'Picky' Maher superb again as Clough-Ballacolla make history with win over Kilmacud
Clough-Ballacolla's Cillian Dunne and Jordan Walshe celebrate after the game
Clough Ballacolla, who only won their first game outside of Laois last month, have secured a historic AIB Leinster club SHC final spot and will wrap up a memorable year at Croke Park next weekend.
Powered on yet again by Stephen 'Picky' Maher, Declan Laffan's side led virtually from pillar to post and were full value for their big win which has guaranteed a final clash with holders Ballyhale Shamrocks or St Rynagh's.
For Laffan himself, it's a truly remarkable year as his beloved Loughmore-Castliney won a dream double in Tipperary while he guided his adopted Clough Ballacolla to county final wins in Laois in both August and November.
Now they're eyeing up a remarkable provincial win and with players like Maher, who added 1-8 to the 1-9 he struck against Rapparees in the quarter-finals, they can't be ruled out.
They led by six points at one stage and while that was whittled down to just one in the third quarter of the game, Clough Ballacolla finished strongly with points from Willie Dunphy and Maher helping to seal the win.
The hosts, buoyed by their first ever win in the provincial championship, over Rapparees of Wexford a fortnight ago, tore into the Dubliners from the off, initially overwhelming them with their brand of hungry hurling on a heavy, rain-sodden pitch.
They laid down an early marker with Maher's fifth-minute goal. He could have popped a handy point from the right but literally threw his marker Davy Crowe to the ground and burst through to fire a low finish beyond goalkeeper Eddie Gibbons.
Four points in a row then, including three from Maher, put clear daylight between the teams at the first water break, 1-6 to 0-4.
Crokes were struggling in a number of areas. Jamie Clinton, for example, was surrounded by a posse of backs and blown for overcarrying, to the delight of Maher who pointed the free.
On another occasion in the second quarter, Lorcan McMullan, wearing 13 but playing in midfield, was flattened with a huge hit from behind. It drew a free for Crokes but was also a statement of intent from the Colla.
Crokes were better in the 10 minutes or so before half-time. They opted again for a two-man full-forward line of twin towers Ronan Hayes and Alex Considine.
Between them, they'd struck 4-7 against Raharney though took their time to get into this game with Hayes suddenly coming alive late in the first-half.
He pointed one free before forcing defender Eoin Doyle to spill possession and finished off that play with another morale boosting point.
Fergal Whitely then hit his second point to leave just four between the teams at half-time, 1-9 to 0-8.
It was a manageable gap for Crokes though they would have to improve their shooting following half a dozen first-half wides.
Crokes duly adjusted their radar and recorded just one wide in the third quarter. Crucially, they outscored their opponents in this period with Oisin O'Rorke's 44th minute goal coming as a lifeline for them.
Like Maher earlier, he had no interest in taking a point and burst through the centre of the Clough-Ballacolla defence, controlling the sliotar on his hurl before volleying it beyond Cathal Dunne.
That brought the gap down to a point though a couple of Maher frees left Clough-Ballacolla 1-13 to 1-11 up at the second water break.
Crokes didn't get any closer again with Laffan's side picking off timely points in the closing minutes to remain well in control.
Stephen Maher 1-8 (0-6f), Stephen Bergin 0-3, Jordan Walshe 0-2, Aidan Corby 0-1, Brian Corby 0-1, Willie Dunphy 0-1.
Ronan Hayes 0-5 (0-4f), Oisin O'Rorke 1-1, Fergal Whitely 0-3, Caolan Conway 0-2, Cian O Cathasaigh 0-1, Marc Howard 0-1.
Cathal Dunne; Diarmaid Conway, Darren Maher, Lee Cleere; Brian Corby, Michael McEvoy, Eoin Doyle; Willie Hyland, Aidan Corby; Robbie Phelan, Jordan Walshe, Mark Hennessy; Stephen Bergin, Willie Dunphy, Stephen Maher.
Cillian Dunne for Aidan Corby 51, Ronan Broderick for McEvoy 57, Tom Delaney for Hyland 60, Sean Corby for Doyle 62.
Eddie Gibbons; Davy Crowe, Brian Sheehy, Jamie Clinton; Cian O Cathasaigh, Bill O'Carroll, Mark Grogan; Dillon Mulligan, Lorcan McMullan; Caolan Conway, Oisin O'Rorke, Fergal Whitely; Alex Considine, Ronan Hayes, Dara Purcell.
Marc Howard for McMullan 40, Padhraic Linehan for Mulligan 48, James Dillon for O'Carroll 59.
David Hughes (Kilkenny).
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