ALL-IRELAND CLUB FOOTBALL SEMI-FINAL Kilmacud Crokes 2-11 Corofin 0-11:THERE WAS something impressive about the way Kilmacud Crokes secured their passage to the All-Ireland club football final: character, heart, determination – and a late flurry of scores that rained down on Corofin like a blitzkrieg.
Commanding the cockpit at that point was one Mark Vaughan. Three years ago Vaughan walked off the field at the same stage in the championship with his head bowed down and his tail between his legs – red-carded in the climax of Kilmacud’s defeat to another Galway club, Salthill-Knocknacarra.
On Saturday in Mullingar he walked off the field to rapturous applause, and rightly so. Vaughan’s contribution was immense, the 1-2 he hit inside the final 10 minutes sealing what was a deserved victory for the Stillorgan club. And that was when they needed him most, as Corofin drew ominously level.
That’s not saying it wasn’t the quintessential team effort. Every Kilmacud man on the field came into play at different stages and that’s what ultimately earned their date with Crossmaglen on St Patrick’s Day.
It made for a memorable afternoon for the club’s supporters in the small crowd of 2,678, and the thoughts now turn towards capturing that second All-Ireland title – following on from the success of 1995.
“Sure we’ll keep you guys in business for a while more anyway,” joked manager Paddy Carr afterwards. He was in jovial form for good reason. Although Corofin pressed them hard, Kilmacud had pulled through when it mattered.
“It was the same as nearly all our other matches,” he added. “It came down to the last 10 minutes. But I’m always saying to the lads that at this level of football it’s not always going to go your way, and how you respond to adversity is the mark of your character.
“Because when it comes to a raw club championship match everything comes down to character. Everything else is stripped away.
“I think another key difference for us was that we had the few players there with the extra bit of flair. Pat Burke, Mark Vaughan, Mark Davoren. All over the field. Even Johnny Magee coming on, and catching a few key balls out the field.
“But hats off to Corofin. They brought out the best in us, and the lads really had to empty themselves out there on the field. And hopefully that’s another game that will stand to us going into the All-Ireland final. I suppose I can honestly say we’re still looking for the huge performance, and hopefully that will come in Croke Park.”
What mattered on Saturday is that Kilmacud got the best of their key men. Pat Burke was superb in the front line along with Vaughan, hitting the opening goal on 10 minutes that sent Kilmacud on their way; Mark Davoren and Brian Kavanagh were similarly effective in stages; Niall Corkery had one of his best days at midfield; and once Ross and Rory O’Carroll settled down late on, their defence held up too.
But there’s just no taking from Vaughan’s performance. In those final 10 minutes, when the character of every player was called on, he triumphed. The sides were level, 1-7 to 0-10, when he hit a stunning point with his left boot. He followed that with a class free, and then delivered his crowning moment with a goal that defied the law of gravity.
“He went for some points there,” said Carr, “and I didn’t know what he was thinking. But once he turned away from the ball I knew it was going over the bar. I just couldn’t understand how it did. Again it’s that little bit of flair. And a big game player. He certainly delivers when he needs to.”
There will be pressure on Vaughan to do it again in Croke Park on St Patrick’s Day, but he’s revving up for it: “That’s the way I kind of go,” Vaughan said. “A confidence player really. Once I landed the first point I kind of felt I was keeping every ball I got. And it all worked out.
“But it was tough contest. I thought when we were up three points at half-time that we’d kick on from there. But that’s the way it’s been all year. Every game has been tight into the last five minutes. But it’s going to be the best final. Ask any team who they want to play and it’s going to be Crossmaglen.
“If you’re not out here to beat the best you shouldn’t be out here. That’s the way I think of it. So there’ll be no more fitting way to win the All-Ireland than to go on and try to beat a team like Crossmaglen. And just to go out in Croke Park with my club will be such a massive honour. It’s something we dreamt about before, but only now really focused on making that a reality.”
Truth is Vaughan contributed all around the field, not just the scoreboard, visualising the game extremely well, and often playing a lot deeper than usual. Corofin simply didn’t have the depth to match it.
Alan O’Donovan was their chief scorer but mainly from the placed ball, and while Gary Sice, Joe Canney and David Hanley kept the pressure on, there was no denying Kilmacud the late surge of momentum they have now made their trademark.
KILMACUD CROKES: D Nestor; Rory O'Carroll, Ross O'Carroll, C Lambe; B McGrath, P Griffin, K Nolan; D Magee, N Corkery; L McBarron, B Kavanagh (0-1), A Morrissey; P Burke (1-2), M Davoren (0-2), M Vaughan (1-6, four frees). Subs: R Cosgrove for Nolan (49 mins), J Magee for McBarron (54 mins), B O'Rorke for Burke (72 mins), K O'Carroll for Vaughan (73 mins).
COROFIN: B Power; G Delaney, K Fitzgerald, K McGrath; T Goggins, D Burke, A Burke; G Higgins, A Donnellan; G Sice (0-1), D Hanley (0-1), J Canney (0-2); S Monaghan (0-2), K Comer, A O'Donovan (0-4, three frees). Subs: D Keane for Fitzgerald (35 mins, inj), T Costello for O'Donovan (58 mins), P Hanley (0-1, a free)for Delaney (71 mins).
Referee: Jimmy White(Donegal).
