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AS IT HAPPENED

As it happened: Castlebar Mitchels v Dr Crokes, All-Ireland Club SFC semi-final

Could Castlebar Mitchels overcome Dr Crokes today? Revisit our liveblog and find out.

As always, we’d love to hear your comments. Send them to paul@thescore.ie, tweet them @TheScoreGAA, find us on Facebook, or leave a comment below.

Hello, and welcome to our liveblog of today’s All-Ireland Club SFC semi-final.

We’ll have the team news for you shortly.

Here’s one of the teams for today anyway. No news yet on Dr Crokes’ lineup.

CASTLEBAR MITCHELS: Ciarán Naughton; Alan Feeney; Ray O’Malley, Eoghan O’Reilly; Donie Newcombe, Tom Cunniffe, Patrick Durcan; Barry Moran, Ger McDonagh; Neil Lydon, Aidan Walsh, Richie Feeney; Danny Kirby, Tom King, Neil Douglas.

And here is the Dr Crokes team…

DR CROKES: David Moloney; Fionn Fitzgerald, Mike Moloney, John Payne; David O’Leary, Eoin Brosnan, Kieran Ward; Ambrose O’Donovan, Johnny Buckley; Alan O’Sullivan, Daithi Casey, Brian Looney; Kieran O’Leary, Colm Cooper, Shane Doolan.

Thankfully, the weather has been decent today, and the pitch looks in decent condition.

We’re underway…

It turns out the teamsheets were wrong — Luke Quinn is starting for Crokes. We’ll try to find out who isn’t as soon as possible.

Castlebar 0-2 0-0 Crokes 1 2mins – Two quick-fire points from Barry Moran and Aidan Walsh have given Castlebar the lead.

Castlebar 0-2 Crokes 0-2 4 mins - Kieran Ward and Fionn Fitzgerald respond in the best possible fashion, with points for Crokes. The latter could easily have gone for a goal after charging through the Castlebar defence before pragmatically deciding to blast it over the bar.

Crokes 0-3 Castlebar 0-2 7 mins – Colm Cooper coolly slots over his first point, but some last-ditch defending from the Mayo side previously prevented one or two further goal opportunities.

It’s been a lively start to this game. As I type, Tom Cunniffe has just hit the first wide of the game.

Crokes 0-4 Castlebar 0-2 10 mins – Patient build-up play from Crokes, before Alan O’Sullivan hits a point over the bar via the post.

Castlebar 0-3 Crokes 0-4 11 mins - Danny Kirby reduces Crokes’ lead.

Every point so far has been from play and the game’s been as tight as expected so far.

Castlebar 0-4 Crokes 0-4 13 mins – Barry Moran gets away from Eoin Brosnan and fires over another point to bring the sides level.

Crokes 0-5 Castlebar 0-4 15 mins – Alan O’Sullivan gets his second point of the afternoon from a difficult angle, with Crokes regaining the lead in the process.

The contest has become somewhat fiery all of a sudden.

Colm Cooper’s high tackle causes some anger in the Castelebar ranks, nonetheless the referee only gives a free.

Crokes 0-6 Castlebar 0-4: 18  mins – Brilliant point from Colm Cooper, who uses his pace to get away from his marker and slot the ball over.

Drama thereafter though, as Gooch falls awkwardly as he scores, and it looks like he’ll have to go off.

Big blow for Crokes!

GOAL FOR CASTLEBAR!

Castlebar 1-4 Crokes 0-6: 22 mins – Durcan simply converts it into the net, after an initial effort is well saved by the keeper.

GOAL FOR DR CROKES!

Crokes 1-6 Castlebar 1-4: 24 mins – Kieran O’Leary finds himself in space, and finishes consummately.

Crokes needed that after losing Cooper, although the way he walked off suggested he may be fit enough to come back eventually.

Ambrose O’Donovan has just wasted a good chance, hitting it high and wide after powering through on goal.

Michael Burns was the man to replace Cooper. He’s adjusted well to the game so far, and has been involved in much of Crokes’ excellent recent attacking play.

Castlebar 1-5 Crokes 1-6: 29 mins – Richie Feeney brings Castlebar to within a point of their opponents again, slotting over from a tight angle.

Castlebar 1-6 Crokes 1-6: 30 mins - Tom King brings the side level on  the brink of half-time.

It’s probably a fair result, as it’s been a very evenly fought game.

Castlebar 1-7 Crokes 1-6: 30 mins – Donie Newcombe puts Castlebar ahead, but it could have been worse for Crokes, as there was a prolonged goalmouth scramble before the club captain eventually opted for a point.

HALF-TIME: CASTLEBAR 1-7 CROKES 1-6

Phew! Castlebar lead by a point at half-time in this incredibly tight and entertaining All-Ireland club semi-final.

Crokes will have been rocked by their talisman Colm Cooper having to come off injured — though it has been suggested that he could be fit enough to return after the break.

Moreover, his replacement, Michael Burns, despite missing one easy chance, has consistently impressed in his absence.

It’s been a very fast-paced game in which only one of the scores hasn’t come from play, with both sides showing some clinical finishing at times.

Apparently, it could be a knee ligament injury for Colm Cooper.

Meanwhile, Enda Kenny is in attendance.

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The second half is underway…

Castlebar have already hit two wides in this second half. Tom King is the latest culprit.

Meanwhile, Shane Meyers replaced Kieran Ward at the break.

Colm Cooper is on the bench in his track suit, so he won’t be back on for definite.

Castlebar 1-8 Crokes 1-6: 35 mins – Tom King has extended his side’s advantage, scoring from just behind the 21m line.

Castlebar 1-9 Crokes 1-6: 36 mins – Richie Feeney has just kicked his second point from play, as Castlebar pull further away.

Crokes 1-7 Castlebar 1-9: 37 mins – Daithi Casey gets an excellent point to give his side their much-needed first score of the second half.

Crokes 1-8 Castlebar 1-9: 39  mins – Ambrose Donovan brings Crokes back to within a point of their rivals. This game is as tightly fought as ever now.

GOAL FOR CASTLEBAR!

Castlebar 2-9 Crokes 1-9: 43 mins – A high ball falls to Tom King and he makes no mistake with his finish.

Ambrose Donovan responds immediately with a point for the Killarney side.

Crokes 1-10 Castlebar 2-9: 45 mins – Brilliantly taken point from Johnny Buckley after substantial build-up play from Crokes.

Crokes 1-11 Castlebar 2-9: 47 mins – A beautiful third point from Alan O’Sullivan makes it a one-point game

The Kerry side are well on top now.

Ambrose O’Donovan goes off injured, with Gavin O’Shea replacing him, as Tom King wastes a good chance, hitting a free wide.

Johnny Buckley hits Dr Crokes’ fourth wide with an ambitious effort.

Meanwhile, Richie Feeney is replaced by James Durcan.

Castlebar 2-10 Crokes 1-11: 52 mins – Tom King points a simple free, which was moved closer to the Crokes goal due to dissent.

Meanwhile, Alan Feeney has been replaced by David Joyce.

Chris Brady comes on for Brian Looney, as another sub is made.

Sub David Joyce fails to make an immediate impact, as his attempt hits the post and goes wide.

Castlebar 2-13 Crokes 1-11: 57mins – Ger McDonagh shows good composure to beat his man and convert before Aidan Walsh gets his second point from roughly 35m out.

Neil Lydon gets another point to give Castlebar a five-point lead.

Crokes hit their sixth wide of the half, and their hopes seemingly disappear in the process.

GOAL FOR CASTLEBAR!

Castlebar 3-13 Crokes 1-11: 60 mins – Barry Moran unselfishly sets up Patrick Durcan, who scores their third goal of the game and simultaneously seals their victory.

FULL-TIME: CASTLEBAR 3-13 CROKES 1-11

Right, that’s all from me for now, but we’ll have more reaction coming up.

Thanks for reading and commenting, and congrats to Castlebar on reaching the All-Ireland club final.

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