Kilmacud Crokes 0-17 St Vincents 0-8
Time was when St Vincent's were the powerhouse of Dublin football - but not any more.
Thinking of the Heffernan era of the 1950s and and the Keaveney, Hanahoe and Mullins in the ‘70s could put us old timers in the dock for overloading on nostalgia but there was no room for sentiment in Parnell Park on Saturday as a new generation of southside Dubs called Kilmacud Crokes clinically put their northside rivals to the swords without ever having to break too much sweat in the process.
Led by the mercurial talent of three-time All-Star and seven time All-Ireland winner Paul Mannion, Crokes eased past the opposition as the left-footer gave an exhibition of kicking.
Already the defending county and province champions are looking like this year's winners as the Stillorgan outfit now advance to within touching distance of the quarter stage in Dublin even with one game to go against Thomas Davis.
They have now won 20 games in a row since the reconstitution of the Dublin championship into groups six years ago. Winning by nine points suggests a comfortable passage, and if anything, it was even more than that.
A new recruit in goals from Kerry Devon Burns kept a clean sheet on his debut and knocked over a free to announce his arrival. The young garda is a former minor and under-20 keeper in the Kingdom so he should be a big addition to what is already a very tight and disciplined backline.
After getting much negative headlines over the arrival of Shane Walsh from Galway three seasons ago, this year's team has also welcomed another Connacht man, Sligo's Paddy O'Connor into their attack and he impressed with three points to his name at the end of his day's endeavor.
However the biggest impression you are left with on watching Crokes play is how the overall group always seem to be a lot more than the sum of their parts. They are able to line out without big name players, yet there's always someone to slot in perfectly from within the squad and it is this facet which has made them the predominant club in the capital over the past decade.
For instance only half a dozen of the side to beat Glen last January in the All Ireland club semi-final saw active duty on Saturday - not too many clubs could boast so many changes and yet if anything improves the team's performance.
The aforementioned Walsh was one of those who didn't take part on Saturday though he was present at the game as he appears to be still suffering from a leg injury which has hampered his play for club and county for virtually all the season. Dublin defender Theo Clancy was also unable to line out but Vin's were unable to take advantage of the huge numbers missing in their opponents' ranks.
They came out intent on at least maintaining parity and manged to do so for the first third of the game when the sides were locked at 0-2 each but a flurry of points from O'Connor, Mark O'Leary and Mannion helped to put them put the winners 0-8 to 0-3 clear at half-time.
Cian Dunne upped his game in the second half by shooting four points but he hadn't the support around him to test the tight backline that Crokes have become.
It got so easy for Crokes that Mannion departed the scene with 15 minutes to go, allowing Dara Mullins to shoot three frees which normally his teammate would have chalked up
Kilmacud Crokes: Devon Burns (0-1f); James Murphy, Micheal Mullin, Dan O'Brien; Mark O'Leary (0-1), Rory O'Carroll, Cian O'Connor; Ben Shovlin, Luke O'Kelly; Tom Fox, Paddy O'Connor (0-3), Dara Mullin (0-3), 0-2f; Paul Mannion (0-7, 0-3f), Hugh Kenny, Shane Cunningham (0-2) Subs: James Murphy for O'Brien 41, Paraic Purcell for Fox 43, Luke Ward for Mannion 47, Shane Horan for Cunningham 53, Joe Quigley for Kenny 60.
St Vincents: Andy Smyth; Adrian Cummins, Sean Keogh, James McCusker; James Brady, Darragh Cummins (0-1), Craig Wilson; Jarlath Curley, Gavin Burke; Paul Reynolds Hand (0-1), Mark L'Strange, Shane O'Leary; Kalem O'Brien, Cian Dunne (0-4 (0-2f, 0-1 45), Albert Martin (0-2) Subs: Josh Kelly for Curley 26, Bill Costello for O'Brien 26, Paddy Gilroy for L'Strange 39, Nathan Mullins for Martin 45, Michael O'Rowe for O'Leary 55.
Ref: S Farrelly (Ballinteer St Johns).
Ballygunner 0-22 Passage 0-13
It's the season of mists and mellow fruitfulness as fall arrives on our shores but for club hurling it's still the high season, especially for the perennial winning group that is Waterford's Ballygunner.
Year in, year out, they have come to dominate the headlines as they chase an amazing 11 titles in a row in the Deise county, or put it another way, they have gone 57 games unbeaten in their local championship.
Pauric Mahony and Ballygunner are through to another Waterford decider. [Inpho/Tom Maher]
Passage allowed us a little doubt when they turned over only four points behind (0-9 to 0-5) with the advantage of a stiffish breeze to follow but entertaining serious doubts that the big Guns would collapse in this semi was foolhardy as they opened their shoulders to end up winning by nine points without ever being pressed to the pin of their collar.
Passage got full marks for putting it up to their vaunted opponents but at the end of the day class told. They had no one in their ranks to compare to the dead-eye of Pauric Mahony who scored 0-13 to set up a final showdown with Abbeyside in Fraher Field this Sunday. Nine of his 13 scores came in the second-half, five from frees and four from play, when they were supposed to be on the backfoot against the elements and his inside teammate Dessie Hutchinson weighed in with a brace at the start of the half just to keep the margin comfortable in that second period.
The outcome would have been much worse for the Passage men only for two outstanding save by goalkeeper Eddy Lynch from no less of figures than Mahony and Patrick Fitzgerald. Fitzie also ended up with another goal chance which went over while Hutchinson had an effort which from his point of view flashed the wrong side of the post, instead of into the corner of the net.
A good sign for the future from the men from the east was the performance of teenager Thomas Carey who was responsible for eight of his side's 13 scores.
In the other semi-final, Abbeyside easily ousted Mount Sion by 3-20 to 0-19 with skipper Michael Kiely accounting for 2-2 from the full forward berth while Charlie Treen also got in for a green flag as the Villagers, with man of the match Willie Beresford driving them on, shocking the Austin Gleeson led Mount side.
Ballygunner: S O'Keeffe; I Kenny, B Coughlan, T Foley; S Harney, Philip Mahony, R Power; C Sheahan (0-1), P Leavey (0-1); P Hogan, Pauric Mahony (0-13, 0-8fs, 0-1 65), C Power (0-1); D Hutchinson (0-2), K Mahony (0-1), P Fitzgerald (0-3) Subs: M Mahony for Pauric Mahony (Blood, 29-30), M Mahony for C Power (45), C Tobin for K Mahony (54), H Ruddle for Foley (Blood, 57-58), H Ruddle for Sheahan (59), B O'Keeffe for Pauric Mahony (62).
Passage: E Lynch; Ciaran O'Neill, Callum O'Neill, E Walsh; G Cullinane 90-1), M Fitzgerald 90-1), M Hutchinson; D Lynch, T Carey (0-4, 0-6f, 0-1 65); S Lynch, P Walsh, M Cummins (0-1); E Reilly (0-1), L Flynn, S Kelly (0-1) Subs: O Connors for P Walsh (43), D Roche for Cummins (46), D Cullinane for Flynn (55), S Cullinane for Hutchinson (60).
Ref: N O'Toole.
