Buggy's brace helps Palatine cruise into SFC semi-finals
Palatine’s Mark Buggy fires past Grange goalkeeper Louis Kilcoyne during the SFC quarter-final between Palatine and Grange in Netwatch Cullen Park Photo: © Michael O'Rourke Photography 2026
Palatine proved far too good for Grange in the first of the Senior Football Championship Quarter-finals at Netwatch Cullen Park on Saturday.
The eventual winners set their stall early with a Conor Crowley point but they got a reminder when John Murphy converted two frees for Grange. Josh Egan equalised and Shane O’Neill added a two-pointer to give Palatine a lead they were never to lose.
By half-time Mark Buggy had scored 2-3 with the first goal coming on 11 minutes to be quickly followed by another in the second quarter. Murphy converted a late free for Grange in the half to leave Palatine 2-11 to 0-3 ahead at the break.
With the result all but decided, Grange still fought tooth and nail for all they could get. Murphy converted a free and Palatine answered through Brandon Cassidy who raised a white flag. Crowley scored a third goal which could have precipitated a total collapse from the, soon to be, vanquished side.
Yet Grange still contested and while the margin was an unhealthy looking 18 point winning margin at the end, the nature of the exchanges around the field didn’t suggest a rout.
M Buggy 2-3 (1-2p), C Crowley 1-3, S O’Neill 0-6 (2-2ps f), J Egan 0-3, B Cassidy 0-2, F O’Toole 0-1 (45).
J Murphy 0-7 (5fs 1-2pf), N Pender, P Hickey 0-1 each.
Craig Kearney; Gavin Healy, Cian Cashman, Conor O’Doherty; Tomas Kenny, Ciaran Moran, Sam McHugh; Jack Deacy, Finbarr Kavanagh; Josh Egan, Shane O’Neill, Mark Buggy; Brandon Cassidy, Conor Crowley, Andrew Kehoe. Subs: Bryan McMahon for Moran (41), Darragh Fitzpatrick for Cassidy (41), Eoin Ryan for Buggy (42), Jamie Kenny for Crowley (42), Fionn O’Toole for Egan (51).
Seamus Hegarty; Paddy Nolan, Matthew Bird, Tom Dillon; Vijay Egharevba, Henry Hegarty, Pat Murphy; Paddy Hickey, Cillian Murphy; Aidan Burrows, Ned Pender, Conor Nolan; Shane Cormican, John Murphy, Darragh Burrows. Subs: Jack Byrne for Burrows (54), James Hickey for P Murphy (54), Diarmaid Burrows for Cormican (59), Tadhg Walsh for A Burrows (59), Noah Mulligan for C Murphy (59).
Marion Hayden (Éire Óg).
