Strong Finish Helps Kilmacud Crokes Into All-Ireland Final

Sun, 30th January 2022

Kilmacud Crokes 1-11

Padraig Pearses 0-08

Kilmacud Crokes reached their third ever All-Ireland Club Football Final on Saturday evening, with victory over Roscommon’s Padraig Pearses at Kingspan Breffni Park.

After a tough physical encounter, the 2021 Go Ahead Dublin Senior Football Champions finished strongly to seal the win and a place in the All-Ireland Final against Kilcoo in two weeks.

Craig Dias scored Crokes’ goal- and the only goal of the game- early on, hitting the net after eight minutes.

7 nóim caite @KCrokesGAAClub 1-00@propearses 0-01

Cúl ag fir na hArd Cathrach

Great finish from Craig Dias @GAA_BEO |#GAABEO |#TheToughest

BEO/LIVE anois ar @TG4TV pic.twitter.com/eJjmZznI9Q
— Spórt TG4 (@SportTG4) January 29, 2022

The goal proved crucial, ensuring Crokes maintained a lead for the remainder of the game, despite intense pressure from Padraig Pearses, especially in the third quarter.

The goal separated the sides after a tight first half- 1-03 to 0-03 at the break- but Pearses reduced the gap to a single point on several occasions after half time.

Crokes finished the stronger however, aided by a handsome contribution from their bench. Substitutes Cian O’Connor and Conor Casey both hit late scores, as the Dubliners won out by six points in the end.

The All-Ireland Final will see Crokes take on Kilcoo on Saturday, February 12^th.

Scorers for Kilmacud Crokes: Craig Dias 1-01, Shane Horan, Dara Mullin, Cian O’Connor 0-02 each, Tom Fox (f), Callum Pearson, Anthony Quinn, Conor Casey 0-01 each.

Scorers for Pádraig Pearses: Paul Carey 0-03 (0-02f), Hubert Darcy (0-01f), Niall Daly 0-02 each, Tom Butler 0-01.

Kilmacud Crokes: Conor Ferris, Michael Mullen, Ross McGowan, Dan O’Brien, Cillian O’Shea, Rory O’Carroll, Andrew McGowan, Ben Shovlin, Craig Dias, Tom Fox, Hugh Kenny, Shane Horan, Callum Pearson, Dara Mullen, Shane Cunningham.

Subs: Conor Casey for Shovlin (46 mins), Cian O’Connor for Kenny (46 mins), Aidan Jones for Pearson (51 mins), Anthony Quinn for Fox (57 mins), Theo Clancy for Horan (61 mins)

Pádraig Pearses: Paul Whelan, Caelim Keogh, Mark Richardson, Anthony Butler, Conor Lohan, Ronan Daly, David Murray, Niall Daly, Conor Daly, Shane Carty, Niall Carty, Lorcán Daly, Conor Payne, Hubert Darcy, Paul Carey.

Subs: Tom Butler for Shane Carty (38 mins), Emmett Kelly for Lohan (54 mins), Jack Tumulty for Lorcán Daly (59 mins), Eoin Colleran for Carty (60 mins), Shane Mulvey for Richardson (63 mins).