Kilmacud make it a back-to-back championship success in more ways than one

Daire Walsh

DUBLIN SHC1 FINAL

KILMACUD CROKES…….0-20

NA FIANNA……………0-17

Oisín O’Rorke struck nine points at Parnell Park on Sunday afternoon to ensure Kilmacud Crokes defeated Na Fianna in a Dublin Senior One Hurling Championship final for the second year in succession.

Extra-time winners at the expense of the Glasnevin men in the 2021 decider, Crokes came from behind in the second half to hold onto their crown. Their footballing counterparts also defeated Na Fianna in the SFC1 showpiece at the same venue seven days earlier, which means that the Stillorgan club have completed back-to-back top-tier championship successes in the capital.

Their opponents had threatened to spoil the party for large stretches of the action with Dublin senior star Donal Burke (0-11) and AJ Murphy (0-4) in sparkling scoring form. Their quest for a first title at this grade will continue into 2023, but this Na Fianna group can nonetheless reflect positively on another memorable campaign at the top table of Dublin hurling.

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 level 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.

Buoyed by this impressive display, the northside outfit attacked with plenty of gusto during the early exchanges. However, their accuracy let them down at times and consequently left the door open for Crokes.

Although Fergal Whitely and Burke traded points, Kilmacud created daylight with unanswered efforts from O’Rorke (two), Micheal Roche and Alex Considine. Na Fianna could ill-afford to let Crokes build up a head of steam and Sean Currie’s supremely-crafted sideline cut on 13 minutes was the catalyst for their own mini scoring blitz.

Burke and Murphy pointed in clinical fashion to reduce the gap to a bare minimum and even though Whitely’s second of the day briefly halted their march, Na Fianna came back for more. After knocking over a free on the left-flank, Burke added a point from play in the 18th-minute to bring his side back level.

Considine and O’Rorke scores eased any nerves Crokes might have been experiencing. and after Murphy and O’Rorke swapped points, another Burke double looked set to leave the teams inseparable at the break.

That was until O’Rorke split the uprights with a fifth free to offer Crokes a slender 0-10 to 0-9 interval buffer.

Na Fianna had registered eight wides in the opening period and will feel they should have been level at the very least on the restart. At the same time, Crokes amassed five wides and there was plenty more left in the tank from the holders.

There were strong defensive performances at either end of the pitch with Kilmacud’s Mark Grogan, as well as Na Fianna duo Liam Rushe and Conor McHugh (who scored two points in the previous weekend’s football final), aiding their respective sides’ efforts. Crokes did increase their advantage through Brian Hayes when play resumed, but the Burke-inspired Na Fianna sent out a message of intent in the third-quarter.

Dublin’s sole All Star hurling nominee for 2022, Burke added three points in two minutes. Another Murphy single enhanced their prospects and in spite of Caolan Conway adding his name to the scoresheet, Crokes found themselves in danger of relinquishing their crown.

Supplementing additional contributions from Burke (free) and Murphy, Diarmuid Clerkin was on hand to take up the scoring burden with an excellent 44th-minute point. This moved Na Fianna four clear (0-16 to 0-12) and within sight of the breakthrough win they craved.

Yet the true mark of champions is how they respond in adversity and Crokes delivered in spades. Cian Mac Gabhann broke forward from defence to post a much-needed point, in advance of O’Rorke splitting the uprights either side of a Dara Purcell score.

This restored parity on 49 minutes and even though Burke’s 11th point edged Na Fianna back into the ascendancy moments later, Crokes had rediscovered their groove.

While Eddie Gibbons produced a superb save to tip a Sean Baxter strike onto the crossbar, another two-point salvo from O’Rorke had them in the driving seat with the final whistle approaching. The 58th-minute dismissal of Considine on a straight red card left them hamstrung, but a resolute Crokes made light of their numerical deficiency.

Though Baxter had another effort that was inches wide of the target, Ronan Hayes (scorer of 1-14 in last year’s decider) and Cian Ó Cathasaigh fired between the posts deep into stoppage-time to get Crokes over the line with three points to spare.

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.

Matchfile

Scorers – Kilmacud Crokes: O O’Rorke 0-9 (7f), F Whitely, A Considine 0-2 each, C Mac Gabhann, C Ó Cathasaigh, B Hayes, D Purcell, C Conway, M Roche, R Hayes 0-1 each. Na Fianna: D Burke 0-11 (6f), AJ Murphy 0-4, S Currie (s/line), D Clerkin 0-1 each.

KILMACUD CROKES: E Gibbons; C Mac Gabhann, D Butler, C Ryan; D Crowe, M Grogan, C Ó Cathasaigh; B Hayes, D Purcell; C Conway, F Whitely, O O’Rorke; M Roche, R Hayes, A Considine. Subs: B Scanlon for Conway (45), R O’Loughlin for Roche (47), B O’Carroll for Ryan (55), F Ó Ceallaigh for Purcell (59), R Costello for R Hayes (67).

NA FIANNA: J Tracey; S Burke, C McHugh, H Fenlon; D Ryan, L Rushe, D Clerkin; M Murphy, P Feeney; C Currie, T Brennan, S Currie; D Burke, AJ Murphy, F Breathnach. Subs: S Baxter for Brennan (26), S Ryan for M Murphy (51), M Oliver for Ryan (55), S Barrett for AJ Murphy (59).

MENTORS – Kilmacud Crokes: K Dowling, D McGovern, M Dunne, D Howley, R O’Loughlin. Na Fianna: N Ó Ceallachain, M O’Dwyer, N O’Hara.

REFEREE: T Gleeson (Naomh Fionnbarra).

WIDES – Kilmacud Crokes: 7 (5+2). Na Fianna: 15 (8+7).

CONDITIONS: Bright and sunny throughout.

PLAYER OF THE MATCH: Donal Burke (Na Fianna).