Kilmacud Crokes 2-15 Raheny 2-15
After Extra Time (Crokes win 5-4 on pens)
All-Ireland champions Kilmacud Crokes edged their way into the Dublin SFC final by the skin of their teeth having survived a penalty shootout against Raheny in a cracking encounter at Parnell Park on Saturday afternoon.
Shane Horan netted the winning penalty, firing past Rob Hennelly into the top corner to book the Stillorgan side's place in the decider against either Ballyboden St Enda's or St Jude's, who meet at the same venue tomorrow in the other semi-final.
Astonishing!
— Dublin GAA (@DubGAAOfficial) October 7, 2023
Luke Ward hits the back of the net for @KCrokesGAAClub to level the game again in the dying seconds!
Extra Time coming live here from Parnell Park! 🔥https://t.co/JIsSdwPbnm #GoAheadDSC pic.twitter.com/VoM4wDq38w
Crokes had come back from the dead to force extra-time with a dramatic injury-time goal from Luke Ward which erased Raheny's three-point lead.
The Kilmacud men then controlled the first period of extra-time, clipping over three points and dominating possession to enter the last 10 minutes well in control, three points to the good.
A Cian Ivers goal from close range in the third minute of the second period of extra-time incredibly drew the northside men level.
Cian Ivers hits the back of the net for @RahenyGAA and we are level once again here in Parnell Park! 🔥
— Dublin GAA (@DubGAAOfficial) October 7, 2023
Watch the final few minutes live here! ⬇️https://t.co/JIsSdwODxO #GoAheadDSC pic.twitter.com/lPLNV7QbNk
Paul Mannion's free, one minute into injury time, looked to have won it for Crokes before Darren Lunney bounced off the ground and pointed for Raheny to force spot kicks with more or less the last kick of the game.
Lunney, who had netted from the spot to put Raheny ahead in the 59th minute, repeated the trick in the shootout. Taking the first kick and giving his side the perfect start. His opposite No15, Hugh Kenny, then levelled for Crokes.
Raheny full-forward Sean Grenham was next up but his kick cleared the crossbar. Paul Mannion then confirmed Crokes advantage with a clinical kick. Ivers scored for Raheny before Shane Walsh - a half-time sub for Crokes who had connected with three frees during the match - then buried his own kick. Three penos taken each, 3-2 to Crokes.
Sean McCarthy scored for Raheny; Dan O'Brien - with No4 on his back - did likewise for Crokes. And after Gavin Ivory made it four-out-of-five for Raheny, it was left to Horan to make it a perfect five for Crokes and book their place in the final. The wing-forward made no mistake.
For Raheny, who were shorn of Brian Howard but for whom Brian Fenton starred in midfield, it proved a standard case of what might have been.
