DUBLIN SFC: Group Three​​

BALLYMUN KICKHAMS………1-12

THOMAS DAVIS……………….1-10

Daire Walsh

Dean Rock kicked five points coming off the bench at Parnell Park on Friday evening to squeeze champions Ballymun Kickhams past Thomas Davis in Group Three of the Dublin Senior One Football Championship.

The underdogs heading into this contest, Davis were on course to claim the scalp of their Northside rivals after creating a 1-9 to 1-4 cushion in the 41st-minute of the action. However, this was the cue for Brendan Hackett’s holders to flex their muscles and seven-time Celtic Cross winner Rock was at the heart of their revival.

Held in reserve as he continues to nurse his way back from a finger injury, the 31-year-old attacker’s dead-ball prowess helped ’Mun to turn the table on their Tallaght opponents. Eoin Kirby, Dublin senior hurler Davy Keogh and Seán Farrelly all stood out for Davis, and while this result will come as a disappointment, the 2019 finalists will feel a knockout spot is within their grasp.

While Rock initially took his place on the bench for this game – and Paddy Small was ruled out – Ballymun were able to call upon inter-county stars Evan Comerford, John Small and James McCarthy. A fourth-minute point from Fiach Andrews ensured it was a bright start for the title holders before Davis came roaring into the contest.

Eoin Kirby (mark) and Stephen O’Beirne Braiden kicked back-to-back points in advance of Keogh’s superb goal at the end of a blistering run on seven minutes. Having upset the odds on several occasions two years ago, the Kiltipper side were eager to do the same here.

Farrelly enhanced their cushion with a well-worked score, but ’Mun eventually responded at the opposite end. Jason Whelan tapped the ball over after Andrews had hammered a shot against the crossbar and Comerford ventured forward to convert a 40-metre free.

Although Ryan Deegan kicked a fine point on the run to give Davis a 1-4 to 0-3 buffer at the first water break, ’Mun looked set to burst into life when they were awarded a penalty on 19 minutes. However, Dillon Keating’s resulting strike drifted past the left-hand upright. Kirby added a second point that could very easily have wound up in the net, but ’Mun eventually raised a green flag in the 27th minute.

Cameron McCormack carried the ball at pace through the Davis defence and passed off to Anton Swan for a smooth close-range finish. Despite this setback, Farrelly popped up with another point to offer the challengers a 1-6 to 1-3 advantage heading into the interval.

Though Mark Nolan and Andrews traded points on the restart, Davis reinforced their authority with a brace of Kirby frees. Rock entered the fray on the stroke of 40 minutes, however, and this coincided with a significant energy surge from ’Mun.

Either side of the second-half water break, the three-time All-Star was accurate off three placed balls to bring his side firmly into contention. ’Mun were starting to get on top around the middle-third, helped by Comerford positioning himself out the field for a succession of opposition kick-outs.

A Ciarán McManus point reduced the gap to the bare minimum, but Davis attacker Nolan showed considerable mettle when converting a 40-metre free on 54 minutes. Yet, this was their final score of the tie as Ballymun pushed on to claim the two points on offer.

Brian Ashton’s fisted effort was sandwiched between two frees by Rock and after being picked out superbly by the latter, Andrew McCaul kicked an insurance score off a stoppage-time mark.

Scorers – Ballymun Kickhams: D Rock 0-5 (5f), A Swan 1-0, F Andrews 0-2 (1f), E Comerford (f), A McCaul (mark), J Whelan, B Ashton, C McManus 0-1 each. Thomas Davis: E Kirby 0-4 (2f, 1 mark), D Keogh 1-0, M Nolan (2f), S Farrelly 0-2 each, R Deegan,S O’Beirne Braiden 0-1 each.

BALLYMUN KICKHAMS: E Comerford; D Conlon, E Dolan, A Hubbard; C Keeley, J Small, L Young; J McCarthy, C McCormack; C O’Tighe, F Andrews, A Swan; J Whelan, D Keating, L O’Donovan. Subs: D Robertson for Hubbard (22-25, blood), Robertson for O’Donovan, D Rock for Keating (both 40), A McCaul for Whelan (45), C McManus for O’Tighe (48), B Ashton for Swan (49).

THOMAS DAVIS: R Crilly; A Fallon, A Shorten,G Carruth; D Keogh, S Kennedy, C Murphy; E Conroy,E Lambert; C Sallier, S Farrelly, M Nolan; S O’Beirne Braiden, E Kirby, R Deegan. Subs: J Lambert for E Lambert (12), E O’Toole for Sallier (44), A Waddick for Carruth (51), S McGrath for O Beirne Braiden (53).

MENTORS – Ballymun Kickhams: Brendan Hackett, Barney Rock, James McCartan, Simon Lawlor, Eoin Carroll. Thomas Davis: Ciaran Farrelly, Kevin O’Donovan, Bobby McNulty.
REFEREE: Dave Aston (Naomh Mearnog).
WIDES – Ballymun Kickhams: 2 (1+1). Thomas Davis: 3 (1+2).

CONDITIONS: Dry throughout with only a gentle breeze.

PLAYER OF THE MATCH: Sean Farrelly (Thomas Davis).