Kilmacud Crokes Seal Quarter Final berth with win over Sylvesters

KILMACUD CROKES 2-23

ST SYLVESTER’S 1-14

Image courtesy Matthew Burke 

Kilmacud Crokes confirmed top spot in Group 4 of the Go-Ahead Ireland Dublin Senior 1 Football Championship when accounting for St Sylvester’s by twelve points at Parnell Park on Saturday afternoon.

After a relatively even first-quarter, Kilmacud assumed complete control after that with a trio of two-pointed scores from Paul Mannion helping build a 0-17 to 0-7 lead by the turnaround.

A Fionn Fitzpatrick goal in the third quarter was just reward for the battling efforts of Sylvester’s but Dara Mullin put a flattering complexion on the final scoreline when netting deep into injury time. 

It was the Malahide outfit that settled the quicker and they could well have netted in the opening minute but Rory Guiden fired narrowly over the crossbar when racing onto a Sean Guiden pass.

That lead was doubled in an instant through Ross Keogh and St Sylvester’s pushed further clear in the 4th minute as Sean Guiden kicked a sublime two-point free from forty-five metres.

Crokes finally opened their own account through a 7th minute free from Shane Walsh but they were indebted to goalkeeper Devon Burns three minutes later, who reacted sharply to repel a Rory Guiden shot at his near post.

That proved a turning point of sorts as Kilmacud began to monopolise possession with the lively Joe Quigley adding two points in quick succession to leave them trailing by just a point at the end of the first quarter.

Further scores arrived through Dara Mullin, Quigley and Paddy O’Connor before Mannion announced himself on proceedings when curling a trademark two-pointer from play in the 23rd minute.

Keogh added his second point of the half by way of riposte but a brace of two-pointed frees from Mannion and another by Walsh saw Crokes finish the half strongly to lead by ten points.

An uphill task became even steeper for St Sylvester’s within two minutes of the restart as Mannion casually converted from the penalty spot after Dan Curran was adjudged to have fouled the ball close to his goal line.

Walsh and Quigley added superb solo scores in the immediate aftermath before their opponents mounted a mini-comeback with a well-taken goal by substitute Fitzpatrick in the 39th minute preceding a debatable two-pointed score from Josh Bannon.

Crokes regrouped sufficiently to kick the next two scores through Mullin and Walsh (free) but they failed to score for thirteen minutes despite Sylvester’s being reduced to fourteen following the 51st minute dismissal of Jack Boyne. 

Dan O’Leary raced forward from centre-back to kick two excellent points for Syls but Crokes were to enjoy the final word as a slick hand-passing move saw Mullin fire clinically past Simon Murphy with the last kick of the game.      

Scorers – Kilmacud Crokes: P Mannion 1-6 (1-0pen, 2 F2, 1 P2); D Mullin 1-2; J Quigley, S Walsh (1 F2, 2f) 05 each; P O’Connor 0-3; D Burns (‘45’), A Quinn 0-1 apiece. St Sylvester’s: S Guiden 0-6 (2 F2, 1 f); F Fitzpatrick 1-0; D O’Leary, J Bannon (P2), R Keogh 0-2 each; R Guiden, P Donohue 0-1 apiece.

Kilmacud Crokes: D Burns; M Mullin, D Murphy, J Kenny; A Jones, R O’Carroll, L Fearon; P O’Connor, M O’Leary; L O’Kelly, P Mannion, D Mullin; H Kenny, S Walsh, J Quigley. Subs: T Fox for O’Kelly (42), J Murphy for J Kenny (46), A Quinn for Quigley (51), N Comerford for Fearon (54), S Cunningham for Walsh (54).   

St Sylvester’s: S Murphy; A Cunningham, S O’Donnell, J Peacock; E Stenson, D O’Leary, D Curran; J Bannon, P White; B Gaynor, J Boyne, A Wright; S Guiden, R Keogh, R Guiden. Subs: J Dwyer for Gaynor (36), F Fitzpatrick for A Cunningham (36), P Donohue for Keogh (46),  

Referee: Joe Dromgoole (Fingallians)