Lucan Sarsfields stun Kilmacud Crokes in Dublin hurling quarter-final

Kevin O'Brien reports from Parnell Park

Lucan Sarsfields 0-16

Kilmacud Crokes 1-12

LUCAN SARSFIELDS PULLED off a major shock as they dumped Kilmacud Crokes out of the Dublin SHC in a full-blooded last-eight encounter.

They face champions Cuala in the last four of the championship with Na Fianna and Ballyboden St Enda’s meeting in the other semi-final.

Lucan are one game away from their first final appearance since 2010 when they fell to Ballyboden.

Kilmacud Crokes lost three county finals from 2016-18 and had their sights on another trip to the decider after winning three from three in the group stage. Their wait for a first title since 2013 goes on.

This was a huge blow for Crokes joint managers Aodán De Paor and Kieran Dowling, who will admit they underperformed on the day.

It may be too simplistic to say that Lucan Sarsfields wanted it more, but they brought a firey approach that Kilmacud Crokes couldn’t match. Crokes had five points on the board by the 10th minute but would score just 1-7 more over the remaining 55-odd minutes. Even then, Ronan Hayes’ goal arrived into the dying moments of the game.

Lucan’s tackling was excellent and they continually forced turnovers on Kilmacud Crokes defenders coming out with the ball or caused them to over carry it. Each dispossession was celebrated like a score by the Sarsfields sideline, only adding to their growing confidence.

John McCaffrey, who captained Dublin to the Leinster hurling crown in 2013, was a steady presence at the back. Ben Coffey hardly missed a free all day and punished every mistake in the opposing rearguard, finishing with 0-9.

Chris Crummey led the line from centre-forward. He scored five points from play but his contribution ran far deeper than that.

Kilmacud settled quickly and led by 5-2 after the opening ten minutes. Once Lucan upped the intensity around the middle third they started to take control of the exchanges.

Coffey kept the scoreboard ticking over as Crokes were punished for a number of fouls in defence, particularly on Paul Crummey who served as an ideal direct option for the underdogs.

Lucan’s savage work-rate was typified by a Chris Crummey score on 26 minutes. He forced a turnover on Mark Grogan and drove a superb effort over the shoulder.

Alex Considine, Oisin O’Rorke and Caolan Conway clipped over points to leave Kilmacud one ahead at the interval having played with the strong breeze.

Lucan scored the first six points of the second period, two of them from Dublin star Crummey after Crokes lost possession in defence.

Things got worse for Kilmacud when Ronan Hayes had a tame penalty saved by Cillian Murray after Oisin O’Rorke was adjudged to have been fouled in the area.

The sight of county forward Fergal Whitely being replaced in the 42nd minute after a largely ineffective showing was another sign that Kilmacud were well below their best.

20 minutes into the second-half and Kilmacud’s stuttering attack had only scored two points, both of them O’Rorke frees. Matt Collins made a brilliant close-range save on Ciaran Dowling to keep Lucan four ahead.

At the far end in a frantic finale, Cillian Murray denied Ross O’Carroll a goal with a stunning save and then Ronan Hayes from a 21m free. On the second time of asking Hayes buried a free into the net but it wasn’t enough for Crokes to save their season.

Scorers for Lucan Sarsfields: Ben Coffey 0-9 (0-8f), Chris Crummey 0-5, Peter Kelly and Matt McCaffrey 0-1 each.

Scorers for Kilmacud Crokes: Oisin O’Rorke 0-6 (0-5f), Ronan Hayes 1-0 (1-0f), Caolan Conway and Fergal Whitely 0-2 each, Alex Considine 0-1.