All-Ireland club SFC: Kilcoo (Down) 2-08 Ballyboden St Enda’s (Dublin) 0-11

Saturday 4th January 2020

All-Ireland club SFC: Kilcoo (Down) 2-08 Ballyboden St Enda’s (Dublin) 0-11

Kilcoo will face Corofin of Galway in the All-Ireland club senior football championship final in Croke Park on Sunday 19th Januray after sending Dublin side Ballyboden St Enda’s crashing out of the AIB All-Ireland Semi Final at Kingspan Breffni this afternoon.

Goals from Ryan Johnston and Daryl Branagan proved crucial for the Down champions as they tore up the script on the 2016 champions and moved into their first decider in the process.  Corofin are the current holders having won the title in 2018 and 2017.

Down champions Kilcoo managed by Derrymen Mickey Moran and Conleith Gilligan showed the hallmarks of a well-prepared outfit and were in front by two, 1-05 to 0-06, at the end of an intriguing first half. Paul Devlin opened the scoring for Kilcoo after good work from Conor Laverty on 6 mins. Ballyboden hit the front for the first time in the contest when Ryan Basquel nailed a tricky free and the evergreen Conal Keaney got on the end of a Declan O’Mahony pass and drilled over from 20 metres. A Ryan McEvoy free levelled matters before Keaney picked out Basquel with a perfect pass and the full-forward popped over again to make it 0-3 to 0-2. But Kilcoo levelled at the end of the first quarter with a free from Devlin.  On 21 minutes a high ball flicked down by Conor Laverty to Aidan Branagan, which was released Ryan Johnston who finished to the net.

Colm Basquel and Paul Devlin traded frees before Kilcoos Aaron Morgan put four between them for the first time. Ballyboden finished the half well with a brace of frees from Ryan Basquel and, on the restart, they moved within one when Kieran Kennedy added another for the Dublin outfit.  Shortly later Kilcoo missed a goal chance but they made sure of the next one when Dyaln Ward’s fisted point attempt struck an upright and fell perfectly into the arms of Daryl Branagan and the Man of the Match made no mistake with a cool finish to put five between the teams.

Ballyboden never give up and they camped in front of the Kilcoo goals for much of the closing stages. They were rewarded with frees from the Basquel brothers and a point for sub Warren Egan but Shealan Johnston clipped over to keep the scoreboard ticking at the other end. Ryan McEvoy hit another for Kilcoo to leave the score Kilcoo 2-08 Ballyboden 0-11 and send teh Down side through to the All-Ireland Club Final on Sunday 19th Januray in Croke Park where they will take on Galway side Corofin.

Scorers for Kilcoo:
Ryan Johnston 1-0, Aidan Branagan 1-0, Paul Devlin 0-3 (2f), Ryan McEvoy 0-2 (2fs), Shealan Johnston 0-1, Ryan McEvoy 0-1, Aaron Morgan 0-1

Scorers for Ballyboden:
Ryan Basquel 0-6 (5fs), Colm Basquel 0-3f, Conal Keaney 0-1, Warren Egan 0-1

KILCOO:
Martin McCourt, Niall Branagan, Ryan McEvoy, Niall McEvoy, Eugene Branagan, Aaron Branagan, Daryl Branagan, Aaron Morgan, Aidan Branagan, Dylan Ward, Paul Devlin, Ryan Johnston, Shealan Johnston, Jerome Johnston, Conor Laverty.
Subs: Justin Clarke for D Branagan (BC, 55 mins), Felim McGreevy for Ward (60+3).

BALLYBODEN ST ENDA'S:
Darragh Gogan, Bob Dwan, Shane Clayton, Cathal Flaherty, Kieran Kennedy, Robbie McDaid, Brian Bobbett, Michael Darragh Macauley, Declan O’Mahoney, Darren O’Reilly, Colm Basquel, Alan Flood, Ross McGarry, Ryan Basquel, Conal Keaney.
Subs: Aran Waters for Bobbett (36 mins), Tom Hayes for McGarry (38), Darragh Nelson for Waters (BC, 41), Warren Egan for Flood (48), James Holland for Macauley (BC, 52), Seamus Ó Maidín for O’Reilly (53).

REFEREE:
Derek O’Mahoney.