GAELIC GAMES/Leinster SF Semi-finals/Kilmacud Crokes 1-9 Rhode 2-6: Yesterday, however, Kilmacud Crokes showed the fallible side of their game by relinquishing such an advantage. And, despite soon regaining the slimmest of margins, a heroic intervention denied them safe passage to the Leinster club final.
Rhode appeared to have missed their opportunity to snatch a dramatic late score to tie up affairs when a Pascal Kelleghan free drifted wide in the third minute of injury-time.
Dan Nelligan sent the kickout into the hands of the normally reliable Darren Magee, but as he attempted to belt the ball up field Alan McNamee made a remarkable block down.
The Rhode captain then shifted possession into the path of Roy Malone who clipped it over the bar. It was a calamitous end for Crokes to a bizarre second half.
While Crokes utterly dominated the opening half hour, significantly without leaving second or third gear, their full-back line and attack both deflated as Rhode threw everything at them after the break.
It still looked liked the Dublin champions would survive off the back of Mark Vaughan's contributions from frees, but, while Ray Cosgrove did chip in with a point in each half, the lack of further scoring options could prove their downfall if their campaign evolves further.
The venue and date for the replay will be confirmed today with a return to O'Moore Park unlikely as the Leinster hurling final is there next Sunday. Rhode are keen to play on Saturday as their annual club dinner takes place that night.
Like St Peter's of Dunboyne last week, Rhode were unable to keep up with the pace of Crokes. Despite the late withdrawal of Johnny Magee, the high balls were still regularly launched into a shaky full-back line.
Vaughan and Cosgrove hit early scores, but it was Vaughan's return from suspension that appeared to decide the result after just 24 minutes.
Coming into possession on the end-line, Mark Cassidy denied him the opportunity to flick the ball to hand so instead he returned to his soccer roots to skip past the corner back and bury a goal from five yards out.
Darren Magee and Liam McBarron added two more points to make it 1-5 to 0-1 at the turn. Thereafter, every contest on the pitch went Rhode's way as they hounded their opponents. Kelleghan and Niall McNamee got the revival going with early points after the break. Vaughan replied from a free, but Malone gave voice to the travelling Offaly crowd with a huge score.
Rhode players started winning every break, the free count had been with them all afternoon anyway, eventually finishing 34 to 15 in their favour.
"I don't want to be critical of anybody, and I'm not going to go into a slagging match, but if everybody looks at some of the frees awarded against us (they) were dubious to say the least," noted Crokes manager Nicky McGrath. "There were other times where clearly we were being fouled yet nothing was being given."
When Ray Cosgrove hit his second point, it became clear only a goal would make the last 15 minutes worth watching. Paraic Sullivan had been launched from the bench early in the second half, but that was hardly an excuse for leaving him completely unmarked in front of goal. He buried the ball past Nelligan after a pass from corner back Mark Cassidy - Vaughan's marker finding his way to the other square a sign of how Rhode had thrown caution to the wind.
Another dubious free around midfield was sent in by Alan McNamee and his brother, Niall, finished to the net, duly levelling the contest in some style five minutes later. There was seven minutes left and the pendulum had swung. Vaughan, again, added a score from play after a decent run from Niall Corkery, but Crokes were unable to hold on to that lead.
KILMACUD CROKES: D Nelligan; C Kelleher (capt), C Flanagan, N McGrath; B McGrath, L Óg Ó hEineachain, P Griffin; D Magee (0-1), L McBarron (0-1); P Burke, N Corkery, R Cosgrove (0-2); K O'Carroll, M Davoren, M Vaughan (1-5, 2f). Substitutes: B Phelan for K O'Carroll (43 mins), M O'Keeffe for N Corkery (60 mins).
RHODE: C Masterson; M Cassidy, S Sullivan, B Darby; J Kilmurray, D Bannon, E Byrne; F Dunne, A McNamee (capt); M Cole (0-1), R Malone (0-2), D Kelleghan (0-1); D Hope, P Kelleghan (0-1), N McNamee (1-1, 1f). Substitutes: P Sullivan (1-0) for D Kelleghan (37 mins), G Hickey for D Hope (47 mins).
Referee: E Whelan (Laois).
