Wolfe Tones edged out by Dublin champions

The long wait for a rare win over Dublin opposition in the Leinster Club SFC continues as Wolfe Tones' bid to overcome Kilmacud Crokes in the provincial quarter-final ended in disappointment at Pairc Tailteann today when they lost 1-9 to 1-13.

Over the last 40 years many Meath champions have tried and all have failed to get the better of their Dublin counterparts. Some have gone close and Wolfe Tones went as near as many when pushing Robbie Brennan's side all the way.

Ultimately cruel luck conspired to undo Wolfe Tones' challenge.

Kilmacud Crokes' 15th minute goal was one of the flukiest ever witnessed in Pairc Tailteann and to compound their misery Wolfe Tones had to play the closing 14 minutes with 14 men following Cian Ward's dismissal.

Ward picked up a second yellow to add to the one he received at the start of the second-half and in truth both cautions were harsh with the tough tackling Meath man drawing the ire of the Longford match official Patrick Maguire.

Trailing by just three points heading into those closing stages Wolfe Tones would have expected to lay siege on the Kilmacud goals and Ward should have been the puppet master, pulling the strings.

Instead, with Ward off the field, Kilmacud were able to retain possession and pick their moments to break for the crucial scores that put Wolfe Tones' challenge to bed.

It had looked set to be a comfortable afternoon for the Dublin champions as they settled quickly after Padraic Diamond had given Wolfe Tones a first minute lead with Tom Fox (free), man-of-the-match Paul Mannion from 44 metres and the unmarked Dara Mullin boosted them to a 0-3 to 0-1 advantage by the 11th minute.

Wolfe Tones looked nervous in that opening spell as they hit a couple of wides and Ward dropped a free short before they were hit by the sucker punch of Ben Shovlin's goal.

The build up to the Crokes goal was excellent. Mannion and Hugh Kenny combined to release Shovlin, but Cian Farnan produced a fine save to block the initial effort. However the ball rebounded off Farnan and as Shovlin rolled goalwards on the ground the ball hit him on the back of the leg and flew to the net - bizarre.

That huge slice of good luck ensured five point lead for Kilmacud at the water break and Wolfe Tones looked rattled.

However after some calming words from manager Micheal McDermott the Meath champions resumed smartly and within 30 seconds they manufactured an outstanding move with Thomas O'Reilly releasing Ward whose penetrating run put him through the Kilmacud rearguard before he centred to Cian O'Neill who had the simple task of palming to the net.

Kilmacud went close to finishing the net for a second time moments later, but Dara Mullin's flick rebounded off the crossbar and Wolfe Tones got back on level terms with Ward (free) and Diamond lofting over to make it 1-3 each.

However, after getting themselves back in the game Wolfe Tones gifted the initiative back to Kilmacud with converted frees from Fox and Mannion securing a 1-5 to 1-3 interval lead for the Dublin champions.

The game looked to be getting away from Wolfe Tones again as goalkeeper Conor Ferris (free), Mannion and Craig Dias stretched Kilmacud's lead to 1-8 to 1-3.

Ward stopped the rot with a converted free before Shane Cunningham and Saran O Fionnagain from a well-won mark traded scores and when ward added another free Wolfe Tones were just 1-6 to 1-9 adrift at the water break.

However just as they were starting to gain momentum Ward picked up a second yellow card for what was little more than a heavy challenge on Micheal Mullin. Maguire somehow saw it as dangerous and issued the talismatic Wolfe Tones man his second yellow card and subsequent red.

With Ward gone Kilmacud looked comfortable.

Mannion and O'Reilly (free) traded points before Farnan did well to save from Callum Pearson.

Mannion and Dan O'Brien stretched Kilmacud's lead to 1-12 to 0-7 by the 59th minute and even though Wolfe Tones hit points from O'Reilly and Tom Gavigan either side of another from Mannion it was the Dublin champions who advanced to a Croke Park semi-final against Laois side Portarlington.

SCORERS

Kilmacud Crokes - Paul Mannion 0-6 one free; Ben Shovlin 1-0; Tom Fox 0-2 frees; Conor Ferris 0-1 free; Craig Dias 0-1; Shane Cunningham 0-1; Dan O'Brien 0-1; Dara Mullin 0-1.

Wolfe Tones - Cian Ward 0-3 frees; Cian O'Neill 1-0; Padraic Diamond 0-2; Thomas O'Reilly 0-2 one free; Saran O Fionnagain 0-1 mark; Tom Gavigan 0-1.

TEAMS

Kilmacud Crokes - Conor Ferris; Micheal Mullin, Cian O'Connor, Andrew McGowan; Dan O'Brien, Rory O'Carroll, Cillian O'Shea; Craig Dias, Ben Shovlin; Tom Fox, Paul Mannion, Shane Horan; Hugh Kenny, Shane Cunningham, Dara Mullin. Subs - Ross McGowan for A McGowan 2 mins, Aidan Jones for Horan 41m, Callum Pearson for Kenny 45m, Conor Casey for Dias 48, Conor Kinsella for Fox 56m.

Wolfe Tones - Cian Farnan; Brughach O Fionnagain, Adam O'Neill, Conor Sheppard; Niall O'Reilly, Shane Glynn, Dan O'Neill; Padraic Diamond, Alan Callaghan; Stephen Sheppard, Cian Ward, Thomas O'Reilly; Oisin Martin, Cian O'Neill, Saran O Fionnagain. Subs - Fiachra Ward for Callaghan 48 mins, Caolan Ward for C O'Neill 51m, Tom Gavigan for Martin 57m, Eanna O'Kelly-Lynch for N O'Reilly 59m.

Referee - Padraig Maguire (Longford).