Go-Ahead Dublin SFC semi-final
KILMACUD CROKES 1-12 NA FIANNA 0-12
By Paul Keane at Parnell Park
Kilmacud Crokes are an hour from an historic four-in-a-row of Dublin SFC titles after braving yet another intense Parnell Park encounter.
Fresh from their extra-time semi-final defeat of Ballyboden St Enda’s, a repeat of the 2023 final, Crokes this time saw off Na Fianna in a reprise of the 2022 decider.
That final two years was a tense arm wrestle and this was something similar with Mark O’Leary’s goal in first-half stoppage time for Crokes ultimately separating the teams.
Na Fianna lost defender Fiachra Potts to a red card in the 56th minute but still only trailed by two entering stoppage time.
O’Leary frustrated them again with a 62nd minute Crokes point to ensure a three-point win and an October 20 final clash with southside neighbours Cuala.
Sligo full-forward Paddy O’Connor was excellent for Crokes too with four points, guiding them to within touching distance of becoming the first Dublin club since St Vincent’s in the late 1950s/early 1960s to win four-in-a-row.
Crokes haven’t lost a game in the Dublin championship since September 2020 when they were beaten by a rampant Ballymun Kickhams during the pandemic.
They’ve won 22 of their 23 Dublin championship games since then, drawing with Thomas Davis in the final round of this year’s Group 4 campaign.
It’s not always pretty to watch, despite possessing probably the best set of forwards in club football, but their cautious approach has been mightily successful.
Since Brennan took outright control in 2020, following two seasons as a joint manager, Crokes have won three Dublin and Leinster titles and an All-Ireland.
Brennan had the luxury of drafting Dublin defender Theo Clancy into his team this time following injury while O’Connor, wearing number 19, lined out in attack along with Walsh and Dublin’s Paul Mannion.
Crokes had five points on the board – Walsh kicked two of those, one off either boot – before Na Fianna eventually opened their own account after 17 minutes.
Na Fianna reduced it to a two-point game before half-time but O’Leary’s volleyed goal after a Dara Mullin ball across goal left Crokes 1-5 to 0-3 up at the break.
Na Fianna lost former Dublin star Jonny Cooper to a 29th minute black card after referee Darren Delaney was made aware of an incident by a linesman.
Back-to-back O’Connor points stretched Crokes’ lead to six points, 1-8 to 0-5, but they seem to love a scrap and got drawn back into a dogfight.
Former Dublin forward David Lacey’s scores and the industry of Conor McHugh, another ex-county man, were central to the revival and Na Fianna cut the deficit to just two points with as many minutes remaining.
By that stage they’d lost Potts but Crokes were still happy to drag everyone back and defend deep and goalscorer O’Leary settled nerves with his late, late insurance point.
Con O’Callaghan struck eight points in yesterday’s first semi-final as Cuala defeated Ballymun Kickhams 0-16 to 1-8.
The scores were tied at 0-8 apiece with 18 minutes to go but eight Cuala scores in a row – five of which came from O’Callaghan – helped turned the screw for the side managed by ex-Mayo attacker Austin O’Malley.
It will be only a second ever final for Cuala who last appeared in the decider in 1988.
