Na Fianna’s comeback hopes suffered a massive blow within three minutes of the restart as Tighe was on hand close to goal to cleverly divert a Paddy Small attempt past the unsighted David O’Hanlon.
However, their initial response to this setback was encouraging as a Conor Early point preceded a two-pointed free from O’Hanlon with the goalkeeper adding a ‘45’ for good measure by the 39th minute.
Kickhams stemmed the tide briefly through points from Rock and Keeley but a battling Na Fianna bounced back as Sexton kicked a two-pointer before crashing home a penalty at the start of the final quarter following a foul on fellow substitute Conor McHugh.
A brilliant two-pointer at the opposite end by Paddy Small appeared to get Kickhams back on track but another Sexton two-pointer drew the sides level by the 57th minute before Doran embarked on a silky run from deep two minutes into added time to clinch a famous win for Na Fianna.
Scorers – Na Fianna: K Sexton 1-4 (1-0 pen, 2 P2); C Reddin 0-4; D O’Hanlon (F2, ’45), B O’Leary 0-3 each; C Early 0-2; D Lacey (f), J Doran 0-1 apiece. Ballymun Kickhams: D Rock 0-8 (3 F2, 1f); C Tighe 1-0; P Small (P2), D Leonard, C Keeley, D Keating 0-2 each, J McCarthy 0-1.
Na Fianna: D O’Hanlon; F Potts, J Cooper, A Rafter; O Donohoe, E Murchan, N McGovern; K Deeley, J Doran; C Early, B O’Leary, D Quinn; D Lacey, C Reddin, S Caffrey. Subs: K Sexton for Lacey (15), V Flynn for Deeley (36), C McHugh for Caffrey (42), D Kennedy for Donohoe (45), D Clerkin for Reddin (57).
Ballymun Kickhams: E Comerford; E Dolan, D Conlon, E Hill; J Grant, J Small, B Ashton; J McCarthy, C McCormack; C Tighe, C Keeley, D Leonard; P Small, D Keating, D Rock. Subs: R Bolger for Keating (37), D Robertson for Grant (46), A Elliot for McCormack (46), L Young for Dolan (53), A Hubbard for Keeley (53).
Referee: Seán McCarthy (St Vincent’s).