Ryan’s late goal helps Ballyboden pip Kilmacud Crokes in exciting Dublin quarter-final

An injury-time goal from Paul Ryan clinched a slightly fortuitous 3-14 to 2-13 victory for Ballyboden St Enda’s over Kilmacud Crokes in their Dublin quarter-final at O’Toole Park yesterday.

Kilmacud had battled bravely to erase a six point interval deficit with both Ross O’Carroll and Rory O’Carroll finding the net but a defensive mix-up between Rob O’Loughlin and Matt Collins allowed Ryan to bring his personal tally to 2-6 over the hour.

There was a degree of fortune attached to Boden’s opening goal with Conal Keaney’s point attempt in the 17th minute deceiving Collins as it slipped from his grasp while Ryan hammered home a 20-metre free ten minutes later to help establish a 2-5 to 0-5 interval lead.

Seán McGrath kept chipping away at Kilmacud’s deficit from placed balls upon the restart and Ross O’Carroll’s superb goal in the 46th minute looked to have turned the tide for Crokes.

However, Ryan tagged on a number of frees to regain Ballyboden's momentum and his goal in added time ensured a semi-final berth for the 2011 champions.

Last four
Lucan Sarsfields joined St Enda's in the last four as they overcame a three-point interval deficit to claim an ultimately impressive 0-25 to 1-17 success over Crumlin.

Adam McGreal who shone throughout for Crumlin got the game’s solitary goal with an impeccable finish after Shane Ryan’s surging run in the 16th minute.

Trailing by 1-9 to 0-9 at the break, Lucan were far more clinical in the second-half as substitute Kevin O’Reilly hit four sublime points from play while Aidan Roche surpassed that tally with six critical scores upon the restart.

On Saturday afternoon, Alan McCrabbe struck 1-8 as Craobh Chairáin eked out a narrow 2-9 to 1-10 victory over Ballinteer St John’s in O’Toole Park.

Earlier in the day, late points by Paul Winters, Daire Plunkett and Dara Doyle saw St Brigid’s overcome St Patrick’s Palmerstown by 1-20 to 1-17.