St Judes 2-9

Ballymun Kickhams 1-11

Kevin O’Brien reports from Parnell Park

BALLYMUN KICKHAMS WERE sensationally dumped out of the Dublin senior 1 football championship quarter-final by St Judes after Kieran Doherty’s stoppage-time winner.

A start-studded Ballymun side looked in control when they led by 1-10 to 1-6 after 55 minutes, but Judes scored 1-3 down the home straight to seal the stunning victory.

Chris Guckian broke through for a goal with three minutes of normal-time left to haul Judes level. Paddy Small won a vital free for Ballymun that Dean Rock converted, but Cork native Niall Coakley slotted over a pressure-free at the far end.

In the 63rd minute, Niall O’Shea played a neat pass inside for Doherty to send between the posts and complete the famous victory. 

One of the favourites for the championship, Ballymun lost last year’s final to St Vincent’s by three points. They boasted Dublin starters James McCarthy, Philly McMahon, Rock and John Small, in addition to panellists Evan Comerford and Paddy Small.   

Rock held his end of the bargain with 1-7, but other than two Paddy Small scores in the first-half Ballymun didn’t catch fire up front.

Bryan Keane / INPHO Bryan Keane / INPHO / INPHO

Kevin McManamon was Judes’ sole Dublin player although Coakley, scorer of 1-4, played championship football with Cork in 2017. McManamon played at full-forward and assisted Coakley’s goal in a good display.

Judes are now 60 minutes away from their first county final appearance since 2009.

Ballymun brought 12 men behind the ball when they defended, with Furnam left up in front of inside duo Rock and Small. McCarthy played at midfield and dropped back into his defence when Judes attacked.

He couldn’t prevent Coakley’s goal in the second minute of the game. McManamon skinned his marker John Small on the inside and handpassed across the goal for a palmed finish by Coakley.

Ballymun controlled the ball for the next 20 minutes and Rock’s penalty, which he won himself, left them 1-3 to 1-1 ahead. But Judes were level by the interval after a late flurry of long-range points from Tom Lahiff, Padraic Clarke and Coakley. 

Rock’s accuracy helped Ballymun outscore their opponents by 0-5 to 0-2 in the third quarter, but the favourites were unable to pull away. Ultimately, it cost them.

Comerford made a vital close-range save on McManamon after a neat Judes move in the 51st minute. Ballymun countered at pace and Rock curled over a free from a tight angle.

Key players McMahon (49 mins) and Jason Whelan (57 mins) were substituted near the finish when their management may have felt they were home and hosed. But Ballymun were sleepwalking their way through the game and Judes sensed blood.

Guckian ghosted in to rattle home a brilliant goal and thenDoherty landed the winner in the final minute. Ballymun were punished for their failure to put the game away when they had it scruff of the neck.

Scorers for St Judes: Niall Coakley 1-4 (0-3f), Chris Guckian 1-0, Padraic Clarke 0-2 (0-2f) and Tom Lahiff 0-2 each.

Scorers for Ballymun Kickhams: Dean Rock 1-7 (0-1 pen, 0-4f), Paddy Small 0-2, Ted Furnam and Carl Keely 0-1 each.

St Judes

1. Liam Mailey

3. Ciaran Fitzgerald
4. Cillian O’Reilly
7. Chris Guckian

2. Oisin Manning
6. Niall O’Shea
5. Tom Lahiff

8. Mark Sweeney
9. Seamus Ryan

12. Kieran Doherty
11. Barry Fitzgerald
10. Tom Devlin

13. Niall Coakley
14. Kevin McManamon
15. Padraic Clarke

Subs

17. Simon King for Fitzgerald (ht)
19. Ronan Joyce for Devlin (ht)
18. Andy Sweeney for Manning (56)

Ballymun Kickhams 

1. Evan Comerford

22. Alan George
6. John Small 
4. Eoin Dolan

5. Carl Deely
3. Philly McMahon
7. Alan Hubbard

8. James McCarthy
9. Davey Byrne 

10. Conor Kavanagh
11. Jason Whelan
12. Aaron Elliot

13. Ted Furnam

14. Paddy Small
15. Dean Rock

Subs

21. Daragh Conlon for Kavanagh (45)
17. Fiach Andrews for McMahon (49)
25. Dillon Keating for Whelan (57)

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