Last eight decided in Galway Premier Intermediate Hurling Championship

The quarter-finals includes the four group winners and will see Ballinderreen battle Mullagh, Meelick-Eyrecourt meet Ballygar, Skehana-Mountbellew-Moylough play Portumna, and Tynagh-Abbey-Duniry take on Kilconieron.

Those games are scheduled for the first weekend of October as is the relegation decider, when Beagh and Pádraig Pearses go head-to-head with one of them dropping to Premier junior after Carnmore and Kinvara were the victors in the relegation semi-finals last weekend to secure their second tier status for 2027.

Mullagh 2-23

Kilnadeema-Leitrim 1-25

For pure sporting drama and theatre, the final moments in Duggan Park on Saturday couldn’t be beaten.

Trailing by two points seven minutes into injury-time, Cathal Dervan stepped up 30 yards from goal for the shot and the ball managed to find the net for a stunning victory.

It was heart-breaking for Kilnadeema-Leitrim. The teams were level seven times by the 20th minute before Colm Molloy cut through for Kilnadeema-Leitrim’s goal.

They led 1-13 to 0-11 at half-time with Brian Molloy already getting seven points. Dean Finnerty was the scorer-in-chief for Mullagh with five, and a point attempt from the right on 35 minutes proved to be a game changer, as the sliotar dropped into the net.

Kilnadeema-Leitrim led 1-17 to 1-15 on 39 minutes before five more points appeared to put them out of sight.

However, Mullagh clawed their way back before Brian Molloy added a 66th minute. There was one more chance and Dervan didn’t disappoint.

Ballygar 1-24

Killimor 2-12

One year from their semi-final defeat, Ballygar are back to battle Meelick-Eyrecourt in a quarter-final following this victory in Duggan Park on Saturday.

John Hanley’s side were pushed much closer than the nine-point margin suggested, even if they led from the eighth minute.

Eoin Horan and Jack O’Meara helped Killimor lead 0-2 to 0-1 before Karl Healy (2) and Diarmuid O’Brien put Ballygar two ahead.

It was 0-9 to 0-3 by the 20th minute with Healy contributing three more, but Killimor reduced arrears to 0-11 to 0-9 by half-time with Horan on target four times.

Cathal Maloney scored twice upon the restart as Ballygar went 0-15 to 0-9 up, before Cillian O’Hara’s goal brought Killimor back in touch.

Paddy Downey hit back with a green flag for the leaders but Horan responded with the second Killimor goal, leaving it 1-18 to 2-11 entering the final quarter.

However, Aidan Fahy’s group only pointed once more as Ballygar finished with six, including a Ryan Duffy brace.

Portumna 0-19

Rahoon-Newcastle 0-11

Portumna hit the purple-patch during the third quarter in Pearse Stadium on Friday to book their place in the quarter-finals.

A tight affair saw Bertie Keane help Rahoon-Newcastle into an 0-8 to 0-7 lead early in the second period before nine unanswered points for Portumna settled this.

Iarla Kelly, Oisin Royston, Joe Canning, Adam Fogarty, Martin Tuohy, and Declan McLaughlin tallied to put eight between them before Canning added two late scores to round out the win.

There wasn’t much between them in the opening 30 minutes as Rahoon-Newcastle stopper Brian Kelly produced quality saves from McLaughlin and Andrew Canning.

Rahoon-Newcastle boss Kevin Hayes went up against his native club, but it was Portumna who took the first-half edge, leading 0-7 to 0-6 at half-time with Kelly and Keane contributing three scores each.

When Keane overturned the deficit, Rahoon-Newcastle were primed for a scoring spree, but it was Portumna pulling clear to set up a meeting with Skehana-Mountbellew-Moylough.

Kilconieron 3-19

Ahascragh-Fohenagh 2-13

Kilconieron made a statement of intent in Duggan Park on Sunday as three first-half goals saw them run out comfortable winners over Ahascragh-Fohenagh.

Shane Caulfield, Stephen Keane, and Ian McGlynn struck for Ollie Bergin’s team to lead 3-12 to 0-9 at the break, and even though Cathal and Padraic Mannion found green flags later, Ahascragh-Fohenagh were too far back to launch a comeback.

The north Galway side led 0-3 to 0-2 after five minutes before Caulfield registered Kilconieron’s first goal two minutes later.

It was 1-7 to 0-6 on 23 minutes before Keane profited from a defensive spill to get the second goal; and Sean and Keith Burke put McGlynn through for the third goal in injury-time.

Darragh Gavin won a penalty for Ahascragh-Fohenagh on 38 minutes which Cathal Mannion converted leaving it 3-13 to 1-11.

But Jimmy Browne’s charges never got closer as they were outscored 0-6 to 0-2 over the next 26 minutes before a Padraic Mannion ’65 deflected into the net.

Relegation semi-finals

Kinvara 1-27

Pádraig Pearses 1-17

Last year’s runners-up Kinvara ensured they will fight again next season with this 10-point victory in Loughrea on Sunday.

Luca Danjou registered a couple of early scores as Kinvara went 0-10 to 0-6 up by the 20th minute with Jonah Donnellan and Dean Reilly prominent for Pádraig Pearses.

It was 0-13 to 0-11 at half-time before Kinvara owned the third quarter with Padraig Conole delivering the match-winning goal.

Reilly sent a late Pearses free to the net, but their chances had already faded.

Carnmore 3-20

Beagh 0-16

Carnmore left nothing to chance in Loughrea on Sunday as three first-half goals cemented their intermediate status.

After Daithi Keane gave Beagh the early initiative, Aaron Fox’s team immediately seized control through Aidan Grealish’s goal.

With captain Kevin Killilea instrumental, Carnmore continued running up scores and Ciaran Fahy grabbed two more green flags for a 3-10 to 0-7 interval lead.

Even though the scoring levelled out after the restart, Carnmore maintained their distance to finish the year with that coveted win.