Crokes edge out Castleknock in SFC quarter-final

Sat, 30th September 2017

KILMACUD CROKES 2-8 CASTLEKNOCK 1-10

Two early goals for Crokes put them on the road to victory in well-contested Dublin SFC quarter-final at Parnell Park on Friday night.

A superb Mark Vaughan score from the standside opened the scoring in the third minute and three minutes later a point effort from Vaughan was fielded and fired to the net by former Dublin and Clare footballer Pat Burke to give Crokes an early 1-1 to 0-0 lead.

Castleknock replied with a Des Carlos free before in the 14th minute Paul Mannion scored a stunning individual goal when his pace outflanked the opposition defence before he rifled to the roof with his less favoured right foot.

Points from Seamus O'Carroll and Kevin Kindlon either side of a Shane Cunningham point cut the deficit before Castleknock struck for their only goal in the 27th minute.

A point effort form Kindlon with the outside of his right boot was swerving wide before James Sherry pounced to flick the ball to the net and by the break there was just the minimum between the sides, 2-2 to 1-4.

Castleknock restarted well and drew level in the 33rd minute as Seamus O’Carroll slotted over. Callum Pearson replied for Crokes before the hard-working Shane Boland lifted Castleknock again in this see-saw battle.

However, Mannion's three converted frees and a Burke score from play, with Cian O'Sullivan giving a dynamic display around the park, gave Crokes just enough breathing space to hang on in the face of a battling Castleknock down the home straight.

SCORERS – Kilmacud Crokes: P Mannion 1-4 (0-4f), P Burke 1-1, S Cunningham, C Pearson, M Vaughan 0-1 each. Castleknock: S O’Carroll 0-4, M Sherry 1-0, D Carlos (0-1f) 0-2, S Boland, K Kindlon, C Kilkenny (0-1f), C Lynch (0-1f) 0-1 each.

KILMACUD CROKES: D Nestor; J Murphy, R O’Carroll, C O’Shea; A McGowan, C O’Sullivan, R McGowan; C Casey, P Duggan; S Horan, P Mannion, S Cunningham; C Pearson, M Vaughan, P Burke. Subs: K Dyas for Vaughan (38), C O’Connor for Horan (40), C Dias for Duggan (41), A Jones for Cunningham (43).

CASTLEKNOCK: M Connolly; J King, T Quinn, R Shaw; P Sherry, G Hannigan, T Shields; C Kilkenny, J Sherry; D Carlos, S Boland, K Kindlon; B Galvin, S O’Carroll, C Lynch. Subs: M Griffin for K Kindlon (48), J Kindlon for Galvin (52), E O’Brien for Boland (63).

REF: D Sheppard (Round Tower Lusk).