Crokes into SHC ‘A’ final after toppling All-Ireland champs Cuala

KILMACUD CROKES 3-13 CUALA 1-17

Dublin will have new senior hurling champions this year after Kilmacud Crokes toppled the reigning champs in Sunday's SHC 'A' semi-final at Parnell Park.

But Cuala showed the hallmark of great champions by battling to the finish on a day that they didn't, or weren't allowed, deliver to their full capacity.

They bowed out after an incredible sequence of displays in knockout championship - a run that secured three Dublin, two Leinster and two All-Ireland championships.

Crokes were the better side and had heroes all over the park, Matt Collins in goals, the O'Carroll brothers, Lorcan McMullan hit three valuable points, with Caolan Conway and Sean McGrath also chipping in with valuable scores.

Crokes they led by ten points early in the second-half. However, Cuala came with a storming finish and but for the goalkeeping reflexes of Collins and some heroic defending they came might have gone into extra-time or even the Dalkey side's way in a frenetic finish.

But it was Crokes day, having lost to Cuala in the previous two finals, and they now face another familiar southside rival, Ballyboden St Enda's, in the decider in two weeks' time.

Damien Kelly's goal with the first minute of the second-half propelled Crokes into a 3-8 to 0-7 lead following first-half goals form Oisin O'Rorke and Mark Howard.

Cuala could score only one point from play in the opening half as Crokes tactics stifled their usually highly effective gameplan while they matched the famed work-rate of Mattie Kenny's men.

But coming down the home straight they battled for the lives and continuously attacked.

Sean Moran's penalty put life into the game just as it had looked that their race was run and that Crokes defence would remain watertight.

Colm Cronin fired over a fine point and David Treacy continued to cut into the deficit from placed ball.

But Anthony Daly's Crokes held strong with Collins denying both Treacy and then Con O'Callaghan with a superb save to set up their final date with Boden.

SCORERS – Kilmacud Crokes: M Howard 0-6 (0-6f), O O’Rorke 1-1, L McMullan 0-3, D Kelly, R Hayes 1-0 each, C Conway 0-2, S McGrath 0-1. Cuala: D Treacy 0-11 (0-9f), Con O’Callaghan 0-4, S Moran 1-0 (1-0 pen), C Cronin, D Ó Floinn 0-1 each.

KILMACUD CROKES: M Collins; C MacGabhann, J Clinton, B O’Carroll; R O’Carroll, R O’Dwyer, N Corcoran; L Mullan, D Kelly; S McGrath, C Conway, D Kelly; R Hayes, M Howard, O O’Rorke. Subs: A Considine for Kelly (47), D Butler for Corcoran (58), B O’Rorke for McGrath (63).

CUALA: S Brennan; S Timlin, Cian O’Callaghan, O Gough; J Sheanon, S Moran, D O’Connell; C Sheanon, S Treacy; C Cronin, D Treacy, J Malone; M Schutte, Con O’Callaghan, N Kenny. Subs: D O’Floinn for O’Connell (15, inj), N Carty for Kenny (ht), S Murphy for C Sheanon (41).

REF: J Buckley (Setanta).