STALEMATE IN MINOR THRILLER!
Kilmacud Crokes 1-7 Ballyboden 2-4
Kilmacud Crokes and Ballyboden played out a thrilling draw in a hard fought and tense match at Kiltipper Road on Sunday morning. Ballyboden got off to a great start and showed why they were installed as championship favourites when they led by 0-3 to no score after 15 mins of play. Gradually Kilmacud clawed their way back into the game and Paul Mannion opened their account with a pointed free. Minutes later David Campbell rose high above the Boden defence to punch home a great goal to put Crokes in front. The lead was short lived and Boden found the net following a quick passing movement, however this was their last score of the half. Paul Mannion landed another point for Crokes which left Boden one point in front at half time 1-3 to 1-2.
Crokes upped the tempo and dominated the opening period of the second half but found scores hard to come by. Paul Mannion brought the sides level with a pointed free and then David Campbell gave Crokes the lead with a wonderful point from play. Entering the last quarter, just when it appeared that Crokes had gained the upper hand, Boden struck again and goaled following a quick counter attack. Play now ebbed and flowed and two magnificent defences dominated and limited both sets of forwards to just one point each as the game entered the final minutes. Still two points down with two minutes left on the clock Crokes came forward in waves driven on by Graham Fogarty, Ronan Carney and Mark O Dwyer. Substitute Shane Campbell landed a great point and with the Boden crowd baying for the final whistle Ronan Carney found Paul Mannion with a super pass and he fired over the equalising point.
This was a great team performance from a Crokes team that has improved with every championship game this year and they can now look forward with confidence to the replay on Sunday next in O'Toole Park (11am).
Team:
Conor Ferris, Mick Durcan, Enda Grogan Capt., Graham Fogarty, Niall English, Mark O Dwyer, Nick Buckley, Jude Sweeney, Ronan Carney, Dylan Mulligan, David Kilgannon, Stephen Murphy, Paul Mannion, David Campbell, Mark Kavanagh.
Subs:
Oisin Geoghegan, Robert Blighe, Shane Cunningham, Paddy Daly, Alex Mulvey, Daragh Byrne, Mark Hanrathy, Jeff Landers, Conal O Neill.
Manager: Pat Duggan
Selectors: Martin Mc Dermott, Maurice Leahy, Brendan Carberry