Crokes find their rhythm

Dublin SFC Kilmacud Crokes 0-11 Ballinteer St John's 0-5 After a disappointing derby Kilmacud Crokes stuttered into the final…

Dublin SFC Kilmacud Crokes 0-11 Ballinteer St John's 0-5After a disappointing derby Kilmacud Crokes stuttered into the final of the Dublin senior football championship at Parnell Park last night defeating Ballinteer St John's.

Ballinteer took an early lead with scores from Dublin forwards Tom Mulligan and Johnny McNally. However, Kilmacud player-coach Padraic McDonald replied with four points on the trot, three from frees, before a Declan Kelleher strike in first-half injury time left them leading by the bare minimum.

The turning point came three minutes into the second half when Ballinteer were reduced to 14 men after Karl Cosgrove was shown a straight red for a late challenge on Ciarán Kelleher.

KILMACUD CROKES: R Davis; N McGrath, N Kane, P Griffin; C Kelleher, J Magee (0-1), B McGrath; D Magee, L McBarron; L Óg Ó hEineachain (0-2), D Kelleher (0-1), P Ward, R Cosgrove, C Murphy, P McDonald (0-6, five frees). Subs: C Galvin for Ward (28 mins); K Galvin for Kelleher (36 mins) F Kennedy (0-1) (38-42 mins);

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BALLINTEER ST JOHN'S: K McNally; J Gillick, R Cosgrove, J Davitt; C Goggins, P McGrath, S Ó Fatharta; T Mulligan (0-1), R Garvey; E O'Connor, K Cosgrove, P O'Connor (0-1); J Corcoran, J McNally (0-2), F Ward. Subs: E Richardson (0-1) for E O'Connor (29 mins); M Kavanagh for Mulligan (47 mins); G Quirke for O Fatharta (48 mins); J Oliver for Garvey 48 mins);

Referee: M Bissett (Whitehall Colmcille).

Na Fianna failed to make up for last year's error of sending on a sixth substitute which led to their disqualification, as they were defeated 1-10 to 1-9 by St Brigid's on Saturday. An injury-time strike from Raymond Gallagher denied a late revival that was kickstarted by a Senan Connell goal with 11 minutes to go.

SCORERS: St Brigids: J Noonan (1-3), Raymond Gallagher (0-4), K Darcy, Rory Gallagher (free), D Dineen (0-1 each). Na Fianna: S Connell (1-2, free), M Collerin (0-4, four frees), D Lynch, J Sherlock, D Farrell (0-1 each).

Gavin Cummiskey

Gavin Cummiskey

Gavin Cummiskey is The Irish Times' Soccer Correspondent