Losing the last two county finals to their opponents this afternoon, Kilmacud Crokes have finally managed to get the better of the defending All-Ireland champions Cuala.
Facing off today in the semi-final of the Dublin Senior Hurling Championship in Parnell Park, Kilmacud raced into an early lead; crucially grabbing 3 goals in just over half-an-hour of play.
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10-points ahead just after the second-half commenced, Cuala were never going to bow out without a fight. Steadily eating into the Kilmacud lead, as the game drifted into injury-time, a goal was all that separated Cuala from sending the game to extra-time.
When a sideline-cut found its way to a Cuala player in front of the Kilmacud goal, the ball found its way to the one man you'd want in that situation. Alas, Con O'Callaghan was denied the goal by a wonderful save from the Kilmacud 'keeper, Mattie Collins.
In the end, Kilmacud had what it took to hold on for an impressive 3-13 to 1-17 win.
Not only in the hunt for their third successive All-Ireland title, Cuala had been looking to make it four-in-a-row in the county stakes. Having dominated club hurling in Dublin over the last number of years, their semi-final exit certainly came as something of a shock.
A curious side-note to this semi-final clash was the question of Mattie Kenny, Anthony Daly and the current vacancy of the top job in Dublin hurling.
With Pat Gilroy departing the role after a solitary year in charge, many have speculated that Kenny - overlooked in favour of Gilroy initially - may be primed to finally get a chance at the job.
Anthony Daly, who previously managed Dublin to a long-awaited Leinster Championship and a narrow All-Ireland semi-final defeat to Cork, may well find himself back in the discussion now.
Although it is unknown yet who will be charged with building on the good work Gilroy did across the last year, the two-time All-Ireland winner with Clare may well feel he has unfinished business in the capital.
Leading Kilmacud to their first county championship since 2014 would undoubtedly strengthen his case. However, before that happens, they will have to concern themselves with Ballyboden St. Enda's, and a club looking to revive the glory days of the late '00s / early '10s.
