Kilmacud Crokes 0-14 Naas 0-7
The first provincial club football title to be decided post-pandemic and it’s headed to the suburbs of south Dublin, after Kilmacud Crokes softly and then surely imposed their class and absolute superiority on a calm winter evening at Croke Park.
For first-time Leinster finalists Naas, their spirited first half challenge fell off dramatically in the second, unable to build on the seven points scored in the first half hour, and with that losing by double scores. It was a little harsh, only that can happen against a team like Crokes.
So it’s their fifth provincial title in all, making some amends for the shock final loss in 2018, and given the way they finished out it’s unlikely to be their last say in this campaign. The excellent Tom Fox, Callum Pearson and Dara Mullin all built on their one-point advantage at half-time to press on home without fear of retreat, Naas losing all their momentum, hit nine wides in the end not adding to their chances.
Pressing hard on the Naas kick-outs in the second half, Crokes outscored their opponents 0-6 to nothing in the second half, and with Rory O’Carroll lording their defence, Crokes shut up all avenues for Naas as the game progressed too.
Starting without injured marksman Paul Mannion, Crokes didn’t quite hit full stride until the second half: once they did Naas found themselves increasingly far from shore.
The first Leinster club football final to be played at Croke Park since 1978 - thank Covid for that - the first half was lively and entertaining, only for Naas, who had celebrated their Christmas after the bonus of a first county title in 31 years, the endgame will leave some regret. Captain Eamon Callaghan did hit four frees, though dropped one short early in the second half and that seemed to set the mood.
The opening half hour provided abundant evidence of two teams primed for the contest. Level twice, the momentum swung back and forth, Crokes taking control at first through the excellent Fox, Pearson and Mullin. They were playing direct, tidy and lively football that Naas at times struggled to contain.
Hitting six wides and dropping two more short didn’t help matters for Naas, although two frees in quick succession from captain Callaghan made some amends - the first drawing level, the second putting them a point up, 0-5 to 0-4, after 20 minutes.
Then Crokes came again, a free from Fox turning the momentum, before Craig Dias got in on the scoring act too. The Dublin champions held it until half-time. Callaghan’s fourth free brought it back to the minimum, 0-8 to 0-7, both teams believing their best was yet to come. Instead only Crokes delivered on that.
Both teams had announced three late changes before the throw-in: for Crokes, half forwards Mannion and Shane Horan were replaced by Callum Pearson and Aidan Jones, with Conor Casey coming in for Ben Shovlin at midfield.
For Naas the three late changes were all forwards too: Sean Cullen, Dermot Hanafin and Cathal Daly all getting a starting berths for Shane Bergin, Darragh Kirwan and David Gahin - Kirwan the chief loss there.
Naas, in truth, rode lady luck a little in getting this far, staging a few dramatic comebacks along the way. Crokes came in search of that fifth title, having lost the final back in 2018, and will meet the Connacht champions next.
KILMACUD CROKES (DUBLIN): C Ferris (0-1, a free); M Mullin, R McGowan, A McGowan; D O'Brien (0-1), R O'Carroll, C O'Shea; C Dias (0-1), C Casey; T Fox (0-5, two frees), C Pearson (0-2), A Jones (0-1); H Kenny, S Cunningham (capt), D Mullin (0-3).
Subs: S Horan for Kenny (half-time), C Kinsella for Pearson (48 mins), A Quinn for Cunningham (55 mins), D Jones for Fox (57 mins), J Murphy for Dias (63 mins).
NAAS (KILDARE): J Rodgers; B Kane, P Sullivan, C Joyce; T Browne, B Byrne, P McDermott (0-1); E Doyle, J Clearly; S Cullen, E Callaghan (capt) (0-4, all frees), L Griffin; D Hanafin (0-2), J Burke, C Daly.
Subs: C McCarthy for Joyce (47 mins), A McDermott for Kane (53 mins), J McKevitt for Cullen (54 mins), S Bergin for Griffin (55 mins), D Gahin for Cleary (60 mins).
Referee: Patrick Maguire (Longford)
