Scoring cameo for Shane Walsh in Kilmacud Crokes rout

The Galway star was held in reserve until coming on in the 42nd minute

Kilmacud’s Shane Walsh with fans after the game

Dublin SFC: Kilmacud Crokes 3-25 Templeogue Synge Street 1-6 

It was a tale of two All-Stars, and one soon to be All-Star, as holders Kilmacud Crokes cruised through to the quarter-finals of the Dublin SFC.

Paul Mannion's return to competitive action - this was his first game for Crokes since last December's Leinster club SFC semi-final - yielded 0-9 while former Dublin defender Rory O'Carroll slammed two first-half goals.

As welcome as Mannion's return was after, initially, a knee injury and then a summer spent in Boston with the local Donegal club, and as surprising as O'Carroll's first and second goals as a senior footballer for Crokes were - both off his left foot too - it will still go down as the day Shane Walsh made his Crokes debut.

The Galway star, a shoo-in for his first All-Star award after a thrilling season with the Tribesmen, was held in reserve until coming on in the 42nd minute to make his bow for the beaten 2021/2022 All-Ireland finalists.

Naturally, the switch of a player from an intermediate club in Galway, Kilkerrin-Clonberne, to one of the biggest and most successful senior sides in the capital, has irked plenty but with the paperwork all processed, Walsh has ploughed on undeterred.

Within two minutes the Dublin based attacker placed Mannion with a pass that secured a free for Crokes, allowing Tom Fox to stroke over.

In the 56th minute, Walsh then grabbed a score for himself - his first ever at Parnell Park as it happens.

It was textbook stuff from the man who hit Kerry for nine points in July's All-Ireland final, neatly evading his man with a dummy solo off his left foot and switching back onto his right to split the posts.

Crokes, who led 2-12 to 1-2 at half-time against a Templeogue Synge Street side containing Dublin duo Niall Scully and Lorcan O'Dell, went on to win by a massive 25-point margin.

With three wins from three, they are through to the quarter-finals of the Dublin SFC as Group 1 winners.

Dara Mullin finished with 1-3 for Robbie Brennan's side and slotted home their third goal in the 47th minute.

Clearly there will be bigger tasks ahead but Crokes, with a dozen different scorers on the day and their new recruit now firmly embedded in the group, look well placed to take on all comers.

Kilmacud Crokes: P Mannion (0-9, 4 frees); R O'Carroll (2-0); D Mullin (1-3, 0-1 mark); S Cunningham (0-4, 1 mark); T Fox (0-2, 2 frees); D O'Brien, C O'Shea, H Kenny, C Dias, S Walsh, C O'Connor, B Shovlin (0-1).

Templeogue Synge Street: G Vickery (1-1, 0-1 mark); N Scully (0-2, 1 free); K O'Gara, L O'Dell, F Dignam (0-1, '45).

Kilmacud Crokes: C Ferris; R McGowan, M Mullin, D O'Brien; C O'Shea, R O'Carroll, A McGowan; C Casey, C Dias; T Fox, P Mannion, S Horan; H Kenny, D Mullin, S Cunningham.

Subs: C O'Connor for Horan (38); S Walsh for Kenny (42); B Shovlin for Dias (45); J Murphy for M Mullin (50); D Jones for Fox (54).

Templeogue Synge Street: M Fitzgerald; R Power, A O'Toole, B Dignam; C Cunningham, B Waldron, K Hughes; N Scully, K O'Gara; C McKiernan, S Cooney, G Vickery; F Dignam, L O'Dell, G Canavan.

Subs: D Lowry for Cunningham (h/t); S McConnell for Dignam (55); N Duffy for Waldron (56); S McGovern for Power (59).

Ref: I Howley.