All Ireland Junior Football Championship Semi-Final

KILKENNY 3-11 LONDON 2-9

By Paul Keane at the GAA National Games Development Centre, Abbotstown

Kilkenny will fight for All-Ireland titles on consecutive weekends at Croke Park after their junior footballers edged a classic encounter to seal their spot in Sunday's final.

A roller coaster second-half that swung back and forth in an absorbing encounter at Abbotstown was ultimately settled by late goals from Mick Kenny and Mick Malone.

Malone finished with a terrific 2-3 while Kenny notched 1-4, helping to propel the Cats through to a novel final date with New York at GAA headquarters.

A big crowd is expected ahead of the All-Ireland SFC semi-final tie between Dublin and Kerry and Kilkenny earned their place with a daring and high quality display.

With four-time All-Ireland hurling medal winner Paul Murphy in defence, Kilkenny had to show all their character too after falling behind late on.

They soared seven points clear with just 14 minutes remaining, only to concede an unanswered 2-2 to All-Britain champions London who had their own two-goal star in Shay Rafter.

That left Kilkenny a point down with 55 minutes on the clock but they responded strongly, finishing out the game with two excellent solo goals, firstly from Kenny and then from Malone to seal a slightly flattering five-point win.

With the county's senior hurlers also looking forward to an All-Ireland final date on Sunday week, it promises to be an exciting few days on Noreside.

Four-time hurling All-Star Murphy lined out at full-back for Kilkenny with another ex-senior county hurler, Ciaran Wallace, in front of him wearing number six.

The duo had a relatively quiet opening 10 minutes as Kilkenny dominated the exchanges at the other end, surging into a three-point lead thanks to scores from Jamie Holohan, Mick Malone and Rory Monks.

The quality was high and London picked off a series of excellent scores in response to first draw level and then move ahead, 0-4 to 0-3.

Thomas Waters's 16th minute point from distance was a beauty and nudged the Exiles ahead for the first time.

The influential Conor Spinks then struck London's next three scores, including a terrific outside of the boot point from the right wing, to double their advantage to two points after 25 minutes.

It meant London had struck seven of the nine points scored between the 11th and 25th minutes and they threatened to take over.

But Kilkenny closed out the half strongly, picking off scores from Kenny and Conor Hennessy to tie it up for the fourth time at 0-7 apiece.

Christy Walsh's side should have added a goal too but Kenny's soccer style attempt in the 25th minute was dragged wide and Holohan was denied shortly after by goalkeeper Kieran Cunningham.

The third quarter was all about Kilkenny who opened up with some sumptuous play to reel off 1-4 without response, apparently putting the game beyond London.

Malone's first goal of the evening came during that scoring siege at the start of the second-half and the Leinster men opened up a double scores 1-11 to 0-7 lead.

London, to their credit, refused to yield and when Rafter blasted 49th and 51st minute goals, they remarkably led by 2-9 to 1-11.

They didn't score again though as Kilkenny finished with gusto, ensuring that a first ever All-Ireland junior football title remains within their grasp.

London's cause wasn't helped by the 57th minute dismissal of defender Matthew Tierney while Spinks was black carded in stoppage time.

Scorers for Kilkenny: Mick Malone 2-3, Mick Kenny 1-4 (0-2f), Jamie Holohan 0-1, Rory Monks 0-1, Conor Hennessy 0-1, Shane Stapleton 0-1.

Scorers for London: Shay Rafter 2-3 (0-2f), Conor Spinks 0-5 (0-3f), Thomas Waters 0-1.

Kilkenny: Killian Dunphy; Shane Kelly, Paul Murphy, Joe Fennelly; Kevin Blanchfield, Ciaran Wallace, Tom Kenny; Jim Culleton, Tom Aylward; Conor Hennessy, Mick Malone, Mick Kenny; Adam Mansfield, Jamie Holohan, Rory Monks.

Subs: Shane Stapleton for Holohan h/t, John Walsh for Kenny 37-42 blood, Shane Murphy for Kelly 39, Walsh for Monks 46, Ethan Phelan for Mansfield 57, James Dermody for Malone 61.

London: Kieran Cunningham; Patrick O'Connor, Ryan McCready, Eoghan Reilly; Matthew Tierney, Ryan O'Connell, Rhys Lennon; Sean O'Halloran, Ryan Forde; Thomas Waters, Caolan Doyle, Darren Lynch; Shay Rafter, Alfie McNulty, Conor Spinks.

Subs: Josh Obahor for Doyle h/t, Tighe Barry for Waters 39, Ciaran Clarke for O'Halloran 48, Matthew Joyce for Lynch 54, Ryan Kearney for McNulty 61.

Referee: Kevin Faloon (Armagh).