Dublin SHC Final

Kilmacud Crokes 1-20 Ballyboden St Enda's 2-17

By Paul Keane at Parnell Park

Dublin SHC finalists Ballyboden St Enda's and Kilmacud Crokes will do it all over again next Sunday afternoon after stalemate reigned in the county decider at Parnell Park.

Anthony Daly's Crokes thought they'd finally got over the line after final defeats in 2016 and 2017 when they led by two points late on in an extra-time epic.

But back to back 'Boden points from Niall McMorrow and free-taker Paul Ryan ensured parity and a replay in seven days.

It means that Crokes will compete in hurling and football finals in successive days next weekend as their footballers are already through to the Bank Holiday Monday showpiece.

Crokes will kick themselves for not finishing the job both in normal time and extra-time here as they led late on in both periods.

Yet 'Boden also hit 14 wides in total in normal time and almost stole the win right at the end of extra-time when Ryan was through but fumbled the opportunity for a winner.

Goalkeeper Gary Maguire was credited with 'Boden's opening goal from a long free while Aidan Mellett grabbed their second.

Marc Howard was Crokes' key forward with 11 points while Sean McGrath scored their goal and was among nine different scorers for the Glenalbyn side.

The result lay in doubt right up until the very end with the sides deadlocked at the end of normal time and at half-time of extra-time.

It wasn't a classic contest by any means, but it was gripping in those closing stages as both sides simply refused to lose.

Ballyboden will perhaps feel most aggrieved that the game went to extra-time having blasted all those wides and missed a great goal chance in the 49th minute.

Nine of those wides came in the first-half and they leaked 1-1 early on before bouncing back and dominating until the interval to lead 1-8 to 1-5.

Kilmacud took over in the second-half and Howard converted a succession of frees, six in total in the second-half, to put them two clear with six minutes remaining.

Ryan then reduced the gap for 'Boden before Mellett finished off a neat move begun by Conal Keaney with a goal for the 2013 winners.

But Kilmacud points from Cian MacGabhann and Howard forced extra-time at 1-14 to 2-11.

They couldn't be separated in that extra 20 minutes either though 'Boden did have to dig deep to grab those two late levelling scores right at the death.

Scorers for Ballyboden St Enda's: Paul Ryan 0-11 (6fs, 165, 1 sideline), Paul Doherty 1-0, Aidan Mellett 1-0, Conor Dooley 0-2, Conal Keaney 0-1, David Curtin 0-1, Niall Ryan 0-1, Niall McMorrow 0-1.

Scorers for Kilmacud Crokes: Marc Howard 0-11 (10fs), Sean McGrath 1-1, Caolan Conway 0-2, Fergal Whitely 0-1, Lorcan McMullan 0-1, C MacGabhann 0-1, Shane Veale 0-1, Ross O'Carroll 0-1, Oisin O'Rorke 0-1.

BALLYBODEN ST ENDA'S: Gary Maguire; David O'Connor, Dean Curran, Luke Corcoran; Shane Durkin, Simon Lambert, James Madden; David Curtin, Niall McMorrow; Niall Ryan, Conor Dooley, Conal Keaney; Aidan Mellett, Paul Doherty, Paul Ryan.

Subs: Conor McCormack for Doherty (18), Stephen O'Connor for Curtin (53), James Roche for N Ryan (54). Doherty for Dooley (h/t e/t), Finn McGarry for McCormack (h/t e/t), Cillian Byrne for Roche (74).

KILMACUD CROKES: Matt Collins; Cian MacGabhann, Bill O'Carroll, Jamie Clinton; Ross O'Carroll, Ryan O'Dwyer, Niall Corcoran; Fergal Whitely, Lorcan McMullan; Sean McGrath, Caolan Conway, Damien Kelly; Ronan Hayes, Marc Howard, Oisin O'Rorke.

Subs: Alex Considine for Corcoran (47), Shane Veale for McGrath (53). Stevie O'Dwyer for O O'Rorke (76), Barry O'Rorke for Howard (80).

REFEREE: C Mooney (St Pat's, Palmerstown).