Kilmacud Crokes 2-15
Raheny 2-15
AET; Kilmacud Crokes win 5-4 on penalties
Paul Keane reports from Parnell Park
FORMER OFFALY FORWARD Shane Horan was Kilmacud Crokes’ spot-kick hero in a dramatic Parnell Park penalty shoot-out, sending the All-Ireland club title holders through to the Dublin SFC decider.
In a marathon semi-final encounter that finished all square after extra-time, three-in-a-row chasing Crokes eventually came good in a nerve jangling shoot-out.
Hugh Kenny, Paul Mannion, Shane Walsh and Dan O’Brien all converted their kicks for Crokes, and with Sean Grenham having earlier booted Raheny’s second penalty over the bar, the stage was set for Horan to send his team through with the successful fifth kick.
Horan took full advantage and booked Crokes’ place in the decider in a fortnight against the winners of tomorrow’s second semi-final between Ballyboden St Endas and St Judes.
Raheny have never won the county title and were bidding to secure their first final place since 1970 but came up just short despite some dramatic interventions in both normal and extra-time.
It took a 63rd minute Luke Ward goal for Crokes just to secure extra-time with Darren Lunney the Raheny hero, earlier converting a penalty which had left Crokes right up against it.
Lunney also forced penalties with the equalising point in the 83rd minute but that proved to be the end of the line for Raheny who had Dublin star Brian Fenton at midfield.
Galway star Shane Walsh finished with four points for Crokes though didn’t actually start the game and wore a protective mask on his face when he came on following an injury apparently picked up late in the defeat of Ballymun Kickhams.
Former Footballer of the Year nominee Walsh wasn’t the only high profile absentee from the Crokes lineup as Dublin midfielder Craig Dias missed out entirely through injury.
Dublin great Rory O’Carroll and Mark O’Leary formed a makeshift midfield partnership for the Glenalbyn men who hit the interval trailing by two points.
Raheny were seeking to qualify for just a third final in the club’s history and initially trailed by 0-2 to 0-4 with Mannion accounting for two of the leaders’ scores.
But five Raheny points in a row between the 17th and 30th minutes changed the game and left the north Dublin side in a strong position at the interval.
Cian Ivers kicked two of those Raheny points while Mayo man Rob Hennelly strode forward from goals to convert a free with Lunney and Dublin defender Sean MacMahon also on the mark.
Alan McLoughlin extended Raheny’s lead early in the second-half before Crokes put together a terrific passing move from a turnover to eventually work a 35th minute palmed goal for Hugh Kenny.
Walsh was on the pitch by that stage having come on at half-time for former Offaly attacker Shane Horan.
Walsh nailed three points for Crokes – two of his left foot, one off his right – with the third of those coming in the 45th minute to leave Crokes 1-10 to 0-10 clear.
It was all looking typically Crokes-like having won their previous four championship games so far this season by relatively narrow three, six, three and four-point margins.
Crokes rarely do high scoring games these days either and the good money appeared to be on them closing out this one in controlled fashion.
They didn’t though and Raheny hauled themselves right back into it before remarkably pushing three points clear in stoppage time.
They outscored Crokes by 1-4 to 0-1 between the 46th and 62nd minutes, Lunney firstly winning a stoppage time penalty for Raheny before converting it.
Raheny, leading by 1-14 to 1-11, looked to be on the verge of a landmark result but Crokes somehow clawed back an equalising goal, working a quick free kick to the excellent Cian O’Connor who fed Andrew McGowan before Ward was eventually played in to blast the equaliser.
Crokes dominated the opening half of extra-time with points from Dara Mullin, O’Connor and free-taker Walsh, leaving them 2-14 to 1-14 clear at the interval.
Once again, we presumed the ultra experienced Stillorgan side would see it out comfortably but Raheny wiped out the deficit with a 73rd minute Ivers goal.
Crokes ‘keeper Conor Ferris failed to deal with a high delivery which dropped invitingly for Ivers who spun and kicked to the net.
Mannion nudged Crokes ahead again from a free but Lunney’s 83rd minute leveller tied it up yet again and forced that penalty shoot-out.
Kilmacud Crokes scorers: Hugh Kenny 1-1 (0-1m), Shane Walsh 0-4 (0-3f), Luke Ward 1-0, Paul Mannion 0-3 (0-2f), Mark O’Leary 0-2, Dara Mullin 0-2, Cian O’Connor 0-2, Liam Flatman 0-1.
Raheny scorers: Darren Lunney 1-5 (1-0 pen, 0-1f), Cian Ivers 1-3 (0-1m, 0-1f), Alan McLoughlin 0-2, Rob Hennelly 0-1 (0-1f), Sean Grenham 0-1, Sean MacMahon 0-1, Brian Talty 0-1, Adam McAweeney 0-1.
KILMACUD CROKES
1. Conor Ferris
2. James Murphy, 4. Dan O’Brien, 3. Theo Clancy
5. Cian O’Connor, 17. Liam Flatman, 8. Andrew McGowan
9. Rory O’Carroll, 7. Mark O’Leary
6. Aidan Jones, 13. Paul Mannion, 14. Dara Mullin
15. Hugh Kenny, 29. Shane Cunningham, 10. Shane Horan
SUBS
22. Shane Walsh for Horan (h/t)
12. Darragh Dempsey for Cunningham (48)
23. Brian Sheehy for Flatman (48)
18. Luke Ward for Kenny (53)
Horan for McGowan (69)
21. Jeff Kenny for Murphy (74)
RAHENY
1. Rob Hennelly
4. Glen McNamara, 5. Darren Byrne, 3. Sean MacMahon
7. Rutherson Real, 28. Jack Fagan, 2. Ben McHugh
8. Brian Fenton, 9. Brian Talty
12. Alan McLoughlin, 11. Paddy Reid, 13. Cian Ivers
19. James O’Kane, 14. Sean Grenham, 15. Darren Lunney
SUBS
10. Sean McCarthy for Reid (40)
6. David Shatwell for Fagan (50)
26. Adam McAweeney for McLoughlin (52)
27. Liam Fahy for O’Kane (61)
O’Kane for Lunney (h/t e/t)
Lunney for Shatwell (81)
Referee: Colm McCarthy.
