BURKE IS KING FOR KILMACUD
DUBLIN SFC
KILMACUD CROKES 1-12
NA FIANNA 0-9
Daire Walsh
KILMACUD Crokes continued their quest for back-to-back Dublin SFC1 titles with a convincing win over Na Fianna at a rain-sodden Parnell Park yesterday evening.
Pat Burke’s goal on 20 minutes proved the highlight and the veteran attacker amassed a personal tally of 1-4 to get Crokes over the line in clinical fashion. Conor McHugh and Aaron Byrne threatened at various junctures for Na Fianna, but it wasn’t enough to halt the charge of their opponents.
In addition to Rory O’Carroll’s recent return, the holders were able to call upon a fit-again Cian O’Sullivan. Following Callum Pearson’s excellent point on the run, Paul Mannion clipped a brace of frees to offer Crokes an early stranglehold.
While Na Fianna once again started without Sky Blues star Eoin Murchan – who later appeared as a second half substitute – they were bolstered by the presence of Jonny Cooper.
Conor McHugh and David Lacey got Dessie Farrell’s outfit back on level terms just past the first quarter, but Crokes displayed the hallmarks of champions to subsequently regain the initiative.
Latching onto Mannion’s short hand-pass, the evergreen Burke superbly rattled the net at a tight right-hand angle. In spite of this set-back, Na Fianna were beginning to find gaps inside the Crokes ’45’.
Aaron Byrne’s two-point salvo brought them within reach before McHugh slotted a routine free for his third of the half.
Crokes maintained their composure in the face of mounting pressure, however – with Burke (free) and Shane Cunningham finding the target to give them a 1-5 to 0-6 lead at the midway stage.
Although this kept matters delicately poised, Crokes stormed out of the blocks to leave Na Fianna with another mountain to scale. Offaly senior panellist Shane Horan kicked two points in as many minutes to edge the Stillorgan men further into the ascendancy. Burke and interval replacement Ciaran Russell also raised white flags and while Alisdar Fitzgerald produced a terrific save out of Crokes netminder David Nestor, they had to wait until the 44th-minute for their maiden score of the half.
A Killian Deeley fisted point got them up and running again, but Burke immediately responded for Crokes at the end of a sweeping move.
The relentless Burke converted an additional free on 51 minutes and their buffer now standing at seven (1-11 to 0-7), the outcome was beyond doubt.
Though the lively Michael Deegan mustered a 0-2 haul for Na Fianna, Cian O’Connor made sure Crokes had the final say with a well-worked point deep into stoppage-time.
Scorers – Kilmacud Crokes: P Burke 1-4 (0-3f), P Mannion (2f), S Horan 0-2 each, C O’Connor, S Cunningham, C Pearson, C Russell 0-1 each. Na Fianna: C McHugh 0-3 (2f), M Deegan (f), A Byrne 0-2 each, K Deeley, D Lacey 0-1 each.
KILMACUD CROKES: D Nestor; N Nolan, Rory O’Carroll, C O’Shea, C O’Connor, C O’Sullivan, A McGowan; C Dias, C Casey; S Horan, S Cunningham, C Pearson; P Mannion, D Mullin, P Burke.
Subs: C Russell for Nolan (h-t), D O’Brien for Horan (46), S Williams for Cunningham (53), A Jones for Casey (57), Ross O’Carroll for Burke (66).
NA FIANNA: S Murray; E Mullen, A Farrell, D Kennedy; Dean Ryan, J Cooper, N McGovern; K Deeley, J Lawless; G O’Reilly, J Doran, A Fitzgerald; A Byrne, C McHugh, D Lacey. Subs: E Murchan for O’Reilly, S Caffrey for Lacey (both 38), M Deegan for Fitzgerald (47), Donal Ryan for Lawless (53), E O’Dea for Dean Ryan (57), D Quinn for Doran (61).
Referee: D O’Connor (Naomh Mearnog).