Kilmacud Crokes 1-17 Ballyboden St Enda’s 0-13
That’s the thing about Kilmacud Crokes - if one big gun doesn’t shoot you down, another will. Take this year’s championship where Dublin star Paul Mannion has been unremarkable for his club.
Local rivals Ballyboden had their homework done to try to curtail his effectiveness…and what happens? Galway’s former All-Star Shane Walsh steps forward to shoot their lights out with a massive personal contribution of 1-4 on the scoresheet.
Four-in-a-row chasing Crokes had to show immense fortitude even then as their neighbors forced them into extra-time before bowing the knee as the holders went on to win by seven points in the end.
Going into extra time, it looked as if ‘Boden had seized the initiative as they came from three points down with only five minutes left to force the draw thanks to the accuracy of Daire Sweeney.
Newly-appointed Meath boss Robbie Brennan was being tested in what could have been his last club outing and whatever he said to his charges had the desired effect as they came storming out of the blocks in the added period to outscore their spent opponents by 1-4 to no score at all in that passage.
You would have thought that this extra period would have meant curtains for Walsh, who after all had not played since Galway lost to Armagh in the All-Ireland final due to persistent injury he endured all season.
Instead the talented Tribesman was the difference as he scored 1-1 in this period as wily Crokes struck on the counter to punish their opponents. And mentioning Mannion, well he wasn’t the star man for a change but he still weighed in with four crucial points to keep the scoreboard motoring when Kilmacud needed it most. All this despite the fact that the winners had veteran Rory O’Carroll red carded in extra time after two yellows.
You could only feel sorry for the ‘Boden boys who worked their socks off and left everything out on the pitch. Beaten in the final by the same opponents last year, they were intent on revenge and offered stiff resistance until two cornerstones of their team Michael O'Gara and Colm Basquel were lost to red cards in the additional 20 minutes.
The southsiders now face Na Fianna in the semi-final and in the other half, surprise packet Cuala, led by Con O’Callaghan, face Ballymun in what should be two mouth-watering encounters.
Kilmacud Crokes: D Burns; D O'Brien (0-1), M Mullin, J Murphy; C O'Connor (0-1), M O'Leary (0-1), A McGowan; R O'Carroll, B Shovlin; D Mullin (0-3), P Mannion (0-4, 0-3f), P O'Connor; H Kenny, S Walsh (1-4, 0-2f), J Quigley (0-1m) Subs: S Cunningham for O'Connor (42), L Ward for Quigley (42), C Dias (0-1) for McGowan (49), T Fox (0-1) for Kenny (61). A Quinn for O'Connor (70+1), S Horan for Mullin (72), D Murphy for O'Brien (79).
Ballyboden St Endas: H O'Sullivan; E Nugent, S Clayton, H Donaghy; J Holland, C Flaherty, A Gavin; C D'Arcy, M McDonald; L O'Donoghue, D McCabe, R McGarry (0-1); R O'Dwyer, C Basquel (0-6, 0-4f), D Sweeney (0-6, 0-2f) Subs: M O'Gara for O'Donoghue (43), J McGuire for McCabe (54), C Duggan for Flaherty (68). C O'Reilly for Holland (70+2), O'Donoghue for McDonald (e/t), McDonald for McGarry (74).
Ref: Ian Howley.
Brigid’s dumped out by Pearses in Rossies’ cracker
Pádraig Pearses 0-15; St Brigid’s 0-13
This topsy-turvy encounter between two recent past county and provincial champions had all the ingredients of a cracker - and that’s what it turned into before a large crowd at Dr Hyde Park on Sunday afternoon.
In the end All-Ireland club football finalists St Brigid’s were left in the depths of despair at the quarter-final stage as great rivals Pádraig Pearses prevailed after extra-time.
Although the ultimate winners led by 0-6 to 0-3 at the intervals, it was their opponents who showed the greater resolve on the resumption and in fact had hit the front before Pearses got their first score of the half after 21 minutes.
Three points down, it was now-or-never time and Paul Carey led from the front as the Pearses went about hauling back the deficit. They were still behind a minute into added time when Declan Kenny equalized to force the game into extra time..
Man of the match Carey came to the fore with three quick points to give his side the high ground as Brigid’s fought back tooth and nail.
Niall Daly and Brian Stack raised white flags to leave the margin pared to the minimum and when Conor Daly was black-carded for Pearses, it was anybody’s game.
Brigid’s missed a chance to level from a placed ball and Kenny took advantage at the other end to slot over an insurance score.
Sixmilebridge a bridge too far for holders in Clare
Clonlara set out for back-to-back titles but found Sixmilebridge a bridge too far as they lost by 2-18 to 0-21 at Cusack Park in Ennis on Sunday in a thrilling senior hurling game.
The winners, suffering something of a famine in not having won the Canon Hamilton cup for four years now, showed their intent from the outside and in fact led from gun to tape and now join Cratloe, Feakle and Inagh-Kilnamona in the semi-finals.
