Kilmacud Crokes' Ben Shovlin and the connection to Portnoo and Fintown

There may be an asterix beside it with the appeal process in movement, but on Sunday at least there was a reason to cheer Kilmacud Crokes’ All-Ireland Club SFC triumph in the north-west.

Kilmacud’s Ben Shovlin has cousins in the north-west, with their late grandparents being Paddy Shovlin hailed from Kilclooney, Portnoo, and Mary McKeown, from Fintown.

Kilmacud Crokes defeated Derry and Ulster champions Watty Grahams Maghera 1-11 to 1-9. Ben Shovlin played minor and U-21 for Dublin and is an All-Ireland U-21 winner from their 2017 final success over Galway.

Unfortunately the final has been clouded in controversy since shortly after the final whistle when it emerged Kilmacud had 16 players on the field for a Watty Grahams’ 45. Kilmacud’s Dara Mullin was positioned on the goal line when he should have been off the field having been substituted seconds earlier by Conor Casey.

Watty Grahams took the decision to appeal the result on Tuesday night. The appeal is due to be considered by the Central Competitions Control Committee of the GAA tonight. Kilmacud Crokes are entitled - if they wish - to launch a counter-appeal.
Under rule the CCCC (Central Competitions Control Committee) has three options open to it; award the game to Watty Grahams, order a replay or impose a fine on Kilmacud Crokes.