clarke, M Hughes 0-1 each.

Scorers for Navan O’Mahony’s: S Bray (2f), J Regan (1 45) 0-3 each, P Smyth, S Gillespie 0-1 each.

EMMETT ÓG KILLOE: C Burns; D Bennett, P McCormack, D Keogh; S Dowd, J McCormack, M Quinn; P Thompson, S Kiernan; D Mimnagh, R McGoldrick, E Clarke; M Hughes, D McGoldrick, S McCormack.

Sub: R Keogh for Dowd (inj, 39).

NAVAN O’MAHONY’S: M Brennan; S O’Toole, N McKeigue, I Matthews; B Dillon, S Crosby, G O’Brien; D Moran, C McGuinness; P Smyth, H Finnegan, S Gillespie; J Regan, S Bray, S McGabhann.

Subs: D Bray for Finnegan (ht), S Keating for Dillon (ht), B Regan for Moran (35), C Reilly for McGabhann (43), D Smyth for Regan (51).

Referee: G McCormack (Dublin).