Magical Mannion runs show as Crokes land eighth Dublin title
Players from all four provinces participated in the Dublin football final but it was ultimately a local hero, Paul Mannion, that settled the affair.
Dublin’s All-Star forward was troubled by a hamstring/back issue beforehand but played through the pain barrier to snipe a brilliant 1-6 for Kilmacud, all from play.
It was an inspirational performance from a player at the peak of his powers and ultimately lifted Crokes to their eighth county title.
Mannion had reason to dig deep as he was just 17 and missed out when they won their last Dublin title in 2010, a year after winning the All-Ireland.
He went head-to-head with former Kildare defender Ciaran Fitzpatrick and won the battle hands down.
Jude’s were appearing in just their second final and chased a maiden win with a team containing players from Cork, Sligo, Antrim and Donegal.
But they trailed from the opening score, a Mannion point, until full-time and played catch-up throughout.
It wasn’t vintage football from Crokes either but they had experienced performers in the likes of Cian O’Sullivan, Craig Dias and Pat Burke, the latter firing the first of two second-half goals.
“It’s surreal to be honest with you,” said Crokes joint-manager and former Wicklow boss Johnny Magee.
I went to a lot of places to get the experience so that when I did come back to the club, I was able to impose what I learned from all the experiences I had picked up. It’s my ninth final, won five as a player and now one as a manager, so I’m just delighted. Just to have those standards of what I was brought up with, when the likes of Robbie Leahy and Mick Pender and all these guys from ‘92 where there, we’re imposing those standards that were imposed on us.
Crokes’ reward is an AIB Leinster club championship clash with Meath’s Dunboyne on November 11.
Crokes joint-manager Robbie Brennan is a former Dunboyne player and manager and is married to Dunboyne and Meath stalwart David Gallagher’s sister.
Jude’s never truly looked like picking Crokes’ pockets and suffered from a slow start.
They came into the contest as many people’s dark horses after taking out big guns Ballymun Kickhams and 2017 winners St Vincent’s.
But they took too long to find their feet and only registered three points in the first-half.
Former Cork attacker Niall Coakley hit two of their points from frees as they struggled to impose their style.
The only reason that Crokes didn’t lead by more than 0-7 to 0-3 at half-time was because of the half dozen wides they kicked.
It wasn’t a classic contest in truth with the first-half particularly error strewn, throwing up 10 scores and 10 wides.
Mannion was the one marquee player genuinely on his game and escaped Fitzpatrick’s attentions on four occasions to hit points, all off his left foot.
Fellow Dublin forward Kevin McManamon played a deep role for Jude’s and struggled to influence the game initially though burst into life with a point seconds into the second-half.
His colleagues picked up on the greater urgency and outscored Crokes by 0-4 to 0-1 in the first nine minutes of the second-half to leave just one between them, 0-8 to 0-7.
That was as close as Jude’s got as Crokes drew on all their experience and class to respond with a match-winning 1-1 burst.
Mannion drilled the point and when Crokes won the kick-out they fed ex-Dublin and Clare forward Pat Burke who slammed in a goal after teasing his marker.
McManamon returned with a point from distance and played in sub Tom Devlin for a score that gave Jude’s hope again.
But the closest they got to Crokes in the closing stages was two points at 1-11 to 0-12.
And whatever hope they carried was snuffed out when Mannion found space to slide a low finish to the Jude’s net for Crokes’ second goal three minutes from time.
: P. Mannion (1-6); P. Burke (1-0); C. Dias, C. O’Connor (0-1 45) (0-2 each); S. Cunningham, C. Pearson (0-1 each).
: N. Coakley (0-4, 4 frees); P. Clarke (0-3, 1 free); K. McManamon (0-2); T Lahiff, G. Guckian, T. Devlin, S. Ryan (0-1 each).
: D. Nestor; L. Flatman, R. McGowan, A. McGowan; C. O’Connor, C. O’Shea, C. O’Sullivan; C. Dias, C. Casey; S. Horan, S. Cunningham, C. Pearson; D. Mullin, P. Mannion, P. Burke.
: K. Dyas for Horan (50); T. Fox for Mullin (58); S. Williams for Burke (60).
: L. Mailey; O. Mannin, C. Fitzpatrick, C. O’Reilly; T. Lahiff, N. O’Shea, C. Guckian; M. Sweeney, S. Ryan; K. Doherty, S. King, R. Joyce; N. Coakley, K. McManamon, P. Clarke.
: N. Mangan for Joyce (37); T. Devlin for King (46); B. McManamon for Doherty (50); A. Sweeney for O’Reilly (60).
: S. McCarthy (St Vincent’s).
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