Jude’s work rate sees them into final
By Hayden Moore
ST JUDE’S Senior Football manager Padraic Monaghan has praised his team’s work ethic after seeing the Templeogue side book their place in this year’s championship show-piece following a convincing 2-11 to 0-8 victory over St Vincent.
Now looking forward to their first county final in nine years, Jude’s kept the forwards of back-to-back champions St Vincent’s scoreless for a 31-minute spell in Sunday’s semi-final in Parnell Park, during which time they chalked up 2-6.
“It was a very workman performance,” Monaghan told The Echo.
“Vincent’s missed some scores that they probably would have scored on other days and we just worked hard to keep scoring.”
Gavin Burke opened the scoring for Vinnies with a coolly taken point after linking up with centre-forward Brendan Egan before they kicked another four balls between the sticks after which their match campaign fell off a cliff.
Indeed, Jude’s got off the mark by way of their ever-reliant forward Kevin McManamon as he picked up the ball just outside the 21 and shrugged off Vincent’s wing-back Michael Concarr to fire over the bar after 15 minutes.
Points from Niall Coakley and Padraic Clarke gave Jude’s momentum to get in front and Clarke netted after he met a high ball into the box from Oisin Manning to catapult his side into a half-time lead of 1-6 to 0-5.
The introduction of Diarmuid Connolly and Enda Varley at half-time seemed to lift the St Vincent’s spirit but Jude’s put them back down again when Seamus Ryan chipped the keeper after running virtually the length of the pitch.
Former Dublin forward Mossy Quinn broke a 31-minute dry spell for the Marino men with a free before Enda Varley picked up a brace of points.
They were to prove no more than consolations for Vinnies as Coakley registered his third point and Chris Guckian put another over the bar in added-time.
Jude’s, who have never won the Dublin Senior One Football Championship, will now go on to face seven-time champions Kilmacud Crokes who beat Ballyboden St Enda’s in the other semi-final.
Recalling Jude’s championship final defeat of 2009, Monaghan said: “they [Jude’s] were a very young team in 2009 when we lost and a number of the same lads are in this year’s side except now it’s obviously a much more mature and experienced side.
“It’s going to be a very tough match because Crokes are putting up some huge scores and are brilliant defensively so it should be a good game.
“The lads honestly just work so hard, but so does every team at this level. Croke’s are a very good side, with some very very good players and they’ve beaten one of the favour-ites in the competition in Ballyboden.”
The Dublin Senior One Football Championship Final clash between St Jude’s and Kilmacud Crokes will take place on Monday, October 29 in Parnell Park.
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