Fintan O'Toole Reports from Croke Park

Kilmacud Crokes (Dublin) 1-14 

Kerins O’Rahillys (Kerry) 0-14

A SHOT AT final redemption awaits Kilmacud Crokes.

Mugged at the finish line in the cruellest fashion imaginable last February, they have plotted a route back to that All-Ireland club football final stage.

The semi-final hurdle was negotiated today as they took down Munster champions Kerins O’Rahillys. Nerves became increasingly frayed in injury-time though, an advantage that stood at seven points entering the final quarter ended up being whittled down to three.

And when Jack Savage floated a 65th minute free into a packed goalmouth, Kilmacud minds must have drifted back to that dramatic Kilcoo goal in last year’s decider. This time the ball was diverted towards the net, but a group of Kilmacud backs on the line ensured possession was collected, the ball fired outfield and the final whistle was then greeted with relief.

The Tralee team battled hard, excellently marshalled by their stalwarts David Moran in the middle of the pitch and Tommy Walsh at the edge of the square. They impressively quietened the sizeable threat of Shane Walsh, the Galway marquee name closely watched throughout by the brilliant defensive operator Cormac Coffey.

But the game slipped away from Kerins O’Rahillys when they shipped 1-3 without reply between the 32nd and 41st minutes. Hugh Kenny bagged the critical score in the 34th minute, gathering a break near goal and swivelling to unleash a left-foot shot that squirmed into the net.

Kenny was in fine form as he bagged 1-2 and with nine scorers overall, there was enough balance to the Kilmacud team to propel them to success. Shane Cunningham and Aidan Jones picked off two neat points apiece. Walsh was muted by his high standards this campaign yet he also weighed in with a pair of sweetly-struck shots.

Kilmacud's Hugh Kenny. James Crombie / INPHO James Crombie / INPHO / INPHO

It appeared at different stages to be a game that Kilmacud could close out with some. They were in front 0-6 to 0-3 after 21 minutes and could have embellished that position with a couple of goals. Shane Horan rifled a shot wide, Kenny saw another effort smothered by netminder Shane Foley. Then there was the handsome lead of 1-11 to 0-7 they enjoyed at the three-quarter mark.

Rahillys were persistent. Moran gave them a foothold in midfield, a towering presence when it came to the domination of kickouts. Walsh was powerful closer to goal. The opening score of the game offered a glimpse of the combination – a Moran catch from his own kickout, a delivery to Jack Savage who fed Walsh at an angle and the layoff to Barry John Keane paved the way for a point.

Tommy Walsh in action against Theo Clancy. James Crombie / INPHO James Crombie / INPHO / INPHO

Savage struck seven points, six of those frees, while corner-forwards Keane and Conor Hayes both grabbed a brace. 

They were 0-8 to 0-4 adrift as the clock moved into first-half injury time, yet landed two scores before the interval and the opening point of the second half.

But being within a point then was as good as it got for Rahillys. They didn’t come close to a goal yet did place the Kilmacud kickout under severe late pressure and pounded their defence. Four of the game’s last five points were registered by Rahillys, reflective of where the momentum lay as the game finished.

Kilmacud survived though and a final date beckons in a fortnight.

Scorers for Kilmacud Crokes: Hugh Kenny 1-2, Shane Cunningham 0-2, Dara Mullin 0-2, Shane Walsh 0-2 (0-1f), Aidan Jones 0-2, Craig Dias 0-1, Tom Fox 0-1, Cian O’Connor 0-1, Shane Horan 0-1.

Scorers for Kerins O’Rahillys: Jack Savage 0-7 (0-6f), Barry John Keane 0-2, Conor Hayes 0-2, Gavin O’Brien 0-1, Tommy Walsh 0-1, Gearóid Savage 0-1.

Kilmacud Crokes

1. Conor Ferris

2. Micheal Mullin, 3. Theo Clancy, 4. Dan O’Brien

5. Andrew McGowan, 6. Rory O’Carroll, 7. Aidan Jones

8. Ben Shovlin, 9. Craig Dias

18. Cian O’Connor, 11. Shane Cunningham, 12. Shane Horan

13. Hugh Kenny, 14. Dara Mullin, 15. Shane Walsh

Subs

• 10. Tom Fox for Horan (43)

• 19. Conor Casey for Shovlin (46)

• 17. Cillian O’Shea for Jones (46)

• 24. Luke Ward for O’Connor (52)

• 23. Paraic Purcell for Cunningham (60)

Kerins O’Rahillys

1. Shane Foley

4. Cormac Coffey, 3. Ross O’Callaghan (captain), 2. Darragh McElligott 

5. Con Barrett, 6. Karl Mullins, 7. Pádraig Neenan

8. David Moran, 12. Gavin O’Brien

10. Cian Sayers 11. Jack Savage, 9. Tom Hoare

15. Conor Hayes, 14. Tommy Walsh, 13. Barry John Keane

Subs

• 17. Diarmuid O’Sullivan for Barrett (34)

• 19. Ben Hanafin for McElligott (41)

• 20. Darragh O’Connor for Hoare (46)

• 18. Ryan Carroll for Sayers (56)

• 22. Gearóid Savage for Hayes (61)

Referee: Niall Cullen (Fermanagh)