Castleknock 2-14
Skerries Harps 0-10
Kevin O’Brien reports from Parnell Park
CASTLEKNOCK ARE INTO the last four of the Dublin SFC for the first time in the club’s history.
Ciaran Kilkenny’s side are an extremely young club, having only been founded in 1998. They booked their place in the semi-finals with a convincing display at Parnell Park.
Skerries Harps had rallied close to half-time and trailed by just three points at the interval, but they failed to replicate that intensity after the restart.
Skerries, who had Dublin’s 2011 All-Ireland winning captain Bryan Cullen at centre-forward, kicked just three points in the second-half.
Goals from Shane Boland and Mikey Galvin, along with a fine performance from centre-back Graham Hannigan, propelled Castleknock to victory.
Ciaran Kilkenny’s side will make their maiden appearance in the semi-finals. They’ve enjoyed wins over St Oliver Plunkett’s/Eoghan Ruadh and St Sylvester’s already in the competition.
Castleknock spent the majority of the first 30 minutes sitting deep and opting to attack in numbers on the break.
Castleknock’s system paid off on 17 minutes, when they halted a Skerries attack and counter attacked at pace. Shane Boland finished off the move by firing into the net from close range to give his side a 1-3 to 0-2 lead.
A couple of Des Carlos frees left Castleknock six in front, but then came Skerries’ purple patch. Four straight scores, including three from the boot of 2015 Dublin minor Steven Smith, launched them right back into contention as Castleknock found it difficult to retain possession past midfield.
Graham Hannigan kicked excellent point for Skerries after a surging run forward. Then, in stoppage time, Morven Connolly denied Skerries a goal with a fine save from Graham Cullen. Castleknock led by 1-6 to 0-7 at the break.
The margin didn’t move much in the third quarter as Castleknock maintained that three point cushion. Then Kilkenny kicked a sublime score from the left wing, when he jinked onto his right and slotted over.
Carlos clipped one over moments later, and to send Castleknock found themselves five ahead. The key moment of the game arrived midway through the second-half.
Another swift Castleknock breakaway culminated in Shane Boland slipping through Mikey Galvin, who finished past Shane Davis. Colin Lynch, Carlos (free) and Galvin all tagged on scores as Castleknock extended their lead.
Scorers for Castleknock: Shane Boland 1-2, Des Carlos 0-6 (0-5f), Mikey Galvin 1-2 (0-1f), Ciaran Kilkenny and Colin Lynch 0-1 each.
Scorers for Skerries: Steven Smith 0-8 (0-6f), Mark Boylan, Bryan Cullen, Graham Cullen 0-1 each.
Castleknock
1. Morven Connolly
2. Colm Neville
3. Peter Sherry
4. Eoin O’Brien
5. Tom Shiels
6. Graham Hannigan
7. Matt Griffin
8. Tom Quinn
9. Shane Boland
10. Des Carlos
11. Ben Galvin
12. Kevin Kindlon
13. Mikey Galvin
14. James Sherry
15. Ciaran Kilkenny
Subs: Colin Lynch (for Matt Griffin, 32 mins), John Kindlon (for Kevin Kindlon, 41 mins), Paul Bourke (for Colm Neville, 49 mins), Tom Corcoran (for Des Carlos, 55 mins).
Skerries Harps
1. Shane Davis
2. Rory Newsholme
3. Eoghan McGinley
4. Eoin Smith
5. Sean Rocks
6. David O’Brien
7. Jack Smith
8. Donnacha Reilly
9. Mark Boylan
10. Colin Daly
11. Bryan Cullen
12. Kevin Gilmore
15. Steven Smith
14. Paul Cashman
13. Graham Cullen
Subs: Jonathan Garrett (for David O’Brien, 25 mins), Donal McIlgorm (for Mark Boylan, 41 mins), Gerard Daly (for Graham Gilmore, 49 mins), Barry Davey (for Paul Cashman, 55 mins), Conor O’Brien (for Colin Daly, 55 mins), Robert McKey (for Sean Rocks, 60 mins).
Referee: David O’Connor
Well done. Great Cause
Could have come first if he didn’t stop to take the bloody selfie….Great man. Great cause. Lovely story.
Selfie mehole. Soon as the picture was taken, he hopped on a sleigh with 12 huskies pulling him along, and cracked open a bottle of powers
The only reason he didn’t win was because he spent the first 3 days going in the wrong direction.
Wow! There really are some fantastic human beings around! And he is one!!
What a lazy fecker.
SECOND?
Fair play to him, great cause and a great performance to match
I know, whats with the article he didn’t even win like?
Hadn’t have slept those 6 hours he might have won lazy fecker. Congratulations though that’s some achievement.
And the race is from where to where?
Exactly! Any chance of including what’s actually involved in the race?
As his medal says “finisher” coz most people can’t finish the toughest course in the world (probably) And that little boy will smile ear to ear after he recovers Fair fox ta ya man fair fox ta ya.
Respect …. Wow ….. Well done
Cmon the tribesmen
North to Alaska/Johhny Horton
Sam crossed the majestic mountains (mush)
To the valleys far below (mush)
He talked to his team of huskies (mush)
As he mushed on through the snow (mush)
With the northern lights a-runnin’ wild (mush)
In the land of the midnight sun (mush)
Yes, Sam McCord was a mighty man (mush)
In the year of nineteen-one (mush)
………And so is Gavan Hannigan a Mighty Man too.Well done Gavan!
There are strange things done in the midnight sun
By the men who moil for gold;
The Arctic trails have their secret tales
That would make your blood run cold;
The Northern Lights have seen queer sights,
But the queerest they ever did see
Was that night on the marge of Lake Lebarge
I cremated Sam McGee.
(Robert Service poem).
@Pat Gorman…….
The Spell of the Yukon
I wanted the gold, and I sought it, I scrabbled and mucked like a slave.
Was it famine or scurvy — I fought it; I hurled my youth into a grave.
I wanted the gold, and I got it — Came out with a fortune last fall, —
Yet somehow life’s not what I thought it, And somehow the gold isn’t all.
No! There’s the land. (Have you seen it?) It’s the cussedest land that I know,
From the big, dizzy mountains that screen it To the deep, deathlike valleys below.
Some say God was tired when He made it; Some say it’s a fine land to shun;
Maybe; but there’s some as would trade it For no land on earth — and I’m one.
-
-A Great Week-end to You Pat Gorman.
Who came third?
Great cause but to come second should be ashamed of himself
Phenomenal performance!! Tough race to finish let alone finish 2nd, well done
Superb Gavin , I suppose they’ll expect you to win the all Ireland for Galway now.
Fair dues man :)
If your not first your last!! Great achievement.while fitness is important its the will and desire to keep going that is most impressive,well done.
Well done. Inspirational.
Amazing stuff.. but yes we need more info please !
Some achievement. . Well done. .
Where in galway is he from?
He came second out of 2
people were still finishing 3 days after he finished!, more detail about this gruelling event is needed in the article.
The Yukon!
The land of the Sourdough.
One of the toughest places on earth.
Recommended Good Read:
Micí Mac Gabhann’s “Rotha Mór an tSaoil”.
That procedure not available here in Nirvana, no?