Composed St Jude’s book place in Dublin SFC semis

Kilmacud Crokes playing catch-up for much of the last-eight tie at Parnell Park

St Jude’s Colm Murphy and Seamus Ryan get to grips with Kilmacud Crokes’ Shane Cunningham. Photograph: Inpho
St Jude’s Colm Murphy and Seamus Ryan get to grips with Kilmacud Crokes’ Shane Cunningham. Photograph: Inpho

St Jude’s 0-14 Kilmacud Crokes 1-8

St Jude’s advanced to the semi-finals of the Dublin Senior Football Championship after they defeated Kilmacud Crokes by three points at Parnell Park.

Despite falling behind to an early Mark Vaughan free, St Jude’s dominated the opening quarter and after Niall Coakley had levelled matters in the 3rd minute, they gained tangible reward for their control following scores by Kevin McManamon and Declan Donnelly.

That lead was extended as the half progressed through Seamus Ryan, Donnelly and McManamon with Crokes finally landing their first point from play as late as the 21st minute through Callum Pearson.

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In contrast, Jude’s were playing sublime football on the counter-attack with late points from McManamon, Ross O’Brien and Coakley handing them a healthy and deserved 0-9 to 0-4 interval lead.

The second-half continued in a similar vein with Jude’s tagging on scores through McManamon and Kieran Doherty but Kilmacud were handed a lifeline as Pat Burke palmed home in the 44th minute.

However, Jude’s were sufficiently composed to overcome this setback and the dismissal of O’Brien with substitute Ronan Joyce adding a vital point in the 58th minute before McManamon’s late free from close-in saw his side advance to the semi-finals in an impressive manner.

St Jude's: P Copeland; C Guckian, P Cunningham, R Martina; R Finnegan, B Sheehan, M Sweeney; C Murphy, S Ryan (0-1); T Lahiff, R O'Brien (0-1), K Doherty (0-1); D Donnelly (0-2, one free), N Coakley (0-3, two frees), K McManamon (0-5, three frees). Subs: C McBride for Guckian (25), R Joyce (0-1) for Lahiff (44), D McLoughlin for Donnelly (55), E Dalton for Coakley (63), J Donnelly for Finnegan (65).

Kilmacud Crokes: D Nestor; J Murphy, R O'Carroll (0-1), C O'Shea; A Jones, R McGowan, A McGowan; D Magee, D Campbell; C Dias, B Kavanagh, S Cunningham; C Pearson (0-1), M Vaughan (0-4, three frees), P Mannion (0-2). Subs: C O'Connor for Magee (28), C O'Sullivan for Kavanagh (half-time), P Burke (1-0) for Pearson (38), T Fox for Campbell (42), K Nolan for A McGowan (47), S Horan for Burke (52, BC).

Referee: Ronnie Malone (St Mary's Saggart)