Dublin SFC Semi-final UCD 1-8 Kilmacud Crokes 0-10Kilmacud Crokes surrendered their Dublin football title and aspirations of a three-in-a-row in Parnell Park last night in a fascinating contest that ultimately went with the form team.
Although only a county semi-final, the live television coverage provided by Setanta Sports was entirely justified when one considers the number of county representatives on either team. We had Laois forward Billy Sheehan being shadowed by Dublin's Paul Griffin, while Monaghan's Colm Flanagan was charged with subduing the students' Mayo full forward Austin O'Malley.
Some loose marking allowed UCD to get off to an ideal start when Louth underage star Shane Lennon was afforded three attempts before punching a goal into an open net. In fairness to his marker, Brian McGrath produced an inch-perfect tackle to deny Lennon a second goal just before half-time.
In the absence of Crokes' regular source of scores, injured duo Mark Davoren and Mark Vaughan, a complete change in tactics was required. Ray Cosgrove played a deeper role than usual and took over the free-taking duties, while defender Liam Óg Ó hEineachain produced a highly effective performance as the target man inside.
Ó hEineachain's eventual retreat into a more familiar defensive role proved costly. The sometime Dublin panellist kicked three neat points off Mayo corner back Dermot Geraghty, the third from 45 yards out.
Another approach from Crokes was to flood the middle with the Magee brothers, Johnny and Darren, and Conor Murphy to stifle the influence of Meath beanpole Mark Ward.
As tends to happen in tight quarters, there was plenty of afters and it was no surprise to see referee Paddy Power book Johnny Magee and Sheehan after both had clashed on a couple of occasions. UCD midfielder Seán Brady also went into the book after a clash with Magee.
During all this Crokes levelled the contest with scores from Cian O'Sullivan and a Cosgrove free.
Pat Burke sent the county champions in a point clear at the interval with a point which so easily could have been a goal, but Lennon continued his productive night with an equaliser that settled the second half into a tit-for-tat affair.
Burke repeated his party trick with another swashbuckling score that smashed off the crossbar but UCD manager Malachy O'Rourke merely upped the ante by introducing Offaly's most prized forward, Niall McNamee.
Crokes seemed the better bet to sneak into the final until Austin O'Malley put the students in front for the first time in 40 minutes. And then they dug in.
UCD: S Gallagher; D Geraghty, P Navin, J McCarthy; M Duffy, E Ó Cuiv, M Dunne; S Brady (0-2), M Ward; B Sheehan (0-1), S Lennon (1-1), C Rogers; P Earls, A O'Malley (0-3, three frees), C O'Dwyer (0-1). Subs: N McNamee for C O'Dwyer (38 mins), J Hanley for P Earls (61 mins), P McConway for A O'Malley (62 mins).
KILMACUD CROKES: D Nelligan; D Walsh, C Flanagan, N McGrath; B McGrath, K Nolan, P Griffin; J Magee, D Magee; C O'Sullivan (0-1), P Burke (0-2), C Murphy; L Óg Ó hEineachain (0-3), R Cosgrove (0-2, one free), D Kelleher (0-1). Subs: A Morrissey (0-1) for N McGrath (38 mins), B Phelan for C O'Sullivan (51 mins), K O'Carroll for D Kelleher (61 mins).
Referee: P Power (Parnells).
