Cedral St Conleths Park fast becoming the home of the classics
Peter Harte of Errigal Ciarán after the AIB GAA All-Ireland Senior Football Club Championship Semi-Final at Cedral St. Conleth's Park Photo: ©INPHO/James Lawlor
The Curragh Racecourse is known for being the home of the Classics, hosting as it does some of the biggest contests in Irish flat racing, but just over four kilometres down the road through the centre of Newbridge, Cedral St Conleths Park is also quickly gaining a similar reputation for hosting classics since reopening in the final quarter of 2024.
Just before Chirstmas, Sarsfields of Cork had a tense one point win over Slaughtneil in the All-Ireland Hurling Semi-Final, and today in the football version Errigal Ciaran of Tyrone and Kerry's Dr Crokes served up a thrilling encounter.
It was the Ulster champions who eventually came through after extra time by 2-18 to 1-18 but they did it the hard way.
With GAA royalty, Mickey Harte and Peter Canavan, in the stands watching their respective offspring in action, Errigal Ciaran looked to be heading for defeat in normal time when Micheal Burns put Crokes ahead in the 63rd minute but in the last action, Peter Óg McCartan, who scored an injury time winning point in the Ulster final win over Kilcoo, sent over a brilliant equalising score from just inside the 45 to send the game to extra time.
They took over in extra time after that and a Joe Oguz goal helped them into a six point lead and although Charlie Keating pulled a goal back for Crokes late in the game it was scant consolation as Errigal Ciaran qualified for the All-Ireland Senior Final for the first time.
They will face Dublin and Leinster champions Cuala in the final in Croke Park next weekend.
Let's hope that this is the kind of game that Kildare can be involved in when the National League games begin, starting with the opening round tie against Fermanagh on Saturday 25 January.
