Nine points for Dean Rock as Ballymun Kickhams coast past Raheny into Dublin semi-finals

Ballymun Kickhams 2-23

Raheny 1-8

Kevin O’Brien reports from Parnell Park

DEAN ROCK SCORED nine points as Ballymund Kickhams easily disposed of Raheny in the Dublin SFC tonight.

They’ll join Castleknock, St Judes, and the winners of the St Vincent’s and Lucan Sarsfield tie, in the last four of the Dublin SFC.

The majority of Rock’s scores came from placed balls (0-1 from play) as Ballymun enjoyed near-total supremacy in an 18-point win.

The key point of the game arrived in the third quarter, when Ballymun (who were 1-11 to 1-6 ahead at half-time) outscored Raheny by 0-8 to 0-2 to move into a commanding ten point lead.

From that stage the result was a formality. On the night Ballymun displayed an excellent standard of kick-passing and they cut through the Raheny defence on countless occasions with the direct running of the likes of Karl Connolly, Jason Whelan and Ted Furman.

They should have been further in front at the interval, but a combination of poor shot selection and bad shooting let them down.

Brian Fenton was Raheny’s best player, but their attack was too pedestrian, and Ballymun’s defence too smart, to allow the All-Star midfielder any attacking space to drift into.

The victors played without key defender James McCarthy, who sat out due to an ongoing groin problem.

For all their early dominance, Ballymun lead by just 0-8 to 0-4 after the first quarter.

Rock kicked another couple of frees for Ballymun, before they found the net for the first time in the 24th minute. A poor Ryan Bradshaw kick-out was capitalised on by Davey Byrne, who slipped in Paddy Small for the finish from close-range.

That goal sparked Raheny into life, and the next five minutes brought about their most productive spell in the half. Ivory curled another one over and then full-back Sean McMahon soloed in from 45 metres out and slotted past Sean Currie.

Ballymun enjoyed a good start to the second-half and, with Rock in-form from placed balls, they found themselves 1-18 to 1-8 ahead after 45 minutes.

The final quarter was a procession as Ballymun coasted home. Ted Furman completed the rout with a fisted goal in the 58th minute.

Scorers for Ballymun: Dean Rock 0-9 (0-8f, 0-1 45), Ted Furman 1-4, Paddy Small 1-2, Jason Whelan 0-3, Alan Hubbard, Karl Connolly, 0-2 each, John Small, Kevin Leahy 0-1 each.

Scorers for Raheny: Gavin Ivory 0-3, Sean McMahon 1-0, Brian Fenton, James O’Kane (f), Donal Ryan 0-1 each.

Ballymun Kickhams

1. Sean Currie

2. Leon Young
3. Eoin Dolan
4. Philly McMahon

5. James Burke
6. John Small
7. Karl Connolly

8. Aaron Elliot
9. Davey Byrne

15. Alan Hubbard
11. Jason Whelan
10. Kevin Leahy

14. Dean Rock
13. Ted Furman
12. Paddy Small

Subs: 17. Jason Welby (for Leon Young, half-time), 19. Liam O’Donovan (for 7. Karl Connolly, 47 mins), Elliot O’Reilly (for 8. Aaron Elliot, 53 mins), 21. Dillon Keating (for 10. Kevin Leahy)

Raheny

1. Ryan Bradshaw

4. Rutherson Real
3. Sean McMahon
2. Darragh Pelly

5. Ger Coady
6. Eoin Keogh
7. Sean Byrne

8. Brian Fenton
9. Conor Talty

10. Brian Howard
11. David Shatwell
12. Eoghan Smyth

13. Donal Ryan
14. CJ Heapes
15. Gavin Ivory

Subs: 24. Rob Diffley (for Rutherson Real, 34 mins), 13. Donal Ryan (for 14. CJ Heapes, half-time), 17. Rob Donnelly (for 7. Sean Byrne, 45 mins), 20. Patrick Reid (for 12. Eoghan Smyth, 48 mins), 18, Liam O’Shea (for James Burke, 56 mins), 19. John Ryan (for 11. David Shatwell, 56 mins)

Referee: Darragh Sheppard

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