Conal Ó Riain, Kilmacud Crokes, and Brian Ryan, Na Fianna, in Dublin SHC Final action. Photo by Ben McShane/Sportsfile
Dublin SHC Final
Na Fianna 3-16 Kilmacud Crokes 2-18
By Niall Scully at Parnell Park
Breathtaking stuff in Donnycarney. A decent crowd came through the turnstiles. They savoured every second of a compelling, pulsating Dublin SHC Final.
Na Fianna, the holders, snatched victory from defeat. In deepest additional time. Rescuing the gold from the Halloween bonfire.
They trailed by two points when Ciaran Stacey became the toast of the Mobhi Road with the dramatic, winning goal. The triumph was a reward for Glasnevin resolve.
They kept going. Kept making the hard yards.They had spent much of the contest chasing their opponents. And chasing the lead.
Kilmacud began like the Stillorgan Express. So slick, so swift and so accurate.
They charged clear in the early stages as they attacked the Killester End.
On the sideline, the Na Fianna manager, Niall Ó Ceallacháin, the new Dublin supremo, encouraged his team not to panic. They didn't. They kept foraging away.
At half-time, it didn't look too bad as they trailed by five points, 1-14 to 1-9.
On a chilly night, the standard of the tussle was set in the first seconds when Gavin King converted a magnificent sideline from the right. In front of an applauding main stand. It was a strike that Joe Canning would have been proud of.
But, quickly, Crokes sprinted into their stride. Everything they touched ended up on the scoreboard.
They had a goal on 14 minutes. David Purcell was wide right. He showed a terrific lick of pace. He twisted and turned and drilled a gem low to the far corner.
Crokes continued to turn on the charm. Na Fianna were living off crumbs. And there weren't many of them.
Colin Currie's frees were keeping them in touch. Then Jack Meagher crashed a shot off the bar. It would have been a goal that Na Fianna could have done with.
Yet, a minute from the break, they were lifted with a goal when Stacey played in Conor McHugh. Six minutes into the second half, it got better. Donal Burke, after making a superb catch, was fouled. Penalty. His shot was perfection itself.
The volume went up. On 42 minutes, they were level. Just then, Oisin O'Rorke crashed in Kilmacud's second goal. Crokes edged three points ahead. Another Colin Currie free kept Na Fianna in touch.
But the watch was against them. And it looked like they were losing the grip of their hard-won crown.
The clock had ticked into injury time. Na Fianna had a free. Goalkeeper, Jonathan Tracey, left his castle to take it.
His shot was blocked. It rebounded to Paul O'Dea. His drive was also blocked. The sliotar flew across goal to the far left-hand post where Stacey was waiting. The right place at the right time.
A golden goal. The champions had climbed up off the canvas. They could hardly believe it themselves.
Scorers for Na Fianna: Colin Currie 0-7 (4fs, 1 65), Conor McHugh, Donal Burke (pen), Ciaran Stacey 1-0 each, Paul O'Dea, Jack Meagher, Brian Ryan 0-2 each, Sean Currie, AJ Murphy, Gavin King (sideline) 0-1 each.
Scorers for Kilmacud Crokes: Oisin O'Rorke 1-7 (5fs), Conal Ó Riain 0-4, David Purcell 1-0, Brian Hayes, Dara Purcell, Ronan Hayes 0-2 each, Fergal Whitely 0-1.
Na Fianna: Jonathan Tracey; Sean Burke, Conor McHugh, Kevin Burke; Paul O'Dea, Liam Rushe, Peter Feeney; Brian Ryan, Sean Currie; Jack Meagher, Colin Currie, Ciaran Stacey; AJ Murphy, Donal Burke, Gavin King.
Subs: Joe Kavanagh for King (40), Diarmuid Clerkin for Feeney (50), Shane Barrett for Murphy (57).
Kilmacud Crokes: Eddie Gibbons; Brendan Kenny, Brian Sheehy, David Lucey; Cian Ó Cathasaigh, Cian Mac Gabhann, Mark Grogan; Brian Hayes, Dara Purcell; Fergal Whitely, Oisin O'Rorke, Conal Ó Riaín; David Purcell, Ronan Hayes, Caolan Conway.
Subs: Padhraic Linehan for Mac Gabhann (34), Michael Roche for Conway (44).
Referee: Sean Stack (Parnell's).
