THROWBACK: Kilmacud Crokes v Ballyboden St Endas- 2004 Dublin Senior Football Final

By Conor Martin 

Parnell Park won't be a place for second chances on Sunday, as Kilmacud Crokes and Ballyboden St Endas battle it out for the Clerys Cup and the Go-Ahead Dublin Senior 1 Football title. 

The sides, of course, have met in the Championship many times before this Sunday's finale, but remarkably- despite the two clubs featuring in this stage of the competition numerous times in recent years- this is the first year since 2004 that Crokes and Boden have met in the Go-Ahead Dublin Senior 1 Football Final. 

Here's a look back at that final:

Kilmacud Crokes 0-11 - 2-2 Ballyboden St Endas, Dublin Senior Football Championship Final, Sunday 10^th October 2004, Parnell Park

Ahead of that 2004 final, Kilmacud and Ballyboden were experiencing somewhat of a drought. Beaten 2003 finalists Kilmacud went into the game looking to end a six-year spell without lifting the biggest prize in Dublin club football. Their opponents, Ballyboden, had been waiting since their 1995 triumph over Erins Isle for another senior title. 

With the scene set, football fanatics within the county looked forward to what they expected to be a classic. 

However, the game would turn out to be quite the opposite of its billing, though it did feature some standout performances from those in Kilmacud and Ballyboden St Endas jerseys. 

Crokes set the tempo in this one from the word go. Jonny Magee motored nicely along in midfield as he and his brother Darren helped their side assert their dominance. Kilmacud had a big lead at the break, as they led 0-9 to 1-1.

Ballyboden were poor in front of goals, and as a team they could only register 2-2. Conal Keaney would score all but one of Boden's scores as he picked up 2-1 for himself, which featured a goal from open play and the spot as well as a fine score to send the ball over the bar. 

Andrew Kerin would be the only other man in blue and white stripes on the scoresheet. 

As the game reached its climax, the gap between the two teams was just two points, before Keaney and his teammates were left seething, when Keaney's effort from the sideline was signalled wide by the umpires. Television replays would suggest the Ballyboden man's frustration was justified. 

Kilmacud, however, couldn't put the game to bed as Mark Vaughan put three frees in-a-row wide. Ballyboden couldn't claw themselves back from the brink as Mick O'Keefe came off the bench to put Ballyboden's challenge to bed, securing a fourth senior title for Kilmacud Crokes in the process. 

The result meant Ballyboden St Endas completed the unwanted double- losing both the Dublin Senior Football Final and the Dublin Senior Hurling Final in the same year. Ballyboden's hurlers lost out to UCD in the hurling.

Kilmacud Crokes progressed to the Leinster Senior Club Football Championship, where they would ultimately see their 2004 come to an end at the hands of Laois outfit Portlaoise, before going on to retain the Dublin Senior Football crown in 2005.