Cuala finish strongly to claim back-to-back county titles for first time

​Cuala 1-15
Kilmacud Crokes 0-15

Paul Keane reports from Parnell Park 

A STORMING FINAL few minutes from Cuala ensured that they claimed back-to-back Dublin SHC titles for the first time though only after flirting with disaster at Parnell Park.

Mattie Kenny’s men roared into a 1-7 to 0-1 lead early on and looked to have victory sewn up even at that stage but remarkably found themselves two down after 54 minutes.

Crokes, the 2012 and 2014 champions, dominated the second half in what proved to be the ultimate game of two halves and should have held on for the win.

But having scored just one point, and that from a free, in the opening 24 minutes of the second half, Cuala somehow found their range late on to outscore Crokes by 0-6 to 0-1.

It sealed a slightly flattering three-point win for the Dalkey men who will play Borris-Kilcotton of Laois in the AIB Leinster club championship next Sunday.

But it was tough on Crokes who showed real character to reel off eight points in a row in the third quarter of the game having hit the interval trailing by 1-8 to 0-4.

Ollie Baker’s side got the worst possible start when they fell 1-5 to 0-0 down and they didn’t score until the 24th minute.

Colm Cronin, who finished with 1-3 for Cuala, hit an early goal and Crokes looked rattled with Oisin O’Rorke wasting two great chances for frees.

O’Rorke recovered though and finished with a 10-point tally that including some fine scores from play during that storming second half.

Substitute Dillon Mulligan also weighed in with three points for the Glenalbyn side who led 0-14 to 1-9 with six minutes remaining.

Cuala looked flat out of ideas but somehow rose to the challenge and finished superbly with points from Nicky Kenny, Cronin, Sean Treacy and Mark Schutte to win a memorable game.

Scorers for Cuala: Colm Cronin 1-3, David Treacy 0-5 (0-4f), Nicky Kenny 0-3, Mark Schutte 0-2, Sean Moran, Sean Treacy 0-1.

Scorers for Kimacud Crokes: Oisin O’Rorke 0-10 (0-5f, 0-2 65), Dillon Mulligan 0-3, Caolan Conway, Fergal Whitely 0-1.

Cuala celebrate their Dublin SHC victory in the dressing rooms.

Source: Ryan Byrne/INPHO

Cuala

1. Sean Brennan

2. Oisin Gough
3. Cian O’Callaghan
4. Simon Timlin

5. Jake Malone
6. Paul Schutte
7. John Sheanon

8. Sean Moran
9. Darragh O’Connell

10. Cian Waldron
11. Colm Cronin
12. David Treacy

15. Sean Treacy
13. Nicky Kenny
14. Mark Schutte

Subs:
24. Con O’Callaghan for Waldron (43)

Kilmacud Crokes

1. Matt Collins

2. Niall Corcoran
3. Ronan Walsh
4. Jamie Clinton

5. Bill O’Carroll
6. Jack Doughan
8. Cian MacGabhann

21. Robert O’Loughlin
9. Naomhan O Riordain

15. Ryan O’Dwyer
14. Oisin O’Rorke
26. Caolan Conway

12. Fergal Whitely
10. Ross O’Carroll
11. Sean McGrath

Subs:
Dillon Mulligan for O’Loughlin 30

Referee: Sean Stack (Parnells)

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