Daly ‘punch drunk’ after dramatic end to Dublin hurling final
St Enda’s left to rue late goal chance
ACOUNTY final that distilled the main drama down to a nerve-jangling finale, first in normal time, and then again at the tail-end of extra-time at Parnell Park.
Kilmacud Crokes’ manager Anthony Daly – always a good man to paint a colourful picture – summed it up well when he said both teams resembled a ‘punchdrunk boxer’ by the finish, only managing to not hit the canvas by virtue of bravery and instinct.
This battle of the southside heavyweights could have gone any which way.
First you had Daly’s Crokes, clinging to a two-point lead with less than 30 seconds of normal time left on the clock, and just about worth it after a first hour of hurling that involved plenty of honest effort but was lacking any sustained quality or cohesion.
Not that it wasn’t without luminous individual moments, Ballyboden’s Paul Ryan producing one of them in the first half when hitting a stunning score from out around the half-way, all quick wrists and timing.
Ballyboden held a three-point lead at half-time, 1-8 to 1-5, Sean McGrath’s early goal for Kilmacud one of the few threatening moments into the breeze, and the turnaround was such that it needed a close range free from Ryan with time almost up to leave his team just one behind. Then Conor McCormack, another of the ex-Dubs on the field, produced a big catch, and had the smarts to feed Aidan Mellett who was tearing past him off the shoulder.
The corner-forward tucked his finish away with the coolness of a man doing a training ground drill. He will have particularly enjoyed his moment given the same player had hit the post when a shot looked destined for the top corner midway through that second half.
As the electronic board went up to show three minutes of added time, now it was Crokes staring down the barrel of a gun.
Up popped Cian MacGabhann to land a crucial score before freetaker Marc Howard showed serious nerve to land a monster free with the wind behind him to level it up, the scoreboard reading Kilmacud Crokes 1-14 Ballyboden St Enda’s 2-11.
There was still time for a moment reminiscent of Galway star Joe Canning’s late free in the All-Ireland final, Howard standing over another free from long distance and the opportunity to settle this county final. Just like last year’s Player of the Year, he didn’t get a true connection on the sliotar and the final whistle went. And so to extra-time. The large crowd of roughly 5,000 were getting plenty of value by this stage on a sunny autumn day at Parnell Park as the scene began to resemble a battlefield with every passing minute, players going down on the turf injured or with cramp on both sides.
Three Marc Howard frees in the first period of extra time were balanced by three Paul Ryan scores from deadball, the pick of the latter’s from a sideline.
A mighty score from Ross O’Carroll – who fought out an intriguing running battle with exDublin intercounty player Conal Keaney throughout – was one highlight for Crokes.
On and on it went in the second period of extra time, score for score, Niall McMorrow landing a crucial point before Ryan’s close range free levelled it again: Kilmacud 1-20 Ballyboden 2-17.
Arguably the classiest forward on show, Ryan could so easily have been the match winner.
The last chance fell to him, latching on to possession 30
metres out from goal. Opting to beat his man rather than take the point on, he ducked inside only for a Kilmacud hurley to get a hook in and to see Ryan’s attempt at a winner bounce across the goal, forcing a save and ensuring the match finished on a heartstopping note.
It all means they have to go at it again next Sunday, the replay confirmed for the same venue at 3.30pm, even allowing for the Dublin marathon taking place in the capital.
Conor Dooley had a big first half for Ballyboden, though nobody was fully sure if he got the last touch to Gary Maguire’s long range free in the first half or Paul Doherty, before Ryan O’Dwyer thundered into the match and led Kilmacud Crokes’ rally right until the end.
‘It mightn’t have been the greatest game – it’s very hard to know until you watch it back but it was great excitement,’ added Kilmacud boss Daly, capturing the drama at the end of the game perfectly.
‘You’re nearly going with the flow. It reminds of 20 years ago, playing an All-Ireland semi-final against Birr. Extra time for the finish, you were like a punchdrunk boxer. I think both sides were. (We) had it won, could have lost it again at the death.
‘I was worried all week. We were being blown up after the Cuala match – there wasn’t a word about us up to that. There’s nothing like a match like that to refocus everybody.
‘(We’ll) try and get the bodies right for next weekend, pelt them into the Irish sea tomorrow. It’s only bathwater anyway. It’s not the Atlantic.’