Crokes have been the form team this year: Chris Guckian

Thu, 25th October 2018

St Jude's have toppled recent Dublin senior football champions, St Vincent's and Ballymun Kickhams, on their way to on Monday's Dublin SFC1 final (5.0) but know it will take another massive effort to secure their first Dublin SFC title when they face Kilmacud Crokes.

Vincent's were champions four times this decade 2013, 2014, 2016 and 2017, Kickhams were crowned champions in 2012 while Crokes were last the holders in 2010. The Stillorgan men defeated champions of 2015, Ballyboden St Enda's, in their last-four encounter having also beaten them in their round-robin group.

Jude's have only featured in the SFC final on one previous occasion, when they lost to Ballyboden St Enda's in the 2009 decider.

Since then they reached the semi-finals in 2012, ’13, ’14, ’16 and ’17, but suffered the frustration of defeat each time.

“To reach this final finally is breaking through the glass ceiling for us,” says in-form Jude's defender Chris Guckian.

“At the same stage you might as well get knocked out in the first round as opposed to losing a county final.

“It was great to just get over the line and get that monkey off our backs. Obviously there is a bigger challenge ahead

“Last year we felt we were thereabouts. We knew it would take a good team to beat us.

“I think last year was more us beating ourselves than Vincent’s beating us. Obviously with the men sent off, it’s easy to say that. We learnt a lot from last year in terms of our discipline.

“It showed in the semi-final. Again, we have been a top six team - just breaking that barrier was huge, but we’ve a bigger one next week.”

Looking ahead to Monday's decider he adds: “Crokes have been the form team this year. We played them in a friendly in March and they blew us away.

“They have a lot of young lads - fit, hungry, different management, different style, very good attacking play. So it’s going to be a totally different game to Vincent’s (who are) more of an experienced outfit.”

The Dublin Junior 2 Club FC final between Ballyfermot De La Salle and Ranelagh Gaels provides the curtain-raiser on Monday (3.0).