FOXROCK CABINTEELY 2-10

KILMACUD CROKES 1-7

Foxrock Cabinteely reached another Dublin Senior Football Final at Lawless Park, Swords on Saturday night, as they overcame a brief but powerful Kilmacud Crokes resistance to grab an ultimately comfortable win.

The holders got off to a strong start, dominating early possession and going in front through an Amy Connolly free won after less than 30 seconds. The twin harrying of Connolly and Hannah O’Neil in particular seemed to rattle Crokes, who struggled to get the ball into meaningful territory. The Foxes built an early 0-3 to 0-1 lead, having conceded from the only meaningful counter-attack.

Ciara Ni Mhurchadh struck just the wrong side of the post from a good chance wide on the right, but early on vibrant looking Foxrock Cabinteely were quicker to almost every breaking ball, Crokes forced to concede frees to keep them at arm's length. By midway through the first half, the gap had grown to 0-5 to 0-1.

Crokes did find some possession and territory as the half edged on, their best chance coming when Michelle Davoren fisted a high ball straight down the throat of Cabinteely goalkeeper Aisling Tarpey when well placed in the centre of the box.

For all Molly Lamb and Lauren Magee’s energetic efforts for Crokes in midfield, Foxcab were coming out on top most of the time, and went in with a 0-6 to 0-3 lead.

Crokes came out intent on making an impact early in the second half, and after Michelle Davoren scored an impressive point from distance, Eabha Rutledge’s free from wide on the left flew straight into the Foxcab net, and Crokes suddenly had an unlikely lead at 1-4 to 0-6, having come out firing.

The holders composed approach came through in their response: a slotted free from Amy Ring and a Sinead Goldrick point from play quickly had them back in front. Then, a Laura Nerney break wide on the right left her perfectly placed to play in Fiona Claffey, a goal on a plate fisted into an unguarded net from close range.

A minute later, the contest was as good as over, as Claffey was again left unmarked and finished high and emphatically past Rachel Fleming in the Crokes goal. It had been a rapid, ‘poke the bear’ response from Foxcab that suddenly propelled them to 2-8 to 1-4 in front.

From there, play became scrappy, and the teams exchanged frees of little real consequence as the Foxes managed the game. The holders absorbed plenty of pressure as Crokes controlled possession, but to little effect on the scoreboard, Rutledge’s metronomic frees aside.

A scrappy end suited Foxrock Cabinteely. They had conceded only 0-2 from play in the entire contest, and aside from that brief period early in the second half, never looked particularly threatened, their attack threatening from all angles. They march comfortably into the final, 2-10 to 1-7.

FOXROCK CABINTEELY SCORERS: Fiona Claffey 2-1, Amy Ring 0-4 (0-4f), Amy Connolly 0-3 (0-3f), Sinead Goldrick 0-2

KILMACUD CROKES SCORERS: Eabha Rutledge 1-6 (1-5f), Michelle Davoren 0-1.

Foxrock Cabinteely: Aisling Tarpey, Aedin Murray, Sarah Quinn, Emma McDonagh, Sinead Goldrick, Niamh Collins, Lorna Fusciardi, Tarah O’Sullivan, Ciara Ní Mhurchadh, Laura Nerney, Amy Connolly, Fiona Claffey, Hannah O’Neill, Ciara O’Riordan, Amy Ring. Subs: Ciara Murphy, Sinead Delahunty, Laurie Ahern, Niamh Ryan, Cara Cooke, Roisin McGovern, Jodi Egan, Hazel Dennedy, Fay O’Connell Bell, Katie McNally, Emma Hughes.

Kilmacud Crokes: Rachel Fleming, Philippa Greene, Ciara Regan, Hannah Power, Muireann O’Gorman, Aoife Kane, Emer Sweeney, Molly Lamb, Lauren Magee, Laura Kane, Eabha Rutledge, Anna O’Brady, Julia Buckley, Michelle Davoran, Mia Jennings. Subs: Sally Neavyn, Aisling Whitely, Alicia Fitzpatrick, Aoife Grehan, Grace Kos, Kate Murray, Maeve Neavyn, Roisin McCarthy, Sarah McMahon, Sinead O’Donoghue.

Referee: Finbarr Shanahan (St Margaret’s).

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