. ▁ ▁Despite ▁this ▁outcome , ▁Se ir ▁K ier an ▁sust ained ▁their ▁Senior ▁challenge ▁both ▁in ▁ 1 9 5 3 ▁( when ▁C ool der ry ▁had ▁to ▁be ▁at ▁their ▁best ▁to ▁overcome ▁them ) ▁and ▁in ▁ 1 9 5 4 ▁when ▁they ▁reached ▁the ▁Sem i - final ▁( before ▁again ▁going ▁down ▁to ▁C ool der ry ). ▁By ▁ 1 9 5 5 , ▁though , ▁the ▁club ▁could ▁not ▁must er ▁ 1 5 ▁Senior ▁players , ▁and ▁so ▁had ▁to ▁conced e ▁a ▁walk over ▁to ▁Sh annon ▁Ro vers ▁in ▁the ▁Championship . ▁The ▁following ▁year ▁at ▁Inter mediate ▁grade , ▁the ▁club ▁joined ▁forces ▁with ▁neighbor ing ▁parish ▁K inn itt y ▁whose ▁dem ographic ▁situation ▁was ▁just ▁as ▁dire . ▁The ▁am alg am ated ▁team , ▁known ▁as ▁St ▁Fl ann an ' s , ▁won ▁through ▁to ▁the ▁ 1 9 5 6 ▁Inter mediate ▁Hur ling ▁Final ▁against ▁Fer b ane ▁on ▁ 1 6 ▁September ▁ 1 9 5 6 . ▁St ▁Fl ann an ' s ▁( we aring ▁green ▁and ▁white ) ▁emer ged ▁vict orious ▁by ▁ 4 - 7 ▁to ▁ 4 - 1 . ▁Prom oted ▁to ▁Senior ▁grade ▁in ▁ 1 9 5 7 , ▁St ▁Fl ann an ' s ▁were ▁heavily ▁defeated ▁in ▁their ▁opening ▁match ▁to ▁Sh annon ▁Ro vers ▁– ▁a ▁result ▁which ▁put ▁an ▁end ▁to ▁the ▁K inn itt y - Cla reen ▁combination