Kilmacud Crokes 0-14
Cuala 1-9
SHANE WALSH AND Paul Mannion combined for 0-9 at Parnell Park this evening as defending champions Kilmacud Crokes progressed to the semi-final stage of the Dublin Senior Football Championship with a narrow triumph over Cuala.
After Mannion had broken the deadlock with a trademark left-footed score, marauding Crokes corner-back Dan O’Brien and Dublin senior attacker Con O’Callaghan swapped points in quick succession. Although Dara Mullin split the posts for last season’s All-Ireland finalists, Luke Keating and O’Callaghan (’45’) did likewise to get Cuala back on level terms.
Crokes created daylight once again with back-to-back efforts from Craig Dias and Mannion, before a determined Cuala edged into the ascendancy for the first time courtesy of unanswered efforts by Niall James, Keating and Con O’Callaghan.
Conor Mullally also found the target in response to Mannion’s third point, but Austin O’Malley’s Dalkey men were ultimately adrift at the break. Making his first start for the Stillorgan club, Galway star Walsh knocked over a brace of frees to give Crokes a slender 0-8 to 0-7 buffer.
The Footballer of the Year nominee increased his tally on the restart with a 38th-minute mark, but a fourth point from Con O’Callaghan (who was shortlisted for the same award in 2019) ensured Cuala remained in touch.
While Mannion posted a score off his right shortly before he was withdrawn through injury, O’Callaghan’s brother Niall poked to the net on 46 minutes to ignite the Cuala challenge.
Crokes dug deep in Mannion’s absence, however, with four points on the bounce from Mullin, Walsh (two) and substitute Shane Cunningham offering them a stranglehold in advance of James’ late single for Cuala.
Manager Robbie Brennan was hopeful of a swift recovery for Mannion afterwards, telling RTÉ he appeared to sustain a “low-grade sprain” to his ankle.
Scorers for Kilmacud Crokes: Shane Walsh 0-5 (3f, 1 mark), Paul Mannion 0-4 (1f), Dara Mullin 0-2, Dan O’Brien, Craig Dias, Shane Cunningham 0-1 each.
Scorers for Cuala: Con O’Callaghan 0-4 (1f, 1 ’45), Niall O’Callaghan 1-0, Luke Keating (f), Niall James 0-2 each, Conor Mullally 0-1.
Kilmacud Crokes
1. Conor Ferris
2. Micheal Mullin, 3. Theo Clancy, 4. Dan O’Brien
7. Andrew McGowan, 6. Rory O’Carroll, 5. Cillian O’Shea
8. Ben Shovlin, 9. Craig Dias
12. Aidan Jones, 11. Paul Mannion, 10. Tom Fox
13. Hugh Kenny, 14. Dara Mullin, 15. Shane Walsh
Subs
21. Shane Cunningham for Fox (39)
18. Cian O’Connor for Mannion (47)
19. Shane Horan for Jones (52)
17. Ross McGowan for Clancy (54)
20. Conor Casey for Kenny (58)
Cuala
1. Darragh O’Dowd
3. Michael Fitzsimons, 2. David Sheerin, 4. Luke Tracey
5. David O’Dowd, 6. Michael Conroy, 7. Conor Mullally
8. Peadar O Cofaigh Byrne 9. Peter Duffy
10. Cal Doran, 14. Darragh Spillane, 12. Niall James
13. Luke Keating, 15. Niall O’Callaghan, 11. Con O’Callaghan
Subs
20. Eoin Kennedy for Conroy (55)
22. James Power for Doran (55)
18. John Fitzsimons for Spillane (63)
23. Conor O’Brien for Tracey (63)
Referee: Seamus Farrelly.