Paul Mannion shows all his star quality as Kilmacud Crokes secure Leinster final slot

Leinster SFC semi-final: Ardee St Mary’s (Louth) 1-11 Kilmacud Crokes (Dublin) 1-16

Even with his seven All-Ireland medals, and his three All-Stars, missing out on another individual accolade last Friday night probably irked Paul Mannion, the ferocious competitor that he is.

The All-Ireland final man of the match certainly looked like a man keen to make a point in the opening half of this Leinster club semi-final two days on from his All Star snub, blasting five early points to help open up a 10-point half-time lead that Crokes, surprisingly, would later rely on.

Between himself and 2022 All Star Shane Walsh, the Crokes duo were virtually unstoppable in that first half.

It was a good thing they posted all those scores, too, because Ardee, the back-to-back Louth champions, gave the 3,000-strong crowd plenty to shout about with a spirited second-half comeback.

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Inspired by their own talisman, Ciarán Keenan, the St Mary’s men reeled off 1-5 without response throughout the third quarter to reduce their deficit to just two points at one stage.

That was as close as they came to an upset of Mullinalaghta proportions as All-Ireland holders Crokes, chasing a historic three-in-a-row of provincial titles, dug deep into their reservoir of big-game experience to see out the game.

A combination of Walsh’s sorcery and the impact of substitutes Shane Horan and Luke Ward ultimately got Crokes over the line, securing them a final clash with old rivals Naas at Croke Park. That’ll be another opportunity for the jilted Mannion to stick it to the All Stars selectors.

“I am biased of course but he should have got an All Star, without a shadow of a doubt,” said Crokes manager Robbie Brennan. “I won’t say it was a joke but it was a bit of a strange one that he didn’t get it. But I don’t think it will bother him too much. I think he is happy enough to come down and do his business today.”

Mannion, according to Brennan, missed Dublin’s team holiday to answer his club’s call and they needed him as it turned out.

He and Walsh cooked up a storm in the opening half and with Darragh Dempsey netting in the 18th minute, they soared 1-10 to 0-3 clear at half-time.

Ardee didn’t score a point from open play in the first half but returned a different team after the break. The strong wind at their backs clearly helped but it was mainly the urgency and ability that Ciarán Keenan brought to proceedings that changed the game. He converted three points from marks while Ryan Rooney sniped an opportunistic 40th-minute Ardee goal when they turned the ball over deep in Crokes’ own half.

Liam Jackson’s 46th-minute point for Ardee left just two points in it but a couple of wasted point attempts after that cost them and Crokes, typically, turned the screw in the closing minutes.

ARDEE ST MARY’S: J McGillick; D McKenny, E Keenan, T Corrigan; K Moran, P McKenny, C Gillespie (0-2, two frees); S Callaghan, R Leavy; L Jackson (0-1), C Keenan (0-3, three marks, J Commins (0-3, three frees); R Rooney (1-0), D McConnon (0-1), T Jackson (0-1, one free).

Subs: S Matthews for Commins, T McDonnelly for Corrigan (both 55 mins); R Carroll for Rooney (58).

KILMACUD CROKES: D Higgins; A Quinn, R O’Carroll, D O’Brien; M O’Leary, C O’Connor (0-1), A McGowan (0-1); B Sheehy, C Dias; D Dempsey (1-0), P Mannion (0-5), D Mullin (0-1); H Kenny, S Cunningham (0-1), S Walsh (0-5, three frees).

Subs: S Horan (0-1) for Dempsey (44 mins); C Pearson for Kenny (49); L Ward (0-1) for Cunningham (51); L Flatman for Sheehy (61).

Ref: B Cawley (Kildare).

ENDSd