Kilmacud Crokes hang on to deny Glen and clinch All-Ireland glory
Kilmacud Crokes' Shane Cunningham lifts the trophy. Picture: INPHO/Ryan Byrne
An outstanding Conor Ferris save at the death was vital in Kilmacud Crokes securing their third All-Ireland SFC title this afternoon.
In front of a 22,890 Croke Park attendance, late scores from substitute Cian O’Connor and Shane Walsh (free) had put Crokes in the driving seat against a stout Glen effort.
However, it required Ferris’ agility to deny Conor Glass a goal in stoppage time, and it was poetic redemption for the Kilmacud Crokes goalkeeper after his difficulties against Kilcoo in last year’s final.
Twice, Glen went into two-point leads in the third quarter only to be clawed back each time. They had been two behind early in the second half but rattled off four in a row, the first point ending over 20 minutes without a score, to come roaring back into the game.
However, Glen didn’t score for the last 16 minutes of this final. A Walsh free brought Crokes level in the 51st minute and O’Connor put them a point up five minutes later. Walsh duly obliged with another free when another replacement Shane Horan was fouled and it was just about enough for them to claim the Andy Merrigan Cup.
Thirty-five seconds into the game and Glen had raised a green flag. Danny Tallon dummied and then turned his marker Micheál Mullin and shaking off Cillian O’Shea to finish strongly past Ferris. A couple of minutes later, Alex Doherty was splitting the posts and the Watty Grahams men were up and running.
Craig Dias and Tallon (free) swapped scores before Emmet Bradley swung over a left-footed effort to push Glen into a five-point lead in the 15th minute.
And yet they failed to score for the rest of the half as Crokes turned the screw both in terms of possession and scoring opportunities. They produced nine in 16 minutes, converting six of them.
Paul Mannion looked rusty and finished the half with three misses, two wides and hitting a post from a free, but outside of him and Shane Walsh the Crokes attack was humming. The combination of Dara Mullin and Shane Cunningham earned their side a penalty in the 15th minute, Ryan Dougan bringing down Crokes captain Cunningham.
Walsh dispatched the penalty kick with aplomb and when Mullin sent over a 19th minute effort the margin was a solitary point. Dias and Ben Shovlin were outshining the more vaunted Glen midfield duo and the sides were on level terms in the 25th minute when Cunningham combined nicely with Hugh Kenny to point.
A beautiful Dan O’Brien point in the 27th point was the last of the half and Crokes were most deserving of their half-time advantage, 1-4 to 1-3.
: S. Walsh (1-3, 1-0 pen, 0-3 frees); S. Cunningham, D. Mullin (0-2 each); C. Dias, D. O’Brien, P. Mannion (free), C. O’Connor (0-1 each).
D. Tallon (1-3, 0-2 frees); A. Doherty (1 mark), E. Bradley (1 free) (0-2 each); J. Doherty, C. McGuckian (0-1 each).
: C. Ferris; D. O’Brien, T. Clancy, M. Mullin; C. O’Shea, R. O’Carroll, A. McGowan; B. Shovlin, C. Dias; A. Jones, S. Walsh, D. Mullin; P. Mannion, H. Kenny, S. Cunningham (c).
Subs for Kilmacud Crokes: C. O’Connor for H. Kenny (47); S. Horan for A. Jones (50); L. Ward for S. Cunningham (57); T. Fox for P. Mannion, C. Casey for D. Mullin (both 60+3);
: C. Bradley; C. Mulholland, R. Dougan, C. Carville (c); T. Flannagan, M. Warnock, E. Mulholland; C. Glass, E. Bradley; E. Doherty, J. Doherty, C. Convery; C. McGuckian, A. Doherty, D. Tallon.
Subs for Glen: S. O’Hara for C. Convery (37); P. Gunning for A. Doherty (59).
: D. O’Mahoney (Tipperary).
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