Match Reports 2014 - U16
BY MATT CAHILL
Under 16 League Semi-final:- O' Dwyer's 1-16 to Kilmacud Crokes B 4-2
Played at Balbriggan. October 2014.
Recently there was as courageous a display of true grit from a Kilmacud Crokes team as you are ever likely to see. It did the lucky observers' hearts good. . Two excellent teams served up a "cracker" inadverse conditions. The soaking was quickly forgotten such was the high entertainment value. Underdogs we may have been but we certainly gave our hosts plenty of anxious moments to the very end and brought them to extra-time. Confronted by heavy favourites unbeaten O'Dwyers of Balbriggan, our braves were club heroes one and all.
Winter arrived at last meaning serious business in north county Dublin. Strong wind and cold rain jolted us out of our complacency. Indian summers dont last forever, alas. Noisy, passionate and expectant local support urged on their young team which they rate as the best they've had in a generation. O'Dwyers with slick team-work exerted the pressure early doors notching seven points rapidly.Nevertheless ou defence to a man/boy was heroic. They yielded no goal opportunities and made O'Dwyers work overtime for each and every point. Unfortunetly for us their free-take was infallible from all angles and distances. Euclid himself might have been left scratching his head. Unusually nowadays he took all his place kicks off the ground.
Cal Kavanagh opened our account with a neat cuilín. Our next score was a thing o beauty. Corner-back Matthew Cahill intercepted and launched a long raking clearanc to Jack Byrne. Some swift interpassing finally found Alex Kinahan who knocked the liathróid "thar an traslán". But O'Dwyer's kept turning the heat up. Some teams might have melted away but our warriors gritted their teeth and by dint of two goals "squared" the game at the break.
A lovely long ball from mid-fielder Alex Kinahan was flicked on by Adam Kelly into the path of the on-rushing Cal Kavanagh who slotted home like the ace-striker he is. The subtlety of Adam's flick reminded me of Crokes full-forward great and former senior captain Paddy Forde. Paddy played fadó, fadó...... Later on in a similar move Cal's rising shot struck the outside of a post. Remarkably even though
our incursions were against the run of play we carried a serious goal threat every time which yielded three penalties and at several other three-point opportunities.
O'Dwyers were feverishly seeking out killer scores but we were in obstinate mood. On another counter-attack, which demonstrated our own cohesive team work, we were awarded a penalty, Cormac McGroarty having created havoc in the build up. Adam Kelly stepped up to place the liathroid with unerring aim to the bottom left corner of the onion sack. We worried that his run up was too short but we needn't have. With coolness beyond belief Adam slotted three penalties with the sureness of William Tell shooting the arrow through the apple.
Remarkably the sides were level as the half-time whistle sounded. We were prepared for an onslaught as our opponents had the benefit of the elements to come. It duly came but our doughty lads weathered everything thrown at them. Defenders threw themselves into tackles and blocks as if their lives depended on it. What bravery we saw. We hung
in there and deservedly levelled with a penalty late on. O'Dwyer's' superior ability finally told in extra-time. Understandably exhaustion set in but boy did we make them sweat! The lads left the pitch bloodied, muddied but unbowed and winners in the things that really matter like courage, never-say-die attitude and simple joy in playing a tough hard game.
Custodian Sean O' Sullivan was razor sharp and defiant. It would take until almost the last minute of extra time before his line was breached and then only to a penalty. Ar fheabhas ar fad, Sean! Full-back line of Tom Cordial, Cian Moriaty and Matthew Cahill Jnr were teak-tough and tight-marking. Cian's hard work on his kickouts of late bore fruit. Practice makes perfect! Master of the timely intercept ( Reminding me of another former great Paul Colgan) and great ball carrier Tom Cordial broke up many O' Dwyer's attacks. Half-back-line of Adam Kelly, eilé, ( Under 15), Callum Rafferty and Eoin Donnelly put up stern resistance. Callum put in a powerful performance at centre-half back. " Thou shalt not pass" appears to be his motto. On either flank Eoin and Adam were equally uncompromising and obvious possessors of the "right stuff."
In the mid-field theatre of operations, Jack Byrne's pace and determination got him to the most unlikely of possessions. Alex Kinahan's fetches were often of the traditional variety. Arriving from "nowhere," terrific leaps brought him the ball time and again. Who said high catching was dead and gone? Our forward-line were
feeding off scraps and helping the defensive action but every time the ball got to them they carried a serious threat. Half-forward line of Hugh Powderly ( Under 15), Cal Kavanagh and Richard Barnwell toiled to help mid-field and tested their opposite numbers when in possession. Hugh, Cal and Richard showed rich potential. With more ball, god only knows what they could have done in this game. Daithí Sultan at corner forward produced some moments of magic from the family bag of tricks. Adam Kelly was the hat-trick hero while Cormac McGroarty's running and agility bodes well for many future games.
Ciaran Horan came on up front and his ducks and weaves mesmerised the O' Dwyer's defence into felling him for penalty uimhir a trí which brought the game to extra time. The home supporters collectively groaned " Not again." The decision to award it was all too much for the O'Dwyers umpire who handed in his whitecoat in disgust. David O'Farrell also entered the fray at full tilt and worked hard particularly in extra time. Luke Nestor arrived at corner-back and showed great commitment to the cause. Likewise the energetic and whole-hearted Michael O' Connor came on and tightened things up at
corner-back.
Playing a team like O'Dwyers who had several players who would grace our first team is really challenging. The lads were asked for a performance. They delivered in spades. You can't do more than that. In keeping with the spirit of this team all our substitutes got
game-time. It was not easy coming on in such inclement weather in a very tense game. Well done to them. You can see some diamonds in the rough who are improving year on year at their own pace. Let us hope they continue to blossom and more importantly continue to play the game at whatever level into the future. Great credit is due to management philosophy in patiently nurturing them.
Management team:- Aidan Horan, John Moriarty, Ronan Fitzpatrick, Bart
O' Connor and Rory O' Farrell.
U16A League Final
Our Under 16s won the Division 1 league final in atrocious conditions against Ballyboden. Despite lining out without some key players and with others returning from injury and illness we repeated the excellent performance shown in the win against Clontarf the previous week.
U16A League Semi Final
TOUGH 'TARF FAIL TO KIL CROKES.
A berth in the u16 division one league final was at stake when crokes hosted clontarf at silver park in unforgiving conditions on saturday afternoon.
The ball threw up at 2.30 and CROKES drew first blood with an early point from a tidy opening passage.As has been the case in all previous meetings with the Northerners,their response didn't take long and their physicality soon began to show as they carved out a slender lead as the half progressed.wind assisted in the first period CROKES probably should have found themselves in a more comfortable position but a few errant shots coupled with able goalkeeping saw the break arrive with CROKES two points in arrears.
The second act began with early scores for TARF,who were now playing with a strong breeze, and the deficit at one stage stretched out to 5.CROKES it has to be said appeared to be feeling the strain.after a prolonged exchange of points the hosts just didn't seem to be reining in the visitors.
The game was well matured when the break through came.after a passage of swift and neat passing the ball found its way through the TARF defence to be met by the advancing Carr who applied the daftest of finishes to register a goal that it seemed would never come.crokes with this,found confidence and a calm assuredness and passes and shots seemed to find the target with increasing frequency.the game,slow to bloom,flowered into a classic with heroic displays by both outfits.TARF seemed to scent victory but the southerners like annoying terriers,wouldn't let it go.when the ref ended the enthralling exchange the scores were level,and another chapter had to be written...and we had to get wetter.
The first period of extra started with a crushing blow to the hosts when a seemingly harmless ball rolled towards the goal.Nolan between the sticks wasvmore than equal to it when his line of vision was impaired an the ball found its way into the net.
This seemed only to stir the hosts more as their play became more and more resloute. As extented play continued crokes were emerging as the hungrier, the fitter, the more desetving. Mammoth contributions from all over the park saw us nudge them to one side. they were out on their feet.
Gallagher and O'Reilly dominated and orchestrated and then the inevitable slick movement released Barry in front of the sticks, ther was to be no mistake. With surgical precision, off the left peg, Barry drove low to land the telling score. With no time for recovery TARF were spent and crokes tagged on a couple more to register a super 7 point victory. What a time to have this kind of form! Well done to all involved.
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U16 Cup Semi-Final
U16A League
Kilmacud Crokes A 7 - 09 NaFianna 2 - 07
U16A Championship Final
Kilmacud Crokes A 2 - 07 Ballyboden A 4- 14
U16A League
U16A Championship Semi-Final
DESPITE LOUD THREATS FROM THE WEATHER GODS THIS GAME MANAGED TO DANCE ITS WAY THROUGH THE EVENING WITHOUT A THOROUGH DRENCHING,AND FOR THAT WE MUST BE GRATEFUL.THE SWAYING OF THE TREES TOLD US HOWEVER THAT THE SAID GODS WERENT GOING TO LET US OFF SCOT FREE.THE CLEAR MESSAGE FROM THE TREES WAS THAT A STRONG BREEZE WAS BLOWING DOWN TOWARDS THE RACE COURSE END.SAFETY FIRST... DONAL WAS TETHERED TO A SIDELINE FLAG TO AVOID A RECURRENCE OF A PREVIOUS BATTLE WITH THE ELEMENTS UP IN BALLYBODEN!
THE YOUNG REITEOIR THREW IN AT 7.35, AND A MOUTH WATERING ENCOUNTER WAS UNDER WAY. THE VISITORS SHOWED EARLY ON THAT THEY HADNT CROSSED THE RIVER TO BE PUSHED AROUND,AND FIRED THE FIRST SHOTS ACROSS OUR BOWS BY POSTING THE OPENING SCORE.THE CROKES START WAS A NERVOUS ONE BUT THATS ONLY TO BE EXPECTED IN THE FACE OF HUGE EXPECTATION.O,BRIEN WENT SOME WAY TO SETTLING THE NERVES WITH AN ASSURED KICK FROM THE LEFT OF THE POSTS TO LEVEL THE EARLY EXCHANGES.THE 'MUN GOT BUSY POUNDING OUR DEFENCE,AIDED BY THE WIND AND ON FOURTEEN MINUTES OPENED UP A THREE POINT GAP WITH A FORTUITOUS GOAL THAT CAME ABOUT AS THE BALL SWERVED AND DIPPED IN FRONT OF THE ADVANCING MURRAY.GAME ON.ALL THROUGH THE HALF THE NORTHSIDERS PROBED FOR WEAKNESS ACROSS THE CROKES BACKLINES.THEY FOUND PRECIOUS FEW IN KEATING,DAGG AND DUNBAR.THIS TRIO SEEM TO GROW IN CONFIDENCE AS THE CAMPAIGN PROGRESSES,KEATING FOR ONE,PUTTING IN SOME OF HIS BEST CONTRIBUTIONS IN THE PURPLE AND GOLD.ANY QUESTIONS ASKED AND DAGG AND DUNBAR HAD ALL THE ANSWERS,WORKING THE BALL OUT NICELY TO THE ABLE O'REILLY WHO IN TURN FED INTO THE FRONT MEN CAPABLY ASSISTED BY THE IMPRESSIVE COMERFORD AND THE ALWAYS RELIABLE CARR.SOME OF EVANS BALL CARRYING IN THE FIRST PERIOD PROVIDED WELCOME RESPITE FROM THE PRESSURE ASSISTED BYBTHE WINDS.
IN THESE CONDITIONS THE KEY WAS TO STAY IN TOUCH UNTIL THE INTERVAL AND TIDY WORK UPFRONT ALLOWED THAT TO HAPPEN WITH DEFT FREE TAKING FROM O'BRIEN,AND TIMELY SCORES FROM NOLAN WITH A CRACKING POINT AND THE ZIPPY HAYES WHO SHOOK THE NET TO SEND THE SIDES TO THE TEA BREAK WITH 1-6 APIECE.A DECENT SCORELINE WITH THE ELEMENTS CONSIDERED.
IF THE FIRST HALF WAS ABOUT THE DEFENCE PUTTING IN A SHIFT TO KEEP THEIR SIDE IN IT, THE SECOND ACT WAS JUST AS MUCH ABOUT THE FRONT MEN BUILDING ON A SOLID FOUNDATION.THEY DIDNT DISAPPIONT.IN THE MIDDLE,LEONARD AND NOLAN BEGAN TO PULL ALL THE STRINGS.OUR FRONT END BLOSSOMED AND FLAHERTY AND SEAN CONROY BEGAN TO WIN EVERMORE PRECIOUS POSSION.SINGLE POINT CONTIBUTIONS FROM HAYES AND O'BRIEN OPENED UP A THREE POINT LEAD AND CRACKS BEGAN TO APPEAR IN THE VISITORS RESILIENCE.CROKES SEEMED TO SMELL A CHANCE AND APPLIED RELENTLESS PRESSURE.CONROY AND HAYES BUSILY TRAMPLED ALL OVER A LABOURING DEFENCE AND IT SEEMED LIKE COLLAPSE WAS INEVITABLE. THE VISITORS DEFENCE WAS CONSTANTLY BEDAZZLED BY THE MAZEY RUNS OF THE DYNAMIC ADAM KELLY WHO SPRANG UP IN ALMOST EVERY AREA OF THE PARK. ON 52 MINUTES THE BALL WAS WORKED SMOOTHLY FROM MURRAY ALL THE WAY TO THE HALF FORWARDS.O' BRIEN IN POSSESSION,WITH PINPOINT ACCURACY FOUND THE MENACING MATT BARRY WHO ,IN ONE SWIFT ACT,GATHERED ,PIVOTTED ON HIS RIGHT,AND STRUCK LEFT FOOTED TO THE ROOF OF THE NET TO PUSH HOME THE GROWING CROKES DOMINANCE.IT WAS A THING OF BEAUTY.BARRY THRICE MORE STRUCK OFFTHE LEFT TO DISECT THE SWAYING UPRIGHTS AND IF MEMORY SERVES CORRECTLY KEATING,PLAYING A MORE ADVANCED ROLE,CHIPPED IN WITH A POINT TO EASE CROKES OVER THE LINE AND SET UP A COUNTY FINAL DATE IN PARNELL PARK LATER THIS MONTH.WELL DONE TO THE BOYS AND TO BEANO AND THE MANAGEMENT TEAM.
U16A Championship Round 2
ST VINCENTS 2 - 09 V KILMACUD CROKES A 4 - 09
Saturday 26th April 2014 Venue PNU Report by Joe O'Brien
For Photos Click Here
3.30 ON A BREEZY SATURDAY AFTERNOON SAW THE REF THROW IN THE BALL TO START A KEENLY ANTICIPATED ENCOUNTER BETWEEN TWO CLUBS WHO STOUTLY REGARD THEMSELVES AS FRONTRUNNERS IN THE DUBLIN GAME.CROKES HAD THE BRIGHTER START,NETTING AND POINTING VERY EARLY TO ESTABLISH A FOUR POINT CUSHION EARLY IN THE HALF.HOWEVER ,ALTHOUGH IT TOOK TEN MINUTES OR SO,VINCENTS BEGAN TO FIND THEIR RYTHM,AND KEPT THE CROKES BACK SIX WITH MUCH TO CONSIDER AS THEIR FAST AND IMPRESSIVE SHORT GAME BECAME OBVIOUS AS THEIR PREFERRED METHOD OF ATTACK.
POSSESSION WAS PRETTY EVENLY DIVIDED,BUT VINCENTS FOUND DIFFICULTY PENETRATING AN IRON BACK THREE OF KEATING, DAGG AND DUNBAR,FORCING THE HOSTS BACK TO TRY LONGER RANGE ATTEMPTS FROM WHICH THEY SELDOM SEEMED CONFIDENT.CROKES AT THE OTHER END HOWEVER PROVED FAR MORE PROFICIENT IN FRONT OF THE STICKS,AND POINTED QUITE IMPRESSIVELY WHEN THE CHANCES PRESENTED THEMSELVES.AT THE BREAK CROKES HAD CARVED OUT A TIDY ENOUGH FOUR POINT LEAD.
STRAIGHT FROM THE RESTART VINCENTS PUMMELED MERCILESSLY AND WITHIN MINUTES,THROUGH A GOAL AND A POINT ADDRESSED THE ARREARS AND BROUGHT THE SCORES BACK LEVEL.
THE QUESTION WAS ASKED,AND CROKES MORE THAN ANSWERED.A HIGHER GEAR WAS FOUND AND PRETTY MUCH EVERYONE STEPPED UP TO THE MARK.IN THE MIDDLE FLAHERTY AND LEONARD BEGAN TO TAKE CHARGE,AND FEED MORE THREATENING BALL INTO THE FRONT MEN.HAYES,BUSY AS EVER PROBED AND GOT JUST REWARD AND AMONG OTHERS MATT BARRY,HAVING REPLACED THE INJURED KILGALLON,POSTED SCORES THAT CONTRIBUTED TO CROKES OPENING UP A TEN POINT GAP.
TO THEIR CREDIT,VINCENTS NEVER DROPPED THE HEADS AND REGARDLESS OF THE DEFICIT,NEVER ALLOWED THE VISITORS TO FEEL COMFORTABLE.THEY STUCK TO THEIR GAMEPLAN AND RIGHT AT THE END WERE REWARDED WITH A GOAL TO REDUCE THE ARREARS TO SEVEN.THOUGH THE DEFICIT SEEMS CONVINCING,EVEN THE MOST DIE HARD CROKES SUPPORTERS WOULD CONCEDE THAT IT WASNT THE MOST POLISHED PERFORMANCE FROM THE SOUTHSIDERS.THAT SAID,WHEN A TEAM CAN COME OUT ON TOP AFTER A VISIT TO NAOMH UINSEANN ITS NOT A BAD DAY!!
CONGRATS TO ALL.
U16A Championship Round 1
Date: Saturday April 5th 2014 Venue Kiltipper For Photos click here
Kilmacud Crokes A 3 - 11 Thomas Davis 3 - 6
Date: Saturday April 5th 2014 Venue Rolestown
Kilmacud Crokes B 3 - 15 Fingal Ravens 0 - 5
Date: Saturday April 5th 2014 Venue Silverpark
Kilmacud Crokes C 6 - 3 Ballyboden B 2 -11
Two evenly matched teams served up a thriller. Ballyboden went for points while Kilmacud ignored the ancient gaelic football maxim "take the points and the goals will come" and went for three-pointers from the off.
On the resumption. Ballyboden galloped down the hill for a series of well-executed points and pegged back the lead. Kilmacud went very quiet; their race appeared run. During this period of complete 'Boden dominance, Goal-keeper Sean O' Sullivan was assured when most needed and
Well done to both teams for such an entertaining game.
Team list, Sean O Sullivan, Tom Cordial, Richard Barnwell, Calum Raftery, Jack Byrne, Eoin Bleakley, Eoin Donnolly, Rory Fitzpatrick, Alex Kinahan, Ciaran Horan, Daithi Sultan, David O Farrell, Michael Roche, Matt Cahill, Cal Kavanagh, Sub Fergal McGinley, Lochlainn Regan, Neil Mooney, Michael Lyndsay, Colum O Se, Michael O Connor
Kilmacud scorers: M. Roche 3-0, David O' Farrell 2-0, M. Cahill 1-1, C. Kavanagh 0-1, C Horan 0-1.
U16A League
Saturday 8th March 2014 Venue Silverpark
Kilmacud Crokes 3 - 11 Ballinteer St. John's 3 - 9
For Photos Click Here
U16A League
Saturday 22nd Feb 2014 Venue St. Anne'sReport by Declan Carr
Kilmacud Crokes vs Clontarf
To see photos click here
Crokes U16 league campaign got off to a disappointing start when they were well beaten by Clontarf on a scoreline of 4-11 to 1-10.