An uphill task became even steeper for St Sylvester’s within two minutes of the restart as Mannion casually converted from the penalty spot after Dan Curran was adjudged to have fouled the ball close to his goal line.
Walsh and Quigley added superb solo scores in the immediate aftermath before their opponents mounted a mini-comeback with a well-taken goal by substitute Fitzpatrick in the 39th minute preceding a debatable two-pointed score from Josh Bannon.
Crokes regrouped sufficiently to kick the next two scores through Mullin and Walsh (free) but they failed to score for thirteen minutes despite Sylvester’s being reduced to fourteen following the 51st minute dismissal of Jack Boyne.
Dan O’Leary raced forward from centre-back to kick two excellent points for Syls but Crokes were to enjoy the final word as a slick hand-passing move saw Mullin fire clinically past Simon Murphy with the last kick of the game.
Scorers – Kilmacud Crokes: P Mannion 1-6 (1-0pen, 2 F2, 1 P2); D Mullin 1-2; J Quigley, S Walsh (1 F2, 2f) 05 each; P O’Connor 0-3; D Burns (‘45’), A Quinn 0-1 apiece. St Sylvester’s: S Guiden 0-6 (2 F2, 1 f); F Fitzpatrick 1-0; D O’Leary, J Bannon (P2), R Keogh 0-2 each; R Guiden, P Donohue 0-1 apiece.
Kilmacud Crokes: D Burns; M Mullin, D Murphy, J Kenny; A Jones, R O’Carroll, L Fearon; P O’Connor, M O’Leary; L O’Kelly, P Mannion, D Mullin; H Kenny, S Walsh, J Quigley. Subs: T Fox for O’Kelly (42), J Murphy for J Kenny (46), A Quinn for Quigley (51), N Comerford for Fearon (54), S Cunningham for Walsh (54).
St Sylvester’s: S Murphy; A Cunningham, S O’Donnell, J Peacock; E Stenson, D O’Leary, D Curran; J Bannon, P White; B Gaynor, J Boyne, A Wright; S Guiden, R Keogh, R Guiden. Subs: J Dwyer for Gaynor (36), F Fitzpatrick for A Cunningham (36), P Donohue for Keogh (46),
Referee: Joe Dromgoole (Fingallians)