Clough Ballacolla brave effort not enough to stop strong Crokes side

Clough Ballacolla travelled to the capital to play their opening Leinster Championship game six weeks after beating Camross in the Laois Senior final. Kilmacud Crokes were the opposition on a chilly Sunday afternoon in Parnell park.

Kilmacud Croke’s were coming in as hot favourites and looked very impressive in the Dublin championship. The likes of Oisin O’Rourke and Fergal Whitely had put in phenomenal performances in the Dublin championship,

The first opportunity of the game fell to Kilmacud, Ronan Hayes had a goal chance just go wide. Picky Maher got the scoring underway after he was dragged down close to the goal. He duly converted the resulting short-range free.

Kilmacud Crokes 2-18

Clough Ballacolla 1-12

O’Rourke levelled the scores for Kilmacud with a free of his own. O Rourke then won a foul by himself after driving at the Clough Ballacolla defence. Converted the same to edge Kimalcud in front. Stephen Bergin got the first score from play to level it once again before Picky Maher got his second free of the afternoon.

Man of the match in the Laois Final, Willie Dunphy, scored a cracker to put the men in blue and yellow two ahead. A couple of hard hits early on especially from the Dublin champs meant there was a bit of edge in the game early on. Kilmacud picked up two early yellows.

Willie Dunphy chipped in with his second score, another beauty straight from a sideline cut to put the Laois side three up after 15 minutes. Kilmacud weren’t going to let Clough Ballacolla get too far ahead though and late change Brendan Scanlon levelled the scoring with a goal before Whitley edged the Dublin champs in front.

Almost immediately Kilmacud got their second goal. This time a rocket from Oisin O’Rourke. Kilmacud had completely swung the game in a matter of two minutes. From three points down to four points up.

Oisin O’Rourke got his fourth score to put Kilmacud 5 up right before a few handbags erupted, in line with the tough nature of the game. Brian Corby received a red card for his part and the Laois champions were down to fourteen.

Picky Maher pulled one back for Clough Ballacolla which was badly needed for the Laois champions. As we entered injury time of the first half O’Rourke knocked over his third free to put six between them. Picky Maher got his fourth just before the halftime whistle.

Clough Ballacolla were struggling in the second quarter of the first half but a couple of the men in blue and yellow were giving it their all to keep the Laois Champions in it. Cillian Dunne was leaving everything on the field and Willie Dunphy was fired up. Dunphy and Bill O’Caroll were having a great ding-dong battle. The two goals that Kilmacud got in quick succession was the real difference in a feisty first half.

Halftime Score Kilmacud Crokes 2-06 Clough Ballacolla 0-07

Picky got the scoring underway in the second half with a lovely long-range free. O’Rourke responded in a similar fashion to reinstate Crokes lead. Soon after O’Rourke would get another to put six between them before Whitely got his second point of the afternoon.

Dara Purcell got Kilmacud’s fourth consecutive score to put eight between the teams. A short-range free was an opportunity for Picky to go for a goal but he skyed it slightly and a single point was the result. O’Rourke immediately responded with a free from the terrace side.

Clough Ballacolla were giving hope when Picky took a quick free to Stephen Bergin and Bergin finished it nicely to the back of the Kilmacud net. Almost immediately Picky got his first point from play and the momentum was with Clough Ballacolla. All of a sudden the gap was back to four points.

Two quick consecutive points from Cian Mac Gabhann and Fionn O Ceallaigh put six between the teams again. O'Rourke, who had been consistently accurate all day, converted a 65 to widen the margin once again.

O’Rourke and Picky traded frees as we entered the last five minutes with five points between the teams. Willie Dunphy received a red late on for a poor late tackle. O’Rourke continued to chip away at the scoreboard with his tenth pointed free deep into injury time.

Crokes end Clough Ballacolla’s Leinster campaign at the quarter-final stage but Clough Ballacolla can have no complaints. They met a more organised, more disciplined, sharper outfit.