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GRAHAM BURKE WAS at the heart of all things bold and beautiful on an evening of mixed emotions for Shamrock Rovers.
The Hoops swatted Kerry aside 6-1 to ease their way into the FAI Cup final but did so after taking to the field just moments after Derry City kept the League of Ireland Premier Division title race alive in dramatic fashion with a 94th minute winner at home to Sligo Rovers.
That goal denied Stephen Bradley’s side from the peculiar scenario of kicking off this semi-final as champions but means they can now claim their fifth crown in six seasons by avoiding defeat against Shelbourne here on Friday night.
Still, you can be sure there will be plenty in green and white relishing that quirk of fate given it was the Reds who prevented the four-in-a-row on the last night of the 2024 season.
For Rovers, matters are reaching a far more memorable crescendo at both home and abroad.
After a 4-1 defeat to Sparta Prague in their opening league phase game of the Uefa Conference League on Thursday night they responded exactly as their manager would have wanted.
They are now within touching distance of a 22nd league title and will face Cork City on 9 November with their 26th FAI Cup crown on the line.
That showpiece will be just a couple of days after they return from another European game against AEK Athens n Greece and, just for symmetry, it means Rovers will start and end their domestic season at Aviva Stadium.
It began with a defeat there when their Dublin derby was moved from Dalymount Park to Lansdowne Road.
It can conclude with another first of the Bradley era: a league and cup double. And the Rovers boss will be thanking his lucky stars that he will have Burke there to inspire that triumph.
The Hoops star was substituted at half-time after scoring two delightful goals but was blessed to escape a needless red card that would have ruled him out of the final with Cork.
Burke shoved Joseph Adams’ face into the turf after he was on the receiving end of a late, hefty tackle by his opposite number on the touchline.
A flashpoint among both sets of players ensued and Bradley sprinted a few yards from his technical area to restrain Burke.
By the time things calmed down referee Paul McLaughlin opted to show both players involved a yellow card – as well as one to Rovers’ Dan Cleary, Kerry captain Ronan Teahan and members of both teams’ coaching staff.
Rovers were 2-0 up by this point after Burke delicately flicked the ball through the legs of goalkeeper Darragh Foley on 18 minutes with the outside of his left foot.
The advantage was doubled four minutes later when three of the players Bradley rested in Prague combined to devastating effect.
Dylan Watts clipped a pass over the top of a static Kerry defence for Danny Mandroiu to tee up Burke first time on his right for a low finish into the opposite corner.
The flashpoint could have changed the nature of this game but with Burke still on the pitch and Michael Noonan glancing a fine header into the net to make it 3-0 in the third minute of first-half injury time this fairytale story for Colin Healy and Kerry was over.
They reached the last four in just their third season in existence after a comeback from 3-0 down against Sligo that will go down in this competition’s lore.
There would be no repeat, and when Watts rifled home a penalty into the top right corner four minutes after the re-start the concern was that the 1,000 travelling fans who made the journey to the capital would end up on the receiving end of a real hiding.
But not so.
Within six minutes they had a consolation that was celebrated with abandon. Rovers captain Roberto Lopes was caught out by a long ball over the top and stumbled to bring down Daniel Okwute in the box.
Just like when Oran Crowe dragged down Josh Honohan from a corner for the Rovers spot kick there was no mistake with the decision.
Adams stepped up and sent Ed McGinty the wrong way as he dove right and watched the ball slot into the other side.
Noonan capitalised on a clearance that went awry to calmly make it 5-1 on 67 minutes before Cian Barrett – who spent a season and a half on loan with Kerry – scored his first for Rovers in injury time.
Kerry players were applauded off the pitch by their fans for their efforts as Rovers – led by Bradley – enjoyed the moment and prepare for bigger days ahead.
Shamrock Rovers: Ed McGinty; Dan Cleary (Gary O’Neill 65), Roberto Lopes (captain), Cory O’Sullivan; Adam Matthews, Matt Healy (Cian Barrett 65, Dylan Watts, Danny Mandroiu (Rory Gaffney HT), Josh Honohan (Connor Malley 65); Graham Burke (Sean Kavanagh HT), Michael Noonan.
Kerry: Darragh Foley; Finn Barrett, Chris McQueen, Niall Brookwell, Sean O’Connell; Robert Cleary (Cian Brosnan 60), Oran Crowe, Carl Mujaguzi (Samuel Aladesanusi 30), Joseph Adams (Arran Healy 60), Ronan Teahan (captain); Daniel Okwute (Sean McGrath 78).
Referee: Paul McLaughlin.
Attendance: 5,438
Written by David Sneyd and originally published on The 42 whose award-winning team produces original content that you won’t find anywhere else: on GAA, League of Ireland, women’s sport and boxing, as well as our game-changing rugby coverage, all with an Irish eye. Subscribe here.
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