Kilmacud banking on solid defence as they plot return to final stage

In their efforts to mend the heartbreak of last February, Kilmacud Crokes have been busy making a case for the defence this season.

While the presence of Shane Walsh or the absence of Paul Mannion has tended to dominate most conversations about the Dublin champions, the Stillorgan outfit have adroitly underpinned this All-Ireland run on the foundations of a frugal defence.

Kilmacud Crokes last conceded a goal on October 2nd, in a Dublin senior football championship semi-final against Thomas Davis – who in total registered just 1-3.

They did not concede a single goal during their successful Leinster campaign, and enter Sunday’s AIB All-Ireland semi-final having not allowed a green flag be raised against them in any of their last four matches.

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In total, between their Dublin and Leinster campaigns, Robbie Brennan’s side have shipped just three goals. Their average concession rate per game over both championships in 2022 was just 8.4 points.

The highest score put up against Crokes all season was 0-14 by Naas in the Leinster quarter-final. Portarlington managed only 0-4 in the provincial semi-final, The Downs just 0-8 in the decider.

“We have put a lot of work into our defence,” says wing-back Andrew McGowan.

“It’s not the back six that we regard as our defence, it’s the whole team. So, it’s team defence and team offence. The only way we are doing so well at the back is because the lads are doing such a great press forward.

“It’s working the whole team as a unit and the more we play together the better we get at it and the more we build chemistry, know each other’s movements.

“I think it’s all just down to the hard work that’s put in out on the pitch and that just allows us as defenders to really be the best defenders we can be.”

Kerins O’Rahilly’s defence certainly hasn’t been as watertight; they conceded a goal in both their Munster semi-final and final wins.

They also shipped three across their five Kerry club championship games, while in the Kerry senior county championship they were hit for nine goals in just three matches.

But then Kilmacud Crokes have their reasons for adopting a Scrooge-like mentality at the back, for affairs of the heart cut deepest. The hurt of the loss to Kilcoo last February remains raw.

There was a danger the trauma of that All-Ireland final defeat could have consumed the group to a point of bitterness that froze them in time, leaving them forever back there watching Kilcoo score that goal. It was one of the most devastating defeats suffered by any team in an All-Ireland final.

But, to their credit, Crokes have dealt with it practically rather than emotionally so far this season – most notably in how they have become miserly in giving up scores, particularly goals.

“We take every game step by step, but unfortunately you can’t escape the memory of what happened,” adds McGowan.

“The main thing you can do is just channel it and use it as the energy that you put in towards the next game, be it the stuff you do on the pitch or the stuff you do off the pitch.

“Looking back on last year, and what we felt we could have done, I feel like it’s haunted us for quite a bit. Obviously, you can’t think about it all the time but if you channel it to the things that you do, then I think we’re trying to get success out of that.

“If we don’t learn lessons and implement them then we’re going to go through exactly the same thing that has happened before. That whole thing about managing games just comes from the experience of having those tough losses.”

Those tough losses. The Mullinalaghta defeat is another of the scars carried by this Kilmacud team. They conceded 1-2 in the closing stages of the 2018 Leinster final to suffer a shock defeat to the Longford side.

Crokes were unbackable favourites that day and for this Sunday’s match against their Tralee opponents they are seen as 1-10 on by some bookmakers.

“The first thing that comes to mind is that they’re a big, physical team. They have fielders throughout the pitch and they have danger men who we need to keep a close eye on or we could leave ourselves vulnerable,” adds McGowan.

“When you look back against Mullinalaghta, we were heavy favourites for them at the time. I think it’s the last time I ever actually looked up odds on any game ever.”

The Kerry champions will certainly ask different questions of the Kilmacud defence. Tommy Walsh has been a wrecking ball on the edge of the square and that route one approach is sure to be part of O’Rahilly’s game plan at Croke Park on Sunday.

Crokes will be hoping Shane Walsh can maintain his sensational form at the other end of the field, while Paul Mannion continues to push towards a comeback from injury having resumed light training with the team.

“Yeah, he’s back on the pitch and he’s back doing runs,” says McGowan.

But while Walsh and Mannion may still be viewed as the kingmakers, Kilmacud’s castle is very much built on the foundations of their defence.

Sunday: AIB All-Ireland club senior football semi-final: Kerins O’Rahilly’s (Kerry) v Kilmacud Crokes (Dublin), Croke Park, 1.30pm (Live on TG4)