Con O'Callaghan leads Cuala into first Dublin SFC final since 1988

They'll face holders Kilmacud Crokes or Na Fianna in their second-ever eppearance in the showpiece.

Con O'Callaghan of Cuala celebrates with supporters after the Dublin SFC semi-final at Parnell Park. Pic: Ben McShane/Sportsfile

Dublin senior football championship semi-final: Cuala 0-16 Ballymun Kickhams 1-8 

Dublin star Con O'Callaghan is within 60 minutes of adding another prized medal to his already monstrous collection.

The six-time All-Ireland winner with the Sky Blues oozed quality and struck eight points at Parnell Park as Cuala qualified for their first county SFC final since 1988.

They will be chasing a maiden title on Sunday, October 20 in just their second ever final appearance, against holders Kilmacud Crokes or Na Fianna, and will have to fancy their chances after a breakthrough campaign.

They used their aggressive press to their advantage yet again to conquer 2020 champions Ballymun and turned the screw in a period of second-half dominance when they reeled off eight points in a row.

All-Star nominee O'Callaghan, an All-Ireland club hurling medal winner already, scored five of those points as the Dalkey outfit surged clear.

Ballymun, managed by former Laois player Greg Ramsbottom, were level with 18 minutes to go but had no answer thereafter to the power play of a Cuala side guided by ex-Mayo forward Austin O'Malley.

Cuala approached this semi-final as favourites having won their previous four championship games with a combined 48 points to spare.

Ballymun, meanwhile, had adopted a more cautious approach of soaking up whatever the opposition could throw at them and pouncing on the break, averaging out at 15 points per game.

All of which made for an intriguing game of cat and mouse with Ballymun conceding and stepping off every single kick-out of Cuala's in the first-half.

The south Dubliners, in contrast, pushed up hard on the Ballymun kick-out at the clubhouse end and reaped a rich reward from it.

O'Callaghan's 23rd minute point for Cuala was followed by scores from Luke Keating and O'Callaghan again, both of which came off turnovers on the subsequent Ballymun kick-outs.

Neither side looked like running away with it initially though and it was no great surprise that Cuala held a narrow 0-7 to 0-6 half-time lead.

They were level at 0-7 and then 0-8 apiece in the third quarter but it was all Cuala after that with that eight-point blitz killing the contest.

The scoring burst came between the 42nd and 56th minutes, leaving Ballymun's late goal from Dean Robertson as mere consolation.

Cuala scorers: C O'Callaghan (0-8, 6 frees, 1 mark); L Keating (1 free), N O'Callaghan (0-2 each); C Dunne, C Doran, C Groarke, C O'Brien (0-1 each).

Ballymun Kickhams scorers: D Robertson (1-0); R Bolger, D Rock (2 frees), J McCarthy (0-2 each); D Leonard, P Small (0-1 each).

Cuala: R Scollard; D Conroy, C McMorrow, E O'Callaghan; E Kennedy, M Fitzsimons, D O'Dowd; P O Cofaigh Byrne, P Duffy; J Power, C O'Callaghan, C Doran; L Keating, N O'Callaghan, C O Giollain.

Subs: C Dunne for Duffy (7); M Conroy for D Conroy (34); C Mulally for Power (36); C Groarke for Keating (47); C O'Brien for O Giollain (55).

Ballymun Kickhams: S Currie; E Dolan, L Young, E Hill; C Tighe, J Small, D Leonard; J McCarthy, A Elliot; D Robertson, P Small, C McCormack; D Byrne, R Bolger, D Rock.

Subs: F Andrews for J Small (20-26); Andrews for Elliot & D Conlon for Dolan (h/t); D Keating for Byrne (46); C McManus for Leonard (52); A Hubbard for Tighe (60).

Ref: D Stynes (St Peregrines).