▁ 2 - 1 5 ▁to ▁ 2 - 9 . ▁The ▁black ▁and ▁am ber ▁had ▁their ▁ch ances ▁in ▁the ▁Ban ag her ▁game , ▁but ▁accuracy ▁was ▁a ▁problem . ▁The ▁select ors ▁used ▁practice ▁matches , ▁such ▁as ▁the ▁one ▁against ▁Cast let own ge og he gan ▁at ▁Dur row , ▁to ▁sh ar pen ▁up ▁their ▁side . ▁When ▁the ▁domestic ▁championship ▁res umed ▁on ▁ 1 3 ▁August , ▁a ▁hard - f ought ▁ 3 - 1 6 ▁to ▁ 4 - 4 ▁win ▁over ▁C ool der ry ▁kept ▁the ▁dream ▁alive . ▁Se ir ▁K ier an ▁again ▁faced ▁St ▁R yn agh ' s ▁in ▁the ▁first ▁leg ▁of ▁the ▁result ant ▁three - way ▁play - off . ▁On ▁a ▁res pl endent ▁R ath ▁pitch , ▁Se ir ▁K ier an ▁revers ed ▁the ▁previous ▁ver dict ▁by ▁ 3 - 1 1 ▁to ▁ 2 - 1 1 ▁and ▁became ▁the ▁first ▁side ▁to ▁reach ▁the ▁last ▁four . ▁ ▁The ▁Sem i - final ▁between ▁Se ir ▁K ier an ▁and ▁K inn itt y ▁was ▁delayed ▁on ▁account ▁of ▁three ▁events : ▁an ▁early - mor ning ▁fire ▁in ▁The ▁Grey h ound ▁Bar ▁in ▁Bir r , ▁which ▁trag ically ▁claimed ▁the ▁life ▁of ▁the ▁propriet or ▁John ▁Kennedy , ▁a ▁member ▁of ▁the ▁Se ir ▁K ier an ▁Club ; ▁K inn itt y ' s ▁successful ▁appeal ▁against ▁dis qual ification ▁for ▁not ▁having