LATE SURGE SEES KILMACUD CROKES RETAIN GO AHEAD SENIOR 1 HURLING TITLE
GO AHEAD DUBLIN SENIOR ONE HURLING CHAMPIONSHIP FINAL
KILMACUD CROKES 0-20
NA FIANNA 0-17
By Daire Walsh
Oisin O’Rorke, Ronan Hayes and Cian Ó Cathasaigh struck late points at Parnell Park on Sunday afternoon as 14-man Kilmacud Crokes completed a ‘double’ double with victory over Na Fianna in the Go Ahead Dublin Senior One Hurling Championship final.
In addition to retaining their crown at this grade, the Stillorgan club can proudly call themselves top-tier senior hurling and football champions 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.
Jointly-managed by Kieran Dowling and Donal McGovern, Crokes had enjoyed an unbeaten march to their latest championship showdown with Na Fianna. Following four consecutive wins in Group Two, the southsiders recorded an emphatic 1-21 to 0-15 triumph over Ballyboden St Enda’s at the semi-final stage.
From a Na Fianna point of view, their return to this stage was far less straightforward. While they ultimately made it to the knockout rounds of SHC1, two wins and two losses in Group One ensured Niall Ó Ceallacháin’s charges were forced to settle for third place in the final standings.
This meant they had to overcome neighbours St Vincent’s in a quarter-final before taking on Cuala in the penultimate phase. The Dalkey side had the measure of them in the group stages of the competition, but Na Fianna gained revenge with a 2-18 to 0-17 victory.
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 outfit on level terms.
Alex Considine and O’Rorke subsequently found the target to ease the pressure on Crokes, only for Murphy to respond with a 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 0-9 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 the northsiders couldn’t add to their collective tally 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 will now move into the Leinster Senior Club Hurling Championship and a quarter-final meeting with Laois representatives Clough Ballacolla at Parnell Park on November 13.
Seven-time county champions as a consequence of Sunday’s victory – four of those coming within the last decade – Crokes are yet to garner a provincial hurling title or even compete in the final stages in the east. That will be an added motivation when they eventually return to the training field to prepare for that duel with the O’Moore County men.
Scorers – Kilmacud Crokes: Oisin O’Rorke 0-9 (7f), Fergal Whitely, Alex Considine 0-2 each, Cian Mac Gabhann, CianÓ Cathasaigh, Brian Hayes, Dara Purcell, Caolan Conway, Micheal Roche, Ronan Hayes 0-1 each. Na Fianna: Donal Burke 0-11 (6f), Andrew Jamieson-Murphy 0-4, Sean Currie (s/line), Diarmuid Clerkin 0-1 each.
Kilmacud Crokes: Eddie Gibbons; Cian Mac Gabhann, Darragh Butler, Cian Ryan; Davy Crowe, Mark Grogan, CianÓ Cathasaigh; Brian Hayes, Dara Purcell; Caolan Conway, Fergal Whitely, Oisin O’Rorke; Micheal Roche, Ronan Hayes, Alex Considine. 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; Conor McHugh, Sean Burke, Donal Ryan; Sean Baxter, Liam Rushe, Sean Currie; Micheal Murphy, Peter Feeney; Colin Currie, Tom Brennan, Sean Currie; Donal Burke, Andrew Jamieson-Murphy, 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).