St. Judes 0-14

Kilmacud Crokes 1-8

Kevin O’Brien reports from Parnell Park

ST JUDES HAVE sensationally knocked Kilmacud Crokes out of the Dublin SFC after a thoroughly deserved 0-14 to 1-8 victory.

Crokes, who beat reigning All-Ireland champions Ballyboden St. Enda’s in the previous round, were heavy 1/3 favourites heading into this quarter-final clash.

Kilmacud can have no complaints as they were outplayed by their opponents at Parnell Park. They trailed by five points at half-time, having scored just once from play in the opening half, and generally struggled for scores throughout.

A Pat Burke goal midway through the second half threatened to kick life into Crokes, but the scored just 0-3 down the stretch as St Judes held firm.

Kevin McManamon was in inspired form, scoring 0-5 including two from play. The Dublin star spent the game roving between the half and full-forward lines and he kicked two sublime scores in the first half off his weaker foot.

Seamus Ryan was a driving force around the middle, helping St Judes gain a real foothold at centre field.

The St Judes defence, which conceded just four scores in their victory over Clontarf in the previous round, shipped 1-8 against a power-packed Kilmacud forward unit.

They held the Crokes starting attack, which featured the likes of Craig Dias, Brian Kavanagh, Mark Vaughan and Paul Mannion, to three points from play.

Things threatened to spill over on a couple of occasions during the second-half. St Judes lost key forward Ross O’Brien to a red card midway through the second half. O’Brien was guilting of elbowing Tom Fox into the midriff as they fought for possession.

In the 51st minute goalscorer Pat Burke was black-carded for a body-check on Paul Cunningham.

Kilmacud Crokes started the game without Dublin defender Cian O’Sullivan and Cavan’s Eugene Keating. O’Sullivan he was introduced at midfield at half-time but struggled to get into the game. Paul Mannion also had a very quiet outing.

St Judes looked far livelier at the outset. They led by 0-4 to 0-1 after the first quarter as Kilmacud Crokes went scoreless from play.

An outstanding score from McManamon off his left, not too dissimilar to one he kicked against Kerry in the All-Ireland semi-final, sent St Jude’s into an 0-6 to 0-1 lead after 20 minutes.

Kilmacud’s first score from play arrived a minute later from Callum Pearson, a late addition to the starting lineup in place of Eugene Keating.

A free apiece from Mark Vaughan and Paul Mannion kept the scoreboard ticking over for Kilmacud, but St Judes were flying at the far end. McManamon kicked another fine score off the left, while Ross O’Brien and Niall Coakley also found the target, leaving St Judes 0-9 to 0-4 in front at the break.

Kieran Doherty’s point on 43 minutes moved St Judes into a commanding six-point lead. It sparked Kilmacud into life though, and Pat Burke capped off a good Crokes move by fisting into the net to reduce the deficit.

From there Vaughan and Ross O’Carroll kicked scores for Crokes but a last-minute free from McManamon was enough to see St Judes home.

Scorers for St Judes: Kevin McManamon 0-5 (0-3f), Niall Coakley 0-3 (0-1f), Declan Donnelly 0-2 (0-1f), Seamus Ryan, Ross O’Brien, Kieran Doherty, Ronan Joyce 0-1 each.

Scorers for Kilmacud Crokes: Mark Vaughan 0-4 (0-3f), Pat Burke 1-0, Paul Mannion 0-2 (0-1f), Callum Pearson, Ross O’Carroll 0-1 each.

St Judes

1. Paul Copeland

2. Rob Martina
3. Paul Cunningham
4. Robert Finnegan

5. Mark Sweeney
6. Chris Guckian
7. Billy Sheehan

8. Colm Murphy
9. Seamus Ryan

10. Thomas Lahiff
11. Ross O’Brien
12. Kieran Doherty

13. Declan Donnelly
14. Niall Coakley
15. Kevin McManamon

Subs: Conor McBride (for Chris Guckian, 25 mins), Ronan Joyce (for Thomas Lahiff, 44 mins), Diarmuid McLoughlin (for Declan Donnelly, 54mins), Enda Dalton (for Niall Coakley, 60 mins), Paul Courtney (for Robert Finnegan, 64 mins), Joseph Donnelly (for Mark Sweeney, 65 mins).

Kilmacud Crokes

1. David Nestor

2. James Murphy
3. Ross O’Carroll
4. Cillian O’Shea

5. Aidan Jones
6. Ross McGowan
7. Andy McGowan

18. Darren Magee
9. David Campbell

10. Craig Dias
11. Brian Kavanagh
12. Shane Cunningham

21. Callum Pearson
14. Mark Vaughan
15. Paul Mannion

Subs: Ronan Joyce (for Darren Magee, 28 mins), Cian O’Sullivan (for Brian Kavanagh, half-time), Pat Burke (for Callum Pearson, 39 mins), Tom Fox (for David Campbell, 42 mins), Shane Horan (for Pat Burke black-card, 51 mins).

Referee: Ronnie Malone

Ciaran Kilkenny’s Castleknock into the last four in Dublin for the first time in their history

We’ll Leave It There So: Munster game goes ahead, Banty is back and all of today’s sport