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Ballymun's Ted Furman celebrates at the final whistle. INPHO/James Crombie
AS IT HAPPENED

As it happened: Dr Crokes v Ballymun Kickhams, All-Ireland Club SFC semi-final

A place in the St Patrick’s Day club showpiece is on offer in Thurles today. Join us to see how it all unfolds between the club champions from Munster and Leinster.

The football rivalry between the Kingdom and the Dubs takes centre stage this afternoon.

Semple Stadium is the setting for the AIB All-Ireland Club SFC semi-final.

Kerry’s Dr Crokes meet Dublin’s Ballymun Kickhams and we’re live with all the action.

Send us your thoughts and comments on today’s game. E-mail fintan@thescore.ie, tweet us @TheScoreGAAfind us on Facebook, or leave a comment below.

Welcome along to Semple Stadium where Dr Crokes and Ballymun Kickhams are both vying for a place in the St Patrick’s Day All-Ireland club showpiece. St Brigid’s have already qualified for the final but who will join them?

Here’s the Dr Crokes team for today’s game.

And here’s the Ballymun Kickhams team for the match.

One pre-match change has just been announced on the Ballymun team with 24. Sean George into the side at right half-forward instead of 10. Elliott Reilly.

Both teams putting the finishing touches to their warm-ups at the moment out on the Semple Stadium pitch. The bookies have Dr Crokes as 4/7 favorites with Ballymun priced at 15/8 and the draw is available at 15/2.

We’re almost set to go.

And Ballymun have made another pre-match change with Conor Weir into their attack for Shane Forde.

Early Dr Crokes scoring chance but Brian Looney pulls an effort from a ’45 wide.

Dr Crokes 0-1 Ballymun Kickhams 0-1: 4 mins – Dr Crokes hit the front through a stylish effort from Jamie Doolan but that is soon cancelled out by a point from Ballymun’s corner-forward Ted Furman.

Sligo’s Marty Duffy is the referee for today’s game.

Positional change to note on the Ballymun Kickhams team sees Philly McMahon moving to midfield where he is picking up Johnny Buckley. And that means at the back Sean George, who will be in action for the Dublin IT Sigerson Cup team this week, is marking Dr Crokes danger man Colm Cooper.

Ballymun Kickhams 0-2 Dr Crokes 0-1: 9 mins – Dean Rock taps over a close-range free to edge Ballymun into the lead.

Ballymun on top at midfield as they are preventing Dr Crokes from dominating the aerial exchanges but a couple of punts forward from the Dublin side have tailed wide in the last few moments.

Dr Crokes 0-2 Ballymun Kickhams 0-2: 13 mins – Chris Brady draws the teams level yet the Dr Crokes point was created by supreme skill by Colm Cooper to hold onto possession under pressure from three Ballymun defenders and flight the ball into Brady’s path.

Half a goal chance for Ballymun as James McCarthy’s point attempt is under hit and Dean Rock gets a fist to the ball but diverts it just past the post.

Goal for Ballymun Kickhams from Ted Furman!

Ballymun Kickhams 1-2 Dr Crokes 0-2: 17 mins – Major breakthrough for Ballymun Kickhams as Ted Furman billows the net after a collecting a fine delivery by Philly McMahon. Furman displayed a penchant for goals during the Leinster championship and his poise under pressure there was excellent.

Dr Crokes have moved to rectify matters with the first substitution of the game as Shane Doolan comes in for Ambrose O’Donovan, who looks to be injured as he comes off the pitch.

So close to a second goal for Ballymun there. Dean Rock fisted the ball across for the inrushing Kevin Leahy but despite being unmarked, he saw his close-range palmed effort superbly tipped around the post by Dr Crokes goalkeeper David Moloney.

Ballymun Kickhams 1-3 Dr Crokes 0-2: 23 mins – Dean Rock breaks through couple of tackles and lands a fine point. Ballymun needed that after being wasteful with earlier point efforts as they have chalked up seven wides.

Ballymun Kickhams 1-3 Dr Crokes 0-3: 27 mins – Daithi Casey bombs over a brilliant point from the right wing for Dr Crokes after a pass from Brian Looney created the opening. Their first scores in 14 minutes and one that was badly needed for the Killarney-based club.

Ballymun Kickhams 1-4 Dr Crokes 0-3: 28 mins – Davy Byrne pops over a point off his left after a pass to marvel at from Ballymun’s Ted Furman when he arced a cross field ball in the direction of his teammate.

HALF-TIME: Ballymun Kickhams 1-4 Dr Crokes 0-4: The half concludes with Dr Crokes raising a white flag and it’s Colm Cooper’s first score of the game as he shoots off his right foot after a good delivery by Kieran O’Leary. But it’s Ballymun Kickhams in the ascendancy at the break as they lead by three.

Here are the scorers from the first-half of today’s game.

Ballymun Kickhams: Ted Furman 1-1, Dean Rock 0-2 (0-1f), Davey Byrne 0-1.
Dr Crokes: Daithí Casey, Chris Brady, Colm Cooper, Jamie Doolan 0-1 each.

We’re back underway for the second-half and the floodlights are on in Semple Stadium.

Ballymun Kickhams 1-5 Dr Crokes 0-4: 34 mins – Dean Rock opens the second-half scoring by converting a 13-yard free for Ballymun and stretching their lead to four points.

Another goal chance for Ballymun Kickhams with Philly McMahon unleashing the shot on this occasion but defender John Payne got back to bravely block the ball and prevent Dr Crokes conceding.

Ballymun Kikchams 1-6 Dr Crokes 0-4: 37 mins – But from the resultant ’45 the ball drops shot and Jason Whelan hooks over a point for Ballymun.

Glorious goal chance for Dr Crokes but Chris Brady’s penalty effort, awarded after Daithi Casey was fouled, is blocked by Ballymun goalkeeper Sean Currie and the ball is cleared to safety. That could be a pivotal moment.

Ballymun Kickhams 1-7 Dr Crokes 0-4: 42 mins – Ballymun miss a couple of chances but then Philly McMahon storms forward to confidently slot the ball between the posts.

David O’Leary replaces Shane Myers for Dr Crokes.

Ballymun Kickhams 1-7 Dr Crokes 0-6: 45 mins – Dr Crokes claw back some of the deficit with Colm Cooper pointing from play and Daithi Casey pointing from a free. Kieran Ward replaces Luke Quinn for Dr Crokes while Ballymun Kickhams bring on Elliott Reilly for Conor Weir.

Ballymun Kickhams 1-7 Dr Crokes 0-7: 47 mins – It’s a three-point game now after Daithi Casey lobs over a huge point after patient build up play by Dr Crokes.

Ballymun Kickhams 1-7 Dr Crokes 0-8: 50 mins – Colm Cooper plays a free short and Johnny Buckley dummies with his right before kicking over Dr Crokes fourth point with reply off his left foot.

Derek Byrne is into the Ballymun Kickhams team for Kevin Leahy while Gavin O’Shea replaces Chris Brady on the Dr Crokes side.

Ballymun Kickhams 1-9 Dr Crokes 0-8: 56 mins – Dean Rock taps over a free for a key point for Ballymun Kickhams and then follows it up with a terrific point from play.

Ballymun Kickhams 1-9 Dr Crokes 0-9: 58 mins – Fionn Fitzgerald pulls a point back for Dr Crokes as we’re set for a tense finale.

Ballymun Kickhams 1-10 Dr Crokes 0-9: 61 mins – That looks like the insurance point from Derek Byrne for Ballymun.

FULL-TIME: Ballymun Kickhams 1-10 Dr Crokes 0-9: All over and victory for Ballymun Kickhams. The Dublin champions are preparing for their first ever All-Ireland club final.

So it’s going to be Ballymun Kickhams v St Brigid’s in this year’s All-Ireland senior club football final in Croke Park on St Patrick’s Day. The two outsiders in today’s semi-finals both emerged victorious. Before we go from Semple Stadium, here are the scorers from this game.

Ballymun Kickhams: Dean Rock 0-5 (0-3f), Ted Furman 1-1, Philly McMahon, Davey Byrne, Kevin Leahy, Derek Byrne 0-1 each.
Dr Crokes: Daithi Casey 0-3 (0-1f), Colm Cooper 0-2, Fionn Fitzgerald, Jamie Doolan, Chris Brady, Johnny Buckley 0-1 each.

Thanks for joining us and for all your comments. We’ll be back later with analysis and reaction from this game.

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