Kilmacud Crokes 0-16
Clontarf 0-8
CHAMPIONS KILMACUD CROKES are safely into the last four of the Dublin SFC after they beat 14-man Clontarf by double scores this afternoon.
Underdogs Clontarf played the better football in the opening half and led by a point at the interval, but they were dealt a hammer blow when Jack McCaffrey was sent-off for a high tackle early in the second period.
McCaffrey’s challenge was a little reckless and left himself open to being dismissed. Without the Footballer of the Year nominee, Clontarf’s challenge wilted and they offered little resistance after such a bright start.
It took them 32 second-half minutes to kick a score as Kilmacud stepped up the tempo and started to control the game. Despite their winning margin, Crokes still left a host of scoring chances behind them, converting 16 of their 27 shots.
They took a long time to get out of the blocks and had just 0-3 on the board by the 26th minute. Paul Mannion didn’t start the game and Kilmacud lacked his pace before his half-time introduction. Within three minutes of his arrival onto the field, the All-Star forward had two points on the board.
He finished with four points and the Crokes attack moved far better once Mannion came into the fray.
Kilmacud Crokes were beaten in the Leinster final last year but they still have plenty of work to do if they’re to safely navigate through Dublin, let alone atone for their shock loss to Mullinaghta in the provincial decider.
Clontarf were quick out of the blocks, racing into an early three point lead but Kilmacud hauled themselves level by the 22nd minute. Clontarf retook the lead after ripping off another hat-trick scores, including two from the boot of the lively Kieran McKeon.
Kilmacud’s scoring rate improved prior to the break and Cian O’Connor’s well-taken effort was the pick of their points where they went in 0-7 to 0-6 behind.
Mannion’s quickfire double off the bench sparked life into Kilmacud as they hit three scores within five minutes of the restart. McCaffrey’s red card followed and it badly dented Clontarf’s belief.
They failed to score again until the 63rd minute, by which time the Stillorgan outfit had reeled off 10 scores without reply to put the result beyond doubt.
Scorers for Kilmacud Crokes: Paul Mannion 0-4 (0-3f), Shane Cunningham 0-3, Callum Pearson and Pat Burke (0-2f) 0-2 each, Cian O’Connor, Craig Dias, Darragh Jones and Dara Mullin 0-1 each.
Scorers for Clontarf: Kieran McKeon 0-3, Kevin Lillis 0-2, Declan Monaghan (0-1f) and Stephen Quigley 0-1 each.
Kilmacud Crokes
1. David Nestor
7. Andy McGowen
3. Rory O’Carroll
18. Niall O’Leary
5. Cian O’Connor
6. Cillian O’Shea
2. Ciaran Russell
8. Craig Dias
9. Ben Shovlin
12. Shane Horan
11. Shane Cunningham
15. Callum Pearson
13. Pat Burke
14. Dan O’Brien
24. Dara Mullin
Subs
25. Paul Mannion for Mullin (ht)
10. Hugh Kenny for O’Brien (45)
28. Darragh Jones for Horan (54)
27. Stephen Williams for Burke (56)
Clontarf
1. Ross O’Hanlon
2. Declan Monaghan
3. Conor Doran
4. Conor Cronin
7. Ciaran Brennan
6. Jack McCaffrey
5. Shane Walsh
8. Andy Foley
9. Morgan Walsh
10. Stephen O’Quigley
15. Kieran McKeon
22. Patrick Mohan
13. Kevin Lillis
14. Brian Berney
11. Kevin McGrath
Subs
19. Liam Howley for Mohan (39)
23. Maitias MacDonncha for Berney (47)
12. Fiachra Dodd for Quigley (56)
Referee: Dave Ashton
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