Kilmacud Crokes cruise past Templeogue Synge Street as Shane Walsh makes debut

Kilmacud Crokes 3-25 Templeogue Synge Street 1-06

As notable as Paul Mannion's return to club duty was, and as surprising as defender Rory O'Carroll's two goals were, this will still go down as the day Shane Walsh made his Kilmacud Crokes debut.

Victory for the Dublin and Leinster SFC holders, and top spot in Group 1 to secure the easier, on paper at least, quarter-final tie was already secured when the Galway star came on in the 42nd minute following his controversial club transfer.

Former Dublin defender O'Carroll's two first-half goals and a glut of scores from the returning Mannion had seen to that, leaving 15 points between the teams when Robbie Brennan gave Walsh the nod to come on.

The man who left intermediate football with his native Kilkerrin Clonberne to push for the ultimate honours in club football with Crokes, All-Ireland finalists only last February at nearby Croke Park, placed Mannion with a pass in the 44th minute that drew a free for Tom Fox to convert.

In the 56th minute, Walsh performed a trademark dummy solo off his left foot, switched back onto his right side and split the posts for a sumptuous score that stretched the gap to 21 points.

Crokes finished up as 25-point winners with a dozen different scorers and will clearly face stiffer tests ahead though with their new recruit, and Mannion back to full fitness following knee trouble, they will take some stopping.

They'd previously defeated Raheny and Ballinteer St Johns in their group so were already through to the last eight but played as if it was a knock-out encounter, putting 2-02 on the board before Templeogue Synge Street had even got off the mark.

O'Carroll netted in the fifth and 11th minutes and aside from being his first and second goals in senior