Carlos leads Castleknock into SFC final

CASTLEKNOCK 0-11 ST JUDE'S 1-4

The rise and rise of Castleknock continued when they finished the stronger to defeat St Jude's in Thursday night's Dublin SFC semi-final at Parnell Park.

The Dublin 15 side now advance to the decider against St Vincent's on Saturday week (Parnell Park, 3.0) in a battle of the most successful club in Dublin club football history against a club who will be participating in their first final.

Over the past decade Castleknock have continuously climbed the ladder in the capital and after winning the Dublin JFC 'A' title in 2012 and the IFC crown in 2014 they are now knocking on 'heaven's door'.

The sides were level 0-3 each after a very tactical and defensive opening 30 minute before a superb Kevin McManamon goal when he rifled to the roof of Morven Connolly's net off his left foot at the three-quarter mark edged Jude's 1-4 to 0-6 clear.

However, when the game was in the melting pot it was Castleknock who came up with the answers, showing great maturity and patience to score the last five points of the contest - the last four from the boot of Des Carlos (three frees, one from play).

Ben Galvin, son of former Dublin senior Mick, pointed to bring the sides level before Carlos converted a free from over 40 metres after Ciaran Kilkenny was fouled.

The Dublin senior was to play a central role in this period as his strength and ball retention helped guide his side to victory.

Carlos got the next score from play following a surging run from the Shane Boland for Lar Norton's side to lead by two, 0-9 to 1-4, entering the last five minutes plus added time.

The concluding two scores also came from Des Carlos as he finished with a match-winning tally of 0-9 (including seven frees).

The opening half was a tame enough affair. Declan Donnelly was first off the mark in the third minute before a Carlos free, Kieran Doherty nosed Jude's back in front when he finished off an excellent counter-attack move and when Kevin McManamon made it 0-3 to 0-1 following good work by Paul Cunningham and Tom Lahiff the Tymon North men looked to have settled.

But crucially by the break Castleknock were level thanks to Carlos' second free a super Mikey Galvin point from the stand side.

Before McManamon struck for goal in the second period Jude's initially moved ahead 0-4 to 0-3 courtesy of a sublime Niall Coakley free from the stand side touchline but Carlos converted three frees, two following fouls on Kilkenny, to give his side a 0-6 to 0-4 advantage.

Check out the highlights from the match:

SCORERS - Castleknock: D Carlos 0-9 (0-7f), M Galvin, B Galvin 0-1 each. St Jude's: K McManamon 1-1, K Doherty, D Donnelly, N Coakley (0-1f) 0-1 each.

CASTLEKNOCK: M Connolly; T Quinn, E O'Brien, P Bourke; G Hannigan, T Shiels, P Sherry; C Kilkenny, J Sherry; D Carlos, S Boland, B Galvin; C Lynch, K Kindlon, M Galvin. Subs: J Kindlon for M Galvin (48), M Griffin for B Galvin (58), T Corcoran for Lynch 58.

ST JUDE'S: P Copeland; R Martina, P Cunningham, R Finnegan; M Sweeney, C McBride, B Sheehan; C Murphy, S Ryan; K Doherty, R Joyce, T Lahiff; N Coakley, D Donnelly, K McManamon. Subs: E Dalton for Joyce (ht), D McLoughlin for Lahiff (40), P Courtney for Murphy (42), B McManamon for Coakley (52), J Donnelly for Doherty (52), O Manning for Courtney (62, bc).

REF: J King (Garda).