Parnell Park promises a feast of football this weekend
Kilmacud Crokes are going for their fourth Go Ahead Ireland Dublin Senior Football title on the bounce this Autumn, but Na Fianna stand in their way on Sunday at Parnell Park.
Crokes have been driven on by an embarrassment of riches up front, with Dublin star Paul Mannion alongside Galway native Shane Walsh, whose extra-time salvo of 1-1 saw the Stillorgan men past Ballyboden – after extra time – in the quarter-finals. Both Mannion and Walsh are former All-Star winners who have lit up the inter-county games biggest stage.
Robbie Brennan, the Stillorgan side’s manager, will be taking over the Meath football job later this year, so he’ll want to end his time with the club he played for as a child by claiming the ultimate prize. All of that, granted, is a long way away yet.
Kilmacud’s route to the semi-final:
Group
Kilmacud Crokes 2-15 Skerries Harps 3-10
Kilmacud Crokes 0-17 St Vincents 0-08
Kilmacud Crokes 0-11 Thomas Davis 1-08
Quarter-final: Kilmacud Crokes 1-17 Ballyboden St. Enda’s 0-13 (AET)
Image: Eamon OCallaghan
Na Fianna have also shown that they’re up for the battle as they recovered from a slow start against Clontarf – trailing to an early Jack McCaffrey goal – to win pulling up by five points.
Na Fianna’s route to the semi-final:
Group
Na Fianna 1-17 Raheny 1-13
Na Fianna 0-18 Castleknock 2-10
Na Fianna 1-20 Lucan Sarsfields 4-11
Quarter-final: Na Fianna 1-20 Clontarf 1-15
Before all that at County HQ, it’s Ballymun against Cuala on Saturday evening.
Kickhams are a side stuffed full of household names – the Small brothers John and Paddy, James McCarthy, and a former King of the Hill, one Dean Rock. It’s just four years since the northsiders last claimed the county title, and yet there’s a feeling that a squad with the quality of player the club has produced over the years has left a title or two behind them.
Ballymun Kickhams’ route to the semi-final:
Group
Ballymun Kickhams 1-12 Ballyboden St. Enda’s 1-11
Ballymun Kickhams 2-11 Ballinteer St John’s 0-13
Ballymun Kickhams 1-15 St Sylvester’s 0-08
Quarter-final: Ballymun Kickhams 0-10 St Vincents 1-05
But opponents Cuala have arguably been the most impressive of all the four semi-finalists, winning their four games so far by a combined total of 48 points.
Those of a Sky Blue persuasion would say they’ve the best forward in the country in Con O’Callaghan, while Mick Fitzsimons – who is yet to publicly declare his Dublin intentions for 2025 – is a rock in defence.
Image: Shay Hogan
The Dalkey club have only reached the senior football final once, and you have to go back to 1988 for that, so this is a real opportunity for this group of players to write themselves into the folklore of the club.
Cuala’s route to the semi-final:
Group
Cuala 2-14 Clontarf 1-12
Cuala 2-15 St Judes 0-08
Cuala 4-21 Fingallians 0-09
Quarter-finals: Cuala 2-13 Castleknock 1-10
Dublin star Cian Murphy, who has faced much of the top talent on show this weekend, says Crokes can be stopped in their tracks having seen the Stillorgan men up close in Thomas Davis’ group stage draw with the defending champions.
“Kilmacud are one of the best teams in the country, they’re going for four in a row now,” he said this week as FM104 was announced as the Official Dublin GAA Media Partner.
“We had them on the ropes of a good bit of the game, it’s just unfortunate that we couldn’t get over the line. That’s what makes them the champions, they’re just so hard to beat.”
Asked on who might take the county title this year in Dublin, Murphy added,” I’m going to sit on the fence a little bit, you could flip a coin.
“That Na Fianna v Kilmacud game is really up for grabs. If I had to put my money down I’d go for Cuala as a bit of an outsider.”
