Derry have qualified for their fifth Christy Ring Cup final in six years and have set up a rematch with Kerry in the process after a 2-15 to 0-19 win over the Munster side at Find Insurance Celtic Park.
The result saw them finish level on points with Meath, who won in Donegal, but with the sides drawing earlier in the campaign, the Ulster side progressed on account of a better scoring difference.
With a final spot already secure, Kerry made a few changes – but not wholesale switches – and in the first half they looked sharp as they led 0-12 to 0-06 at the interval, Padraig Boyle's free-taking helping them clear while Michael Slattery scored a couple of late points.
Ivan Conway and Jordan Conway stretched that lead out to eight at the start of the second half, but a run of seven Derry scores in a row – three from Cormac O’Doherty - brought the hosts back into it.
Connor Meluagh’s 58th-minute goal put Derry ahead for the first time and Eunan Boylan’s flick to goal four minutes from time secured a final spot.
Meath did their part with a 2-18 to 1-16 win away to Donegal, but they would have needed to win by a huge margin to book a final spot given events in Derry.
Meath led 0-09 to 0-07 at the break, and a Damien Healy goal in the 48th minute sent them five clear. Mikey Cole added another eight minutes from time as they pushed further ahead, although Ruairi Campbell did respond with a late goal for the Tir Chonaill County.
Roscommon were relegated to the Nickey Rackard Cup after a 3-12 to 1-11 loss in Wicklow.
The sides were level at the break, and only a point separated them heading into the final quarter, but goals from Seanie Germaine, the hero of their dramatic Division 3 title in March, Fionn Darcy and Jack Doyle secured Wicklow’s survival with goals.
Mayo will face New York in a Nickey Rackard Cup semi-final following s 3-22 to 0-19 win away to Louth.
The Connacht side knew a win would book that knock-out round spot and they had the work done by the break as they led 2-14 to 0-09 in Dowdallshill with Eoin Delaney opening the scoring with a goal and Adrian Phillips adding a second. Delaney’s second-half goal sealed the win and a shot at the final with the semi-final fixed for next Saturday at Cusack Park.
Awaiting Mayo or New York will be a Tyrone side who were already qualified but warmed up with an 8-15 to 1-22 crunching of an Armagh outfit who already knew they were for the drop.
Six of their goals came in the first half with Liam Griffiths and Lorcan Devlin both grabbing a brace to go along with green flags from Kiefer Morgan and Turlough Mullin.
Griffiths completed his hat-trick soon after half-time while Mullin hit the eighth.
In the other round-robin game, Sligo were 3-29 to 2-10 winners over Fermanagh with Andrew Kilcullen top-scoring with 1-11 for the hosts.
Leitrim had already qualified for the Lory Meagher Cup final and they kept their good form up with a 1-23 to 1-16 win over Cavan - Dhani Keane with their goal 22 minutes in.
Joining them in the decider will be Longford who were 4-16 to 1-14 winners over Monaghan.
Evan Tully scored their first-half goal with David Buckley, Stephen Murray and Martin Farrell, direct from a free, raising green flags after the break.
In Birmingham, Warwickshire were 6-20 to 4-12 winners over Lancashire.
Watch Dublin v Westmeath in the Leinster Football final (2pm) and Armagh v Monaghan in the Ulster Football final (4.15pm) on Sunday from 1.30pm on RTÉ2 and RTÉ Player. Follow our live blog on RTÉ.ie/sport and RTÉ News app and listen to Sunday Sport on RTÉ Radio 1
Watch The Saturday Game and The Sunday Game from 9.30pm on RTÉ2 and RTÉ Player. Follow a live blog on all matches on the RTÉ News app and on rte.ie/sport
