By Paul O’Donovan
The Downs football team aim to create history on Sunday afternoon next in Croke Park when they take on Dublin champions and reigning Leinster Club champions Kilmacud Crokes in the Leinster Club Senior Football Final.
The Downs have been here before. In 1973 they reached the Leinster Club final but came up against a very strong and powerful St Vincent’s side from Dublin, losing heavily in the final.
This time The Downs aim to go one step further. It won’t be easy, anything but. Kilmacud Crokes are a formidable outfit. They cruised past Laois champions Portarlington in the club semi-final, conceding just four points.
Crokes manager Robbie Brennan has an abundance of talent at his disposal for his team who like to dominate possession for long stages and be efficient in their execution of scores.
The Dublin champions have talented players such as Craig Dias, Andrew McGowan, Shane Cunningham and Dara Mullin in their side, while much has been made of the transfer this year of Galway forward Shane Walsh to Kilmacud Crokes. Walsh, a current All-Star, left his home club Kilkerrin Clonberne in Galway to join the Dublin outfit.
