Davis girls are denied a final spot

DEFENDING champions Kilmacud Crokes will face Na Fianna in the Go Ahead Dublin Senior Football Championship decider after they recorded a convincing nine-point triumph over Thomas Davis 2-13 to 1-7 in a rescheduled semi-final encounter at Pairc De Burca on Friday, reports Daire Walsh.

Spearheaded by Dublin stars Aoife Kane and Lauren Magee, Crokes overcame a difficult opening to keep themselves on course for back-to-back top-tier titles in the capital.

Ailbhe Davoren (Galway) and Niamh Cotter (Cork) also brought their inter-county experience to bear for the winners, while there are a number of others within their ranks who have featured for the Jackies in the past.

The same is true of a number of players in the Davis team with Olwen Carey, Ciara McGuigan and Tammy Quinn Corbally all having donned the sky blue jersey at the senior grade.

The absence of Siobhan McGrath was keenly-felt from a Davis perspective, but the industry and effort of the Kiltipper Road side couldn’t be faulted throughout.

Thomas Davis’ Riona McTavish and Jade Sweeney close in on Michelle Daveron of Kilmacud Crokes during the semi-final

After recording four consecutive victories at the expense of Ballyboden St Enda’s, Castleknock, Clontarf and St Sylvester’s, Crokes safely finished at the summit of the Group A table in this competition.

This afforded them home advantage for this last-four affair – something they also had the benefit of for their semi-final success over Sylvester’s last year.

Meanwhile, Davis were beaten on home soil by Na Fianna on August 30, but this proved to be their only defeat in Group B.

Wins against St Brigid’s and Cuala arrived either side of a 1-8 to 1-8 draw with Foxrock/Cabinteely at Kiltipper Road and the Tallaght outfit ultimately kept their bid for a second successive final appearance alive by securing the runners-up spot in the group.

While Eabha Rutledge got the ball rolling for Crokes with a point inside the opening 60 seconds, Ciara McGuigan quickly responded with an equalising score from a free.

Thomas Davis lost out to Kilmacud Crokes in the semi-final

McGuigan is one of the sharpest inside forwards on the Dublin club scene and she cut in from a left-hand angle in the fourth-minute to slide a shot beyond the reach of opposition netminder Rachael Fleming.

This offered the visitors an early platform and even though Rutledge and Magee raised white flags in quick succession, Kerri Owens restored Davis’ two-point advantage in fine style on 12 minutes.

They continued to take the game to the title holders as the action progressed with a right-footed free from full-forward Orlagh McGuigan cancelling out a fine individual point by Ailbhe Davoren.

Yet dead-ball specialist Rutledge reduced the Crokes deficit to a minimum in the 23rd-minute and the home team were finally back in the ascendancy from the resulting attack.

She had been an industrious figure during the early exchanges and when she was picked out close to goal, Mia Jennings made no mistake with a smooth finish to the net.

Michelle Davoren subsequently split the uprights to provide Crokes with more breathing space, but Ciara McGuigan was desperately unfortunate to see her firm strike floated agonisingly over the crossbar on 28 minutes.

A second point for the ever-impressive Magee followed for Kilmacud, who served up a hammer blow to their opponents at the very end of the opening period.

After Cotter’s attempt at a point rebounded off the post, Ailbhe Davoren reacted quickest to fire home the rebound.

This second goal left Crokes 2-7 to 1-4 in front at the break and within sight of a return to Dublin’s premier championship showpiece.

Davis were somewhat unfortunate to be six points in arrears as they had gotten an awful lot right prior to the interval.

Ciara McGuigan reignited their challenge with an excellent point from play off her left-foot five minutes after the resumption, but this score was immediately cancelled out by her opposite number Rutledge.

Though Crokes found themselves in a powerful position, they still had reason to be wary of a side who brought them down to the wire in last year’s final.

This meant that the hosts weren’t going to rest on their laurels and were rewarded for their continued attacking endeavours with unanswered scores from the increasingly-influential Cotter (two) and Rutledge.

Norah Kirby did kick a point for Davis from an impossible angle, but Jennings and the outstanding Rutledge posted additional scores to ensure Crokes maintained a firm stranglehold on the proceedings.

To their credit, Davis fought until the end and were awarded a penalty deep into stoppage-time at the end of the game.

Goalkeeper Lauren Young stepped forward to negotiate this spot-kick, but her powerful effort floated over the posts for a point rather than the goal she desired.

Having come through their respective semi[1]finals in impressive fashion, Crokes and Na Fianna will now have to dust themselves off in advance of what should be a compelling showdown at Parnell Park next Friday.

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