Preview: Dublin SFC1 final

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Thomas Davis make their return to Dublin's top-flight SFC final after an absence of 28 years when they face Ballyboden St Enda's in Sunday's SFC1 decider at Parnell Park (4.0).

The Kiltipper Road club, who won the SFC2 last year, were successful on that visit to Parnell Park back in 1991 when their victory over Parnell's saw them complete a SFC three in-a-row with names such as Fran Troy, JJ Martin, Dave Foran, Paul Curran, Paul Nugent, Pádraig Dwane among others to the fore during those halycon days for the Tallaght club.

Following their Dublin SFC glory in 1991 Thomas Davis progressed through Leinster and overcame Offaly's Clara in the provincial final, as they had done successfully the previous year when defeating Wicklow's Baltinglass in a replayed provincial final.

However, their All-Ireland club SFC dream was ended in March 1992 by Kerry champions Dr Crokes (1-11 to 0-13) in the All-Ireland club final at Croke Park.

Both of Sunday's finalists are attempting to secure the Clery's Cup for the fourth time in their history with Ballyboden successful at recently as 2015.

The Firhouse Road men went on to become Leinster champions four years ago and landed the All-Ireland the following March in Croke Park, when defeating Mayo's Castlebar Michels (2-14 to 0-7) in the final.

The current Boden team boasts a lot of those players that played on that successful journey which culminated in such style and determination at GAA headquarters that St Patrick's Day when then team captain, Darragh Nelson, lifted the Andy Merrigan Cup.

Apart from Darragh Nelson, the likes of Shane Clayton, Bob Dwan (who scored 0-3 in the final), Aran Waters, Michael Darragh Macauley, Declan O'Mahony (who missed 2016 final due to suspension), Colm Baquel (who scored 1-1 in the final), Robbie McDaid, Ryan Basquel, Conal Keaney, Cathal Flaherty, Donagh McCabe and Seán Gibbons are still central to Boden's quest for their fourth Dublin SFC title.

The eventual Dublin senior football champions will advance to represent the county in the Leinster SFC and face Louth champions, Newtown Blues, away the following weekend in a provincial quarter-final.

Sunday's opponents experienced contrasting AFL1 campaigns this year.

After their regulation AFL1 games Ballyboden St Enda's finished in first position in the table after winning 14 and drawing one of their 15 games while Thomas Davis won five, drew two and lost eight of their 15 AFL1 encounters.

Boden's only dropped point came in their early season game against Kilmacud Crokes which ended in a 1-10 each draw in Páirc Uí Mhurchú.
Thomas Davis made a slow start to their AFL1 campaign, losing their opening six games before drawing with St Oliver Plunkett's/Eoghan Ruadh in late May in Martin Savage Park. Since then they recorded five victories and one draw in their last eight AFL1 games.

The sides clashed in AFL1 action in early September in Kiltipper Road when Boden prevailed with plenty to spare, 2-18 to 0-9.

However, Davis' championship form has told a different tale underlined by their recent victories over Castleknock in the quarter-final and then last year's champions, Kilmacud Crokes, in their semi-final.

In their semi-final they defeated Crokes 2-12 to 1-10 with Ciarán Farrelly's goal immediately on the restart of the second half putting Paul Kelly's men on the road to victory.

A long ball from Ryan Deegan was mishandled by Crokes keeper David Nestor and Farrelly was on hand to fire to the net. The influential Ryan Deegan followed up with a great point as Davis moved 1-7 to 0-6 clear, it was a lead they never relinquished.

Their 3-12 to 1-17 quarter-final victory over Castleknock was packed with drama. Two goals inside a minute during the first half gave Thomas Davis great self-belief and they held on in a frenetic finish to progress to the last-four.

Castleknock led 0-5 to 0-4 by the 20th minute before they were rocked by goals from Ryan Deegan and Ciarán Farrelly in immediate succession to suddenly lead 2-4 to 0-5.

Davis’ also made the dream start to the second half with a Brendan Kirby goal inside the opening minute. Points from Gerard McDermottroe and Rob Shaw cut the gap but the three goals still had Davis’ ahead despite late points from Ciarán Kilkenny and Tom Shields for Castleknock.

Ballyboden St Enda's come into the final buoyed by their semi-final victory (2-10 to 1-10) over St Jude's when they came with a storming finish to progress to the decider.

Jude’s, having played with the wind advantage, had a six-point lead at half-time but Boden improved massively in the second period to run out winners by a goal.

St Jude’s could only muster two points in the second half as Boden took control and with Colm Basquel in inspired form the Firhouse Road men dominated the conclusion of the second half.

Anthony Rainbow's side had to dig deep in their quarter-final also before eventually seeing off Na Fianna, 3-15 to 1-15 after extra-time.

Once again Colm Basquel was Ballyboden St Enda's hero as he tallied 3-4 (0-1f) in a pulsating last-eight encounter at Parnell Park.

Basquel kicked all of Boden's extra-time scores, 2-1 from play, after the southsiders rescued the game in the final moments of normal time to force extra-time.

The curtain-raiser on Sunday sees Whitehall Colmcille face Round Towers of Lusk (2.0) in what promises to be a high quality duel.

The sides are familiar with each other having pitted their wits against each other in both AFL2 this season and also during the SFC2 Group stages, with the Lusk side coming out on top on both occasions.

ROUTE TO DUBLIN SFC1 FINAL: Ballyboden St Enda's

SEMI-FINAL
26 October Parnell Park Ballyboden St Enda's 2-10 St Jude's 1-10

QUARTER-FINAL
12 October Parnell Park Ballyboden St Enda’s 3-15 Na Fianna 1-15 (After extra-time)

SFC1 GROUP 2: (1) Ballyboden St Enda's 6pts, +31 scoring difference; (2) Clontarf (2, +5); (3) Lucan Sarsfields (2, -7); (4) Skerries Harps (2, -29)
28 September Parnell Park Ballyboden St Enda's 2-20 Skerries Harps 0-6
25 April Monastery Road Ballyboden St Enda's 1-19 Lucan Sarsfields 1-9
13 April O'Toole Park Ballyboden St Enda's 0-11 Clontarf 0-10

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ROUTE TO DUBLIN SFC1 FINAL: Thomas Davis

SEMI-FINAL
26 October Parnell Park Thomas Davis 2-12 Kilmacud Crokes 1-10
QUARTER-FINAL
13 October Parnell Park Thomas Davis 3-12 Castleknock 1-17

SFC1 GROUP 3: (1) St Jude's 5pts, +11 scoring difference; (2) Thomas Davis (3, +6); (3) Raheny (3, 0); (4) St Oliver Plunkett's/Eoghan Ruadh (1, -17)
28 September O'Toole Park St Jude's 1-9 Thomas Davis 0-8
24 April 12th Lock Thomas Davis 2-11 St Oliver Plunkett's/Eoghan Ruadh 0-7
13 April O'Toole Park Thomas Davis 0-10 Raheny 1-7

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2019 AIB LEINSTER CLUB SFC

1. Ferbane (Offaly) 2-9 St Patrick's (Wicklow) 1-14 27.10.2019 Bord na Móna O’Connnor Park
2. Q-F St Patrick's (Wicklow) v Portlaoise (Laois) 10.11.2019
3. Eire Óg (Carlow) 4-6 Castletown (Wexford) 1-10 27.10.2019 Netwatch Cullen Park
4. Q-F Eire Óg (Carlow) v Sarfields (Kildare) 10.11.2019
5. Garrycastle (Westmeath) 0-15 Killoe Emmet Óg (Longford) 0-6 27.10.2019 TEG Cusack Park
6. Q-F Garrycastle (Westmeath) v Ratoath (Meath) 10.11.2019
7. Q-F Newtown Blues (Louth) v Ballyboden St Enda's/Thomas Davis (Dublin) 10.11.2019
Semi-finals
8. 2. v 4. 24.11.2019
9. 6. v 7. 24.11.2019
Final

8. v 9. 8.12.2019

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Dublin SFC (Clery's Cup): Roll of Honour

St Vincent’s (28): 1949, 1950, 1951, 1952, 1953, 1954, 1955, 1957, 1958, 1959, 1960, 1962, 1964, 1966, 1967, 1970, 1971, 1972, 1975, 1976, 1977, 1981, 1984, 2007, 2013, 2014, 2016, 2017
O'Toole’s (11): 1918, 1919, 1920, 1922, 1923, 1924, 1925, 1926, 1928, 1931, 1946
Geraldines (10): 1898, 1899, 1998, 1910, 1914, 1915, 1917, 1940, 1941, 1942
Kilmacud Crokes (8): 1992, 1994, 1998, 2004, 2005, 2008, 2010, 2018
UCD (7): 1943, 1963, 1965, 1973, 1974, 2002, 2006
Parnell’s (6): 1913, 1916, 1939, 1945, 1987, 1988
Kickhams (6): 1897, 1904, 1905, 1906, 1907, 1912
Garda (5): 1927, 1929, 1933, 1934, 1935
Na Fianna (5): 1969, 1979, 1999, 2000, 2001
Young Ireland (5): 1891, 1892, 1893, 1894, 1896
Clanna Gael (5): 1936, 1937, 1948, 1961, 1968
Erin’s Hope (4): 1887, 1932, 1956, 1978
Thomas Davis (3): 1989, 1990, 1991
Isles of the Sea (3): 1890, 1895, 1900
Keatings (3): 1903, 1909, 1911
Ballymun Kickhams (3): 1982, 1985, 2012
Ballyboden St Enda's (3): 1995, 2009, 2015
Civil Service (2): 1944, 1980
Seán McDermott's (2): 1938, 1947
Scoil Uí Chonaill (2): 1983, 1986
St Brigid's (2): 2003, 2011
Erin's Isle (2): 1993, 1997
St Sylvester’s (1): 1996
Faughs (1): 1889
St Mary’s (1): 1921
Feach McHugh's (1): 1888
Bray Emmet's (1): 1901
St Joseph's (1): 1930