Kilmacud Crokes 4-26 Na Fianna 2-25 (after extra-time)
With a nine-point lead and as many minutes remaining in the Dublin SHC final at Parnell Park, Na Fianna looked all set to bring the cup back north of the Liffey.
Curiously, that hadn’t occurred since 2006 when Craobh Chiarain reigned supreme in the capital, the cup being shared by southside outfits Ballyboden St Enda’s, Cuala and Kilmacud Crokes since then.
If Na Fianna could just have held on, they’d also have made history as first time champions having never even won a semi-final before this season.
That nine-point advantage following Donal Burke’s 51st-minute goal, taking his tally to 2-7 for the evening, crumbled into dust, however, as Crokes reeled off 3-1 to Na Fianna’s 0-1 to force extra-time.
Ronan Hayes was the central character in those late plays, miscuing a penalty attempt in the 55th minute when seven points stood between the teams but redeeming himself with the 65th-minute goal that sent the game to an additional 20 minutes.
A rejuvenated Hayes then reeled off six more points in extra-time as Crokes outscored Na Fianna by 0-8 to 0-1 in that period to take the honours with surprising ease.
Truth be told, Na Fianna must have been shattered to see their lead evaporate in normal time. In the end, the seven-point win for Crokes represented a 16-point swing on the scoreboard from the 51st minute until the end of extra-time.
It’s Crokes’ sixth title and their first since 2014 and they will return to duty on November 28th for an Leinster clash with Raharney of Westmeath in Mullingar.
A more immediate date for club members to focus on is next weekend’s Dublin SFC final with Crokes also competing in that, against St Judes, and on the verge of a dream club double.
This game shouldn’t have got away from Na Fianna, however. They led at half-time, by 1-15 to 1-11, and at both water breaks and it seemed a done deal that they would go on to finally land the county title the club craved.
County duo Burke and Seán Currie were terrific up to that point with 2-15 between them, Currie striking seven of his eight points from open play and the other from a sideline cut.
With Liam Rushe planted at the centre of their defence, they looked a formidable unit and the former St Pat's, Palmerstown hurler bombed forward for a point in the third quarter as Na Fianna turned the screw.
Colin Currie, AJ Murphy and Paul O’Dea pointed too as the side managed by Niall Ó Ceallacháin positioned itself on the cusp of a famous win.
They couldn’t finish it off though with Crokes launching their remarkable late revival with a 52nd minute Fergal Whitely goal.
Crokes threw the kitchen sink at Na Fianna in the search of a third goal but when Hayes skewed a penalty attempt badly wide in the 55th minute and Alex Considine rippled the side-netting in the 58th minute, it looked as if it wasn't to be their evening.
They refused to throw in the towel though and Oisín O'Rorke blasted to the net after a great run by the influential Davy Crowe and then, deep into stoppage time, Hayes made amends for his earlier miss by lashing to the net after being set up by Pádhraic Linehan.
It levelled the scores and while Donal Burke engineered a parcel of space to shoot for a point in the 66th minute, he couldn't convert and extra-time followed.
Crokes were surprisingly at their ease in extra-time and Hayes took his overall tally to 1-14 with half a dozen more points.
KILMACUD CROKES: E Gibbons; B O'Carroll, D Crowe (0-1), B Sheehy; C MacGabhann, M Grogan, P Linehan; L McMullan (0-2), D Mulligan; C Conway (0-3), F Whitely (1-1), D Purcell (0-1); O O'Rorke (1-3), R Hayes (1-14, eight frees, one 65), A Considine (1-1).
Subs: M Howard for Purcell (42), S Veale for Conway (47), C Ó Cathasaigh for MacGabhann (50), J Clinton for O'Carroll (extra-time), Purcell for Whitely (h/t e/t), J Dillon for Considine (76).
NA FIANNA: J Treacy; S Burke, K Burke (0-1), S Baxter; F Breathnach, D Ryan, L Rushe (0-1); P O'Dea (0-1), P Feeney (0-1); M Murphy (0-2), S Currie (0-8, one s/l), D Burke (2-7, six frees); S Barrett (0-1), AJ Murphy (0-2), C Currie (0-1).
Subs: C McHugh for Baxter (41), M Quilty for Feeney, C Kelly for S Burke (both 50), E McHugh for AJ Murphy (57), H Fenlon for O'Dea (62), K Murphy for M Murphy (67), S Ryan for C Currie (70).
Referee: C Mooney.
