Kilmacud Crokes1-12
Ballinteer St John’ s 0-7
By Daire Walsh
Kilmacud Crokes moved up to fourth in the Go Ahead Adult Football League Division 1 table with an eight-point victory over Ballinteer St John’s at Silver Park.
Now on an unbeaten run of seven games (six wins and one draw), Robbie Brennan’s Stillorgan men appear to be hitting top form as their AFL1 campaign draws to a close and their defence of the Go Ahead Dublin Senior One Football Championship moves into view.
With three games still to play in the regular season, there is even a possibility that Crokes could move further up the league standings.
Tom Fox was one of the most impressive performers for them on the night with his 0-5 haul helping to create a safe distance between themselves and Ballinteer.
Cian O’Connor also chipped in with three points while Callum Pearson rattled the net in the opening period.
Ballinteer came into this game with just three wins to their name. Full-forward Aodhan Clabby and midfielder Eoghan Fitzpatrick did their best to fly the flag for the visitors, but Crokes had that bit too much for them.
It had been quite a cagey opening to the contest and all of eight minutes had passed before the first score was chalked down. After cutting inside from the left-wing, Fitzpatrick kicked a fine point from play to get Ballinteer up and running.
Their goalkeeper JB Carthy (an All-Ireland U21 winner with Dublin in 2012) had earlier turned away a close-range shot from Aidan Jones, but Crokes eventually opened their account through Fox’s ninth-minute effort.
This helped the hosts settle and they proceeded to establish a three-point advantage by the end of the first-quarter.
The solitary goal of the game then arrived on 29 minutes as the ever-dangerous Pearson fired powerfully beyond the reach of Carthy. This propelled Kilmacud into a commanding 1-6 to 0-3 interval cushion and they pushed on from there to keep pace with Na Fianna, Jude’s and Thomas Davis.
Tom Fox (right) kicked five points as Kilmacud Crokes overcame Ballinteer at Silver Park to move into the top four”
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