Ready to go again in SHC ‘A’ final replay

The sides are ready to recommence battle in this Sunday's Dublin SHC 'A' final replay at Parnell Park (3.30).

Last weekend Ballyboden St Enda's and Kilmacud Crokes couldn't be separated, even including extra-time, with both clubs probably glad of a second chance.

It was a titanic battle from start to finish culminating in a frantic conclusion to both normal time and extra-time before it finished Boden 2-17 Crokes 1-20.

For Ballyboden St Enda's manager Joe Fortune it was a roller-coaster ride.

“Maybe five minutes before the end there, I probably would have taken it (the replay).

"I said it to the lads that I thought, on the day, we’d a lot of wides. We weren’t probably as structured as we normally are in the forwards.

“I said it to Dalo (Anthony Daly) at the end with two teams going head-to-head that there’s going to be injuries.

"There’s going to be problems this week, you saw lads cramping up.

“I thought we had a chance at the end to win it and maybe if (Marc) Howard had got that strike off as well, maybe they could have won it too.

“But I just can’t commend the lads enough.

“I’ve heard it said over the past couple of weeks that Crokes have been beaten in the last two county finals and weren’t going to let go easy.

"We’ll go back into battle again and I’ve no doubt they’ll be ready too," said Joe.

Rival manager Anthony Daly expressed similar emotions.

“Had it won. Maybe could have lost it right at the death again!

“I was worried all week.

"We were a bit blown up after the Cuala match – there wasn’t a word about us up to that.

"And you do always worry that that gets inside fellas’ heads.

"I knew that they were very focused and I was wondering was our focus quite as good as it was for Cuala, and I don’t think it was.

“But there’s nothing like a match like that to refocus everybody and try and get the bodies right for next weekend," said the Kilmacud Crokes boss.

"When we went two ahead in the second period of extra-time, I thought we had it.

"When Oisin got the point but once they got one back it was always going to be (up for grabs).

"It mightn't have been the greatest game, you know, I don't know now, it's very hard to know until you watch it back but it was great excitement.

"There were lads down in Clare after we beat Cuala, lads that wouldn't be tuned into the club game up here, saying, 'Ah sure you have it now, you beat Cuala'.

"That's all they'd know and then I started naming out who 'Boden had and they were like, 'What.....have they him as well!'

"They're a huge team, they've put in a massive effort and we knew that.

"We're just relieved to be getting another day at it," concluded Anthony.