Na Fianna undone again as Crokes seal ‘double’ double

By Daire Walsh at Parnell Park

Kilmacud Crokes 0-20 Na Fianna 0-17

Oisin O’Rorke, Ronan Hayes and Cian Ó Cathasaigh struck late points at Parnell Park this afternoon as 14-man Kilmacud Crokes completed a ‘double’ double with victory over Na Fianna in the Dublin SHC final.

In addition to retaining their crown at this grade, the Stillorgan club can call themselves top-tier senior hurling and football champions in the capital for a second year in succession.

Having lost out to the same opposition in both the 2021 decider and last weekend’s big ball showpiece, this game represented further heartbreak for Na Fianna at the hands of their southside counterparts.

Following early traded efforts between Fergal Whitely and Dublin senior hurler Donal Burke, Crokes took control with unanswered points from O’Rorke (two), Micheal Roche and Alex Considine. However, Sean Currie superbly split the uprights off a sideline cut on 13 minutes and this helped to ignite the Na Fianna challenge.

Even though Whitely added his second of the half, an Andrew Jamieson-Murphy single was supplemented by three points from the excellent Burke to bring the Glasnevin men on level terms.

Alex Considine and O’Rorke subsequently found the target to ease the pressure on Crokes, only for Murphy to respond with another fine score from close-range.

Despite conceding another free to O’Rorke, Na Fianna restored parity towards the end of the opening period courtesy of an eye-catching brace of points by Burke.

A fifth score from dead-ball specialist O’Rorke gave Crokes a slender 0-10 to 0-09 cushion at the interval, but Na Fianna were the dominant side during the third quarter.

In addition to 0-4 from the increasingly-influential Burke, Jamieson-Murphy (two) and Diarmuid Clerkin raised white flags to move Na Fianna three clear (0-16 to 0-13) of the holders.

Brian Hayes, Caolan Conway and Cian Mac Gabhann had kept Crokes in touch during this juncture, however, and their deficit was wiped out when O’Rorke (two) and Dara Purcell posted scores in quick succession.

Na Fianna regained the initiative on 51 minutes with Burke’s 11th point of the day, but Niall Ó Ceallacháin’s charges were scoreless for the remainder of the action.

O’Rorke’s latest two-point salvo edged Crokes back into the ascendancy and despite losing Considine to a straight red card with two minutes left in normal time, impressive contributions from Hayes and Ó Cathasaigh ultimately got them over the line.

Kilmacud Crokes: Eddie Gibbons; Cian Mac Gabhann (0-01), Darragh Butler, Cian Ryan; Davy Crowe, Mark Grogan, Cian Ó Cathasaigh (0-01); Brian Hayes (0-01), Dara Purcell (0-01); Caolan Conway (0-01), Fergal Whitely (0-02), Oisin O’Rorke (0-09, 0-07f); Micheal Roche (0-01), Ronan Hayes (0-01), Alex Considine (0-02).

Subs: Brendan Scanlon for Conway (45), Rob O’Loughlin for Roche (47), Bill O’Carroll for Ryan (55), Fionn O Ceallaigh for Purcell (59), Ronan Costello for Brian Hayes (67).

Na Fianna: Jonathan Tracey; Sean Burke, Conor McHugh, Hugh Fenlon; Donal Ryan, Liam Rushe, Diarmuid Clerkin (0-01); Micheal Murphy, Peter Feeney; Colin Currie, Tom Brennan, Sean Currie (0-01, 0-01 s/line); Donal Burke (0-11, 0-06f), Andrew Jamieson-Murphy (0-04), Feargal Breathnach.

Subs: Sean Baxter for Brennan (26), Sean Ryan for Murphy (51), Matthew Oliver for Ryan (55), Shane Barrett for Jamieson-Murphy (59).

Referee: Thomas Gleeson (Naomh Fionnbarra).