Simonstown Gaels......0-13

Dunboyne..............2-5

A fourth Feis Cup final appearance beckons for Simonstown after a strong second half semi-final performance against Dunboyne in Pairc Tailteann.

Simonstown trailed by 1-5 to 0-7 at half-time and with the aid of an influential breeze to come, Dunboyne looked best equipped to press on from that position.

But Simonstown dug very deep, particularly in defence, and consequently conceded just one second half score, a third quarter goal that should have been cleared in the first place.

That left the sides level at the second water break, 2-5 to 0-11, but further points from Niall Kane and Padraig McKeever from a free ensured Simonstown capitalised on that defensive effort.

Dunboyne had won all seven group games by a cumulative winning margin of 99 points.

The exchanges had been even in the opening quarter until Stuart Lowndes exploited a short kick-out to overturn possession and shoot past Robbie Burlingham.

Minutes earlier the Simonstown 'keeper had saved smartly from Ronan Jones when the county midfielder got through the cover.

Simonstown steadied after the first water break when they trailed by 1-3 to 0-3 with McKeever and Sean Tobin once again hugely economical in their play.

The highlight of the half was a McKeever score off his left after two pinpoint passes from Rory Connor and Tobin in the build up.

Connor was playing well in a defensive role until he and Jones were harshly red carded midway through the third quarter when they tangled.

Dunboyne squandered chances with the wind at their backs and appeared to panic as the half progressed but Simonstown were patient and controlled in their build up and got a huge lift when the ever-improving Sean Conlon sliced over a point off the outside of his left boot.

As the finish line came into view Simonstown, still without Shane Gallagher, Brian McGrath and Mark Gardiner, appeared to relish the battle more with Stephen Moran coming back to form in the full-back line and Aaron Chincilla really stepping up to carry the ball effectively from the defence in that closing quarter.

After the disappointment of a 17-point defeat to Wolfe Tones in the last round of the competition, this was a big turnaround.

Simonstown now play Wolfe Tones, who beat Summerhill in the other semi-final, in the Feis Cup final but that may not now be played until after both sides' interest in the championship is over.

Simonstown have lost all three Feis Cup finals contested to Seneschalstown in 1994 and 2007 and Donaghmore-Ashbourne in 2016.

The second team are in action at home tomorrow (Friday) evening (7.30) against Navan O'Mahonys in the Premier Div 2 third round while the 'thirds' are away to St Colmcille's in Premier Div 5 on Sunday morning (11.30).

Simonstown scorers - P McKeever 0-6 (3fs, 1m), S Tobin 0-4 (2fs), S Conlon, C Sheridan, N Kane all 0-1 each.

Simonstown: R Burlingham; A Chincilla, M Gavin, S Moran; M Devlin, R Connor, N Kane; B Conlon, S Conlon; N O'Brien, C Sheridan, J Carolan; S Tobin, P McKeever, B Hoey. Subs: S Barry for Sheridan, A Kearney for Hoey, M McCabe for Carolan, J Lyons for O'Brien.