Kilmacud 2-7 Portlaoise 2-4:THIS WAS supposed to be the end of the line for Crokes. They seemingly had too many absentees to be provincial contenders.
Defending champions Portlaoise reinforced this theory with an explosive opening 10 minutes that yielded 2-2 to a single pointed free from Kilmacud’s Longford forward Brian Kavanagh.
Even if the 2009 All-Ireland champions did perform for the remaining 50 minutes, their sluggish opening seemed to make for too great a mountain to climb. That St Patrick’s Day performance from 18 months ago must have been their peak, was the feeling, all enhanced by the sight of injured players like Dublin captain Paul Griffin and Darren Magee in the stands.
The previous focal point of their attack, Mark Davoren, is another recuperating, while Mark Vaughan’s chronic back problems seemed destined to make him, at best, a peripheral figure. To make matters worse, the young general of the Dublin defence, Rory O’Carroll, was unavailable as he is studying in France.
And then it got even more grim. Crokes were seven points adrift when Niall Corkery limped off after a knee injury was exacerbated by an off the ball challenge.
They were not even supposed to win the county title and Corkery’s departure made them look a spent force. Not many people outside the club grounds in Glenalbyn knew about Paddy Duggan or Craig Dias. Until now, that is.
“It’s not the way we would want to start a game but there was no panic out there,” explained manager Paddy Carr. “The elements were always going to play a part in the game.”
The wind was at their backs come the second half but so was the opportunity for new men to take on the mantle of team leaders.
“After we won the All-Ireland last year, the lads spoke amongst themselves and they knew there was more in them. They are an evolving team.
“The more recognised names are on the injury bench at the moment. You have the likes of Craig Dias coming in there. We have been nurturing that type of talent as best we can over the last good while.”
It all started with Portlaoise streaking into an early lead when Ross O’Carroll was adjudged to have pulled down Brian Glynn before he could shoot for goal. O’Carroll was yellow-carded and Paul Cahillane drilled the penalty low past David Nestor.
Next, Craig Rodgers clipped a nice point before Portlaoise stole another goal when Tommy Fitzgerald helped Cahillane’s dropping 45 into the net.
Dias ensured the half-time team talk was littered with positives when he punched a goal for his team on 22 minutes.
The third quarter of the contest was hindered by the weather as Crokes dominated possession but racked up six wides. Portlaoise were equally poor, with Cahillane registering their last score of the game on 37 minutes as O’Carroll, Kevin Nolan and Cian O’Sullivan’s excellent positioning strangled the life out of the home team’s attacking philosophy.
“Their defensive play today was absolutely fabulous,” said Portlaoise manager John Mulligan. “We have very good forwards who know what they are about but they just sent us down cul de sacs. It was a marvellous display.”
Kavanagh and Declan Kelleher scores eventually got Crokes motoring, the latter’s strike bringing the deficit back to a single point. By now Vaughan had sauntered into the fray and, cometh the hour, it was his remarkable free from out by the right sideline that levelled matters up.
Typical Vaughan, we said to Carr, who responded: “The only thing typical about Mark is there is nothing typical about him. In fairness to him, two minutes before that he kicked the ball only 15 yards when he was 20 yards out, then he goes out and kicks a point from 55 yards. It squared it up. It was huge for us.”
They still needed something else to escape from O’Moore Park with the spoils. The winning score began with a burst out of defence by Ross O’Carroll, Liam Óg Ó hEineacháin had a hand in matters before Kelleher’s gut-busting run found him through on goal. A powerful shot ricocheted off the crossbar and back into his grasp and he eventually bundled the ball over the goal line.
All a little messy but the green flag was raised and Crokes had secured a famous victory.The reward is a meeting with Dessie Dolan’s Garrycastle in Parnell Park on Sunday week.
KILMACUD CROKES: D Nestor; K Nolan, Ross O’Carroll, C Lamb; C O’Sullivan, B McGrath, R Ryan; N Corkery, P Duggan; L Óg Ó hEineacháin, D Kelleher (1-1), A Morrissey; B O’Rorke (0-1, free), B Kavanagh (0-3, all frees), P Burke (capt, 0-1). Subs: C Dias (1-0) for Corkery (19 mins), M Vaughan (0-1, free) for O’Rorke (41 mins), R Cosgrove for Morrissey (50 mins).
PORTLAOISE: M Nolan (capt); E Bland, C Healy, B Mulligan; K Lillis, H Coghlan, C Boyle; A Kelly, B McCormack; P Cahillane (1-1, 1-0 pen), T Fitzgerald (1-0), C Rogers (0-1); K Fitzpatrick, B Glynn (0-1), B Fitzgerald (0-1). Subs: S Nerney for Kelly (46 mins), J Fennell for Fitzpatrick (55 mins), E Browne for Cahillane (60 mins).
Referee: C Reilly (Meath).
