Ballyhale Shamrocks 1-18 Rathdowney/Errill 1-11
Ballyhale Shamrocks qualified for the semi-final of the Leinster Club Senior Hurling Championship, beating Laois champions Rathdowney/Errill by seven points at Nowlan Park.
However, it was far from easy for the 2007 All-Ireland champions - they were tested throughout by a determined Rathdowney/Errill outfit who held them to just five second half points.
Henry Shefflin and TJ Reid were the scorers-in-chief for the eventual winners, amassing 14 points between them over the hour.
Shamrocks started strongly with an Eoin Reid goal after two-and-a-half minutes, following a long pass from David Hoyne.
Points from Shefflin and TJ Reid propelled their side into a 1-02 to 0-00 lead after six minutes, as Rathdowney/Errill simply had no answer to an eager Shamrocks attack.
It took Rathdowney/Errill ten minutes to get their first point, with centre-forward Eoin Holohan slotting over an excellent effort from play.
Shamrocks dominated once more to hold a six-point lead by the 20th minute, but Rathdowney/Errill stayed in touch thanks to a Jason Phelan goal eight minutes before the break.
This was a false dawn though, as Ballyhale tagged on seven points without reply before the interval to hold a 1-13 to 1-3 half-time lead.
Shefflin had scored six points by the turnaround, while TJ Reid had scored five points of his own.
Rathdowney/Errill gave a very good account of themselves on the restart, with Brian Campion scoring four second half points - three within the opening eight minutes to cut the gap to seven points.
The gap was reduced to six points with five minutes remaining, but Ballyhale finished strongly to secure a semi-final berth in a fortnight's time, with Westmeath champions Raharney their opponents.
Elsewhere, Pat Ryan scored 13 points as Sarfields of Cork beat Clonlara of Clare by 16 points in the Munster Club Senior Hurling Championship.
There were county final wins for Portumna in Galway and St Martin's in Wexford.
Portumna 1-18 Gort 2-07
A silverware double came Portumna's way at Pearse Stadium as this back-to-back Galway SHC success also earned Johnny Kelly's charges the Connacht title.
Ollie Canning captained Portumna to their fourth county championship win, which now sees the reigning All-Ireland champions in 12th spot on the Galway SHC roll Of honour.
Portumna may have powered to a convincing eight-point win but this battle for the Tom Callanan Cup was keenly contested, especially in the opening half with the sides level at the interval.
An Ollie Fahy goal ensured Gort, who were chasing a first success since 1983, started brightly.
Fahy doubled on a long ball in to give his side an early 1-01 to 0-00 advantage.
But a brace of Joe Canning points and further Portumna scores from Leo Smith and Damien Hayes quickly levelled the contest.
Both sides enjoyed purple patches during the hour, with All Star and Young Player of the Year Joe Canning continuing to show why he is one of the top-rated forwards in the country.
Portumna pressed hard before the break and led by 0-10 to 1-04 as the half-time break approached.
But a goal-hungry Gort claimed their second goal when Gerry Quinn blasted a close-range free past six Portumna players to the back of the net.
Quinn's strike was the equalising score at the interval but Gort only managed three second half points as Portumna gave an impressive display on the restart.
Andrew Smith was on target for Portumna's only goal of the game in the 36th minute.
With Gort having no answer to Damien Hayes and Joe Canning, the Portumna attack continued to prosper. Canning finished with ten points as his side booked an All-Ireland semi-final spot.
Sarsfields (Cork) 0-26 Clonlara (Clare) 0-10
Clonlara's first venture into Munster Club Senior Hurling Championship action ended on a mute note, just a week after they captured their first Clare SHC title in 89 years.
Cork outfit Sarsfields ran out comprehensive 16-point winners in this Munster quarter-final encounter at Páirc Uí Chaoimh.
Sarsfields were always in control but just three points separated the sides in the 29th minute. Donal Madden kept his side in touch as they trailed by 0-10 to 0-07.
However, Sarsfields found an extra gear in injury-time and managed to open up a double-scores lead by the interval.
Points from Michael Cussen, Michael O'Driscoll, Padraig Ryan and Kieran 'Fraggy' Murphy built up a seven-point interval advantage.
Midfielder Ryan was Sarsfields' most dangerous player over the course of the game and he registered 13 points in all.
Clonlara were outscored by 0-06 to 0-01 on the restart, with Madden nabbing his side's lone score during that spell.
Sarsfields continued to tag on scores with Clonlara's woes further compounded when Domhnall O'Donovan was sent-off following a second yellow card.
The Clare champions gave their utmost, but this was a game that Sarsfields dominated for long spells and the winning margin did not flatter them at the finish.
St Martin's 1-13 Oulart The Ballagh 1-08
St Martin's upset the form book to claim their first Wexford SHC title since 1999 at Wexford Park, courtesy of a five-point win over Oulart the Ballagh.
Reigning champions Oulart were aiming for a fourth county win in five years but they were undone by a determined St Martin's outfit.
Kevin Ryan's charges got their tactics just right, carving out the win with Ciaran Lyng's quick dash from Australia following his International Rules exploits working out as he joined his club colleagues to celebrate.
Playing against the wind in the opening half, St Martin's were nervous early on and hit three quick wides.
Nonetheless, points from Eoin Quigley and Diarmuid Lyng (0-02) ensured a 0-03 to 0-01 lead for St Martin's midway through the first half, with Nicky Kirwan notching Oulart's lone score.
With the momentum firmly with St Martin's at this stage, it did not take long for them to produce a goal.
Philip Murphy burst through the heart of the Oulart defence, advancing past defender Barry Kehoe, to kick to ball to the net and propel his side into a 1-03 to 0-02 lead.
St Martin's enjoyed the lion's share of possession during the opening half. Their wides tally of six (by the 19th minute) was a worry but a successful '65' from Lyng did open up a five-point gap.
Oulart then had a goal chance with Rory Jacob sending the ball in towards a crowded goalmouth, where he picked out Nicky Kirwan.
However, Kirwan fell to the ground and was dispossessed.
With St Martin's defending strongly, Oulart would have to wait until the second half for their goal.
The margin was widened to eight points before Oulart piled on the pressure in the second half.
The champions hurled well, but their efforts were not enough as Martin's secured only their second ever Wexford SHC success with Daithi Hayes lifting the cup after the game.
St Eunan's (Donegal) 2-10 Clonoe (Tyrone) 1-08
At their sixth attempt, St Eunan's recorded their first ever victory in the Ulster Club Senior Football Championship thanks to a 2-10 to 1-08 success over Tyrone champions Clonoe at Coalisland.
Clonoe were able to call on the services of the suspended Emmet Teague and Colm Doris, due to a loophole as the pair await their appeal hearings by the Tyrone County Board.
Although Doris impressed in front of the posts for Clonoe and defender Teague played an instrumental role in the half-back line, Eunan's were well set-up for this win.
Despite a Doris point giving his side a 1-06 to 1-05 interval lead, the Donegal champions held their Red Hand counterparts to just two second half points.
Ryan O'Neill and David McGinley traded first half goals but the second half was all about Eunan's with Donegal players Brendan Devenney and Rory Kavanagh performing strongly.
Devenney scored four first half points and continued to torment the Clonoe defence in the second half.
He planted the ball in the net with six minutes remaining, only for play to be pulled back for a penalty.
Ciaran Sharkey converted from the spot to extended Eunan's advantage, while scores from Sharkey and Ross Wherrity were the insurance points.
Cavan Gaels (Cavan) 1-07 St Gall's (Antrim) 0-07
Michael Lyng's first half goal for Cavan Gaels was the difference between these sides in a heated affair at Casement Park in Belfast.
The Gaels finished with 14 men following the dismissal of Darren Rabbitte in the first half, but their Antrim counterparts were reduced to 13 by the final whistle following red cards for Sean Burke and Kevin McGourty.
McGourty's injury-time dismissal compounded Gall's woes in a game that saw the hosts miss a number of scoring opportunities.
The sides were level midway through the second half, but with Gall's getting on top in the possession stakes, three well-taken points had the Antrim champions eyeing up a semi-final spot.
However, Ciaran McGourty missed a goal chance and wasted opportunities by Karl Stewart and Aodhan Gallagher opened this game up for a strong Cavan Gaels finish.
In a game full of off-the-ball incidents, no more than three points separated the sides throughout the hour.
In the end, a scoring spree from Seanie Johnston, who finished with five points, moved Cavan back in front and they held firm to set up a semi-final meeting with Ballinderry.
Ballinderry (Derry) 1-11 Latton (Monaghan) 0-10
Raymond Wilkinson's 33rd-minute goal was the vital score as Ballinderry withstood the challenge of a determined Latton at Ballinascreen.
Victory came at a cost for the Derry champions, who will now have to prepare for their Ulster semi-final with Cavan Gaels without the services of Michael McIver.
The talented Derry player was forced to withdraw during the first half because of injury, with the sides level at 0-05 each at the interval.
It was Ballinderry who made the stronger start and they led by 0-05 to 0-01 early in the contest thanks to four points from the boot of Conleith Gilligan.
Gilligan top-scored with six points for the eventual winners in a game that also produced controversy, as Latton were reduced to 14 men late in the opening half.
The Monaghan champions had finished strongly before half-time with Bernard O'Brien kicking three fine points to equalise.
But they suffered a late blow when a red card was given to Barry McCabe after an off-the-ball incident.
Latton were hit again on the restart when Wilkinson's goal propelling Ballinderry back in front and the Derry outfit failed to look back, securing a four-point winning margin.
Eire Og (Carlow) 3-10 Kiltegan (Wicklow) 1-12
Two first half goals from Mark Kelly set Carlow champions Eire Og on their way to victory in an entertaining contest at Dr Cullen Park in the Leinster Club Senior Football Championship.
Kelly's brace steered Eire Og to a 2-04 to 0-05 half-time advantage over the Wicklow champions, but this was not just a one-man show for the eventual winners.
Simon Rea was outstanding in the opening half and provided vital passes to Willie Quinlan and Brian Carbury, both of whom kicked early points.
Subsequent scores from Rea and Carbury ensured Eire Og took an early 0-04 to 0-00 lead before Kelly's first goal arrived in the 13th minute.
A long ball from Ber Hennessy was flicked to the net by Kelly who out-jumped the advancing Alistair Hanbidge in the Kiltegan goal.
Amazingly, Kiltegan had failed to score at this stage but, trailing by seven points, they made amends as the game entered the second quarter.
A point from half-back Arthur Foley kick-started a bright spell for Kiltegan, who kicked five points without reply to leave two between the sides as injury-time approached.
But Eire Og had the final say of the half as Kelly snuck home a second goal to ensure a four-point lead for his side at the break.
Kiltegan worked hard on the restart, but despite the efforts of Wicklow player JP Dalton, the scores failed to flow freely for them.
Eric McCormack completed the Eire Og hat-trick and although Rory Finn got a late goal back for Kiltegan, it was too little too late as Eire Og progressed to face Colmcille of Longford in the next round.
Kilmacud Crokes (Dublin) 0-13 Celbridge (Kildare) 0-08
Defender Paul Griffin was among those who excelled for Kilmacud Crokes as the south Dublin outfit showed no ill-effects of their hectic schedule in recent weeks, booking a Leinster Club SFC quarter-final spot.
Crokes had five points to spare over Celbridge in this provincial first round tie at Parnell Park.
The first-time Kildare champions were mesmerised by an impressive opening half display by Kilmacud Crokes, as the former All-Ireland club winners eased to a 0-09 to 0-03 interval lead.
It was Celbridge who started the better, with Mark O'Sullivan getting them off the mark after five minutes following an excellent three-man move.
However, the Crokes attack gradually got into gear. Mark Vaughan impressed as Kilmacud took a six-point lead into the break.
But it was not all positive news for Crokes who paid dearly for a momentary lapse of indiscipline midway through the first half.
Cian O'Sullivan was shown a straight red card following an off-the-ball incident.
Celbridge upped their game in the second half as they held Crokes to just four points, but with captain Jonny Magee now leading by example, Kilmacud maintained their lead to tee up a quarter-final clash with Louth champions Newtown Blues.
GAELIC GAMES RESULTS ROUND-UP:
LEINSTER CLUB SENIOR HURLING QUARTER FINAL:
Ballyhale Shamrocks (Kilkenny) 1-18 Rathdowney-Errill (Laois) 1-11
ULSTER CLUB SENIOR FOOTBALL CHAMPIONSHIP Q-FINALS:
Cavan Gaels (Cavan) 1-07 St Gall's (Antrim) 0-07
Ballinderry (Derry) 1-11 Latton (Monaghan) 0-10
St Eunan's (Donegal) 2-10 Clonoe (Tyrone) 1-08
LEINSTER CLUB SENIOR FOOTBALL CHAMPIONSHIP:
Kilmacud Crokes (Dublin) 0-13 Celbridge (Kildare) 0-08
Eire Og (Carlow) 3-10 Kiltegan (Wicklow) 1-12
MUNSTER CLUB SENIOR HURLING CHAMPIONSHIP:
Sarsfields (Cork) 0-26 Clonlara (Clare) 0-10
GALWAY SENIOR HURLING CHAMPIONSHIP FINAL:
Portumna 1-18 Gort 2-07
WEXFORD SENIOR HURLING CHAMPIONSHIP FINAL:
St Martin's 1-13 Oulart The Ballagh 1-08
