Extra time couldn’t seperate the two sides in this afternoon’s Dublin Senior Hurling Final
Kilmacud Crokes 1-20
Ballyboden St. Endas 2-17 (aet)
A stalemate in Parnell Park this afternoon as Kilmacud Crokes and Ballyboden St. Endas played out normal and extra time with no winner in the Senior Hurling Final.
Which means the sides will do it all again next Sunday afternoon before the Leinster Championship starts the following week.
Anthony Daly’s Crokes side must have thought they’d finally made over the line with a two point lead late in extra time. Surely the defeats in 2016 and 2017 were behind them. But points for Niall McMorrow and Paul Ryan pulled Ballyboden back from the brink to evoke a replay.
Boden could have went one better put Paul Ryan fumbled a winning opportunity right at the death.
Ballyboden keeper Gary Maguire is tagged for their first goal from a long range free and Aidan Mellett secured their second. Crokes Marc Howard again had a stellar day with 0-11 under his belt. Sean McGrath score his sides goal and was one of nine contributing scorers for Kilmacud.
Ballyboden Edge First Half
Crokes opened up an early 1-01 lead in just four minutes with McGrath finding the net. But Ballyboden dug deep and pressed hard in the middle third, stifling Crokes attack. The Glenalbyn side only scored four additional points by half time.
Conal Keaney opened the Boden account in the third. Niall Ryan, Paul Ryan and Conor Dooley (2) had the game levelled at 1-02 to 0-05, with Lorcan McMullan adding a score for Crokes.
Fergal Whitely got on the score sheet for Crokes at the end of the first quarter but moments later Maguire launched a huge free. The ball hit the net and Conor Dooley may claim a flick on it on but the goal put Boden two in front. Two more scores from Paul Ryan extended Ballyboden’s lead to four but Caolan Conway pulled one back for Crokes.
A Paul Ryan free and one from Marc Howard ended the half with Ballyboden ahead by 1-08 to 1-05.
Did Crokes Leave it Behind?
By the 15th minute of the second half, Kilmacud had levelled the game and were dominating the play. Marc Howard (3) and Seanie McGrath with the scores, and David Curtin’s point four minutes in was all that Boden had registered.
With thirteen minutes remaining, Howard put Crokes noses in front, but Ryan replied with a score from play. Both free takers would feature again, as Howard converted two more and had Kilmacud leading up to a minute left of normal time. But Paul Ryan stepped and pointed a free before Aidan Mellet sent the Ballyboden supporters into a frenzy. An additional minute had been played and it looked as though Boden would be crowned 2018 Champions.
But Anthony Daly’s men were not finished as Cian MacGabhann responded immediately with a score and Marc Howard again covered a free to level the game. Howard had a chance to steal it in the dying seconds with a free from Crokes 65, but agonisingly the dead ball dropped short and wide and sent the game to extra time.
Extra Time Beckons
The additional game time was as epic as the game itself and Ballyboden and was of course dominated by both free takers. Marc Howard got Crokes up and running but Paul Ryan replied. A beautiful converted sideline cut and free from 45 meters out saw Ryan stretch Boden out by two.
Alex Considine fouled twice in the space of a minute gave Howard the opportunity to draw Crokes level, and he duly obliged. And again the sides can’t be separated.
With ten more minutes to play Ryan cancels out a score from Shane Veale. Ross O’Carroll and Oisin O’Rorke push Crokes out by two with six minutes remaining, they just need to hold on. But Boden again dig deep. Niall McMorrow receives a ball from Aidan Mellett and sends it over. Paul Ryan converts yet another free after a foul on Mellett and the game is tied.
With over 80 minutes of hurling, that had everything, it’s back to square one next weekend as Kilmacud Crokes and Ballyboden St. Enda’s replay to decide this year’s Dublin Senior Hurling Champions.
Kilmacud Crokes Scorers:
Marc Howard 0-11 (10f)
Seanie McGrath 1-01
Caolan Conway 0-02
Cian MacGabhann 0-01
Fergal Whitley 0-01
Lorcan McMullan 0-01
Oisin O’Rorke 0-01
Ross O’Carroll 0-01
Shane Veale 0-01
Scorers for Ballyboden:
Paul Ryan 0-11 (8f, 1 “65”, 1 sideline)
Gary Maguire 1-00
Aidan Mellet 1-00
Conor Dooley 0-02
David Curtin 0-01
Conal Keaney 0-01
Niall Ryan 0-01
Niall McMorrow 0-01
Kilmacud Crokes:
1. Matt Collins
2. Niall Corcoran
3. Bill O’Carroll
4. Jamie Clinton
5. Ross O’Carroll
6. Ryan O’Dwyer
7. Cian MacGabhann
8. Lorcan McMullan
9. Damien Kelly
10. Seanie McGrath
11. Fergal Whitley
12. Coalan Conway
13. Oisin O’Rorke
14. Marc Howard
15. Ronan Hayes
Kilmacud Crokes Substitutes:
25. Alex Consedine for Niall Corcoran (45)
30. Shane Veale for Seanie McGrath (51)
23. Stevie O’Dwyer for Oisin O’Rorke (74)
20. Barry O’Rorke for Marc Howard (78)
Ballyboden St Endas:
1. Gary Maguire
2. James Madden
3. Luke Corcoran
4. Shane Durkin
18. David O’Connor
6. Simon Lambert
7. Dean Curran
9 Niall Ryan
20. David Curtin
10. Conal Keaney
11. Paul Doherty
13. Paul Ryan
14. Conor Dooley
17. Aidan Mellet
15. Niall McMorrow
Ballyboden St. Endas Substitutes:
12. Conor McCormac for Paul Doherty (17)
5. Stephen O’Connor for David Curtin (52)
23. James Roche for Niall Ryan (53)
11. Paul Doherty for Conor Dooley (HT Extra time)
8. Finn McGarry for Conor McCormac (HT Extra time)
24. Cillian Byrne for James Roche (72)