Under 14's v Erin's Isle October 1st.
Name of submitter: Pat Halpin Phone: 086 832 6377
Team Under 14 A
Date of Match: 1st October 2005 Home:
Versus: Erins Isle Venue: Finglas
Competition/League: Under 14 Division 1 Championship
Management Team: Pat Halpin, Gerry Hogarty, Daibhi dePaor, Fionan Moriarty
Match Result Crokes 2 -13 v Erins Isle 2-02
Scorers;
Crokes: Seanie McGrath (0 - 05), Jamie O’Sullivan (1 – 01), Darren McVeigh (0 – 03), Naomhan Reardon (0 – 03), Killian Doherty (1 – 00), Johnny Brew (0 – 01)
Match Report/ Match Highlights:
Under 14 Hurlers – Win group and secure home draw in Championship Semifinals
Played out in Finglas, Crokes started off against a stiff breeze and opened strongly with a Darren McVeigh point after two minutes. Crokes were playing the ball wide but the long grass on the wings made ground hurling difficult and the wind held up any high balls, so it was proving difficult to get the ball into our fullforward line. Isles equalised with a 65 metre free and although Crokes were finding it tough against a strong midfield and half back line, were two points in front after Seanie McGrath had slotted over two points in the 14th and 19th minutes. But this lead did not last long as in the 20th minute Isles went in front almost immediately after a lapse in concentration in the back line allowed Isles in for a goal. Crokes fought bravely against the wind and the referee who allowed some rather questionable tackles from Isles to go unpunished and tacked on three further points from Darren, Naomhan and Seanie to lead by two. Then Isles scored a point which dropped through a hole in the roof of the net and the Isles umpire gave a goal rather than a point, blatantly wrong but the referee gave it none the less. Isles finished the half with a converted free and went into the break with a two-point lead. The Isles keeper was playing very well and denied Crokes several times during the first half, they were also dominating at halfback and mid field.
The lads vent a lot of stream at half time, but were told to go out and play on irregardless of what was going on and let their hurling do the talking. Within four minutes of the restart, Seanie had popped over two great points to level the score, then two minutes later Killian Doherty blasted Crokes into the lead when he pulled on the sliotar just outside the box and the keeper could only watch as the sliotar flew past him into the net. Crokes were now dominating everywhere and using the wind advantage well and tagged on points by Jamie, Darren and two from Naomhan. In the 26th minute Mark was cruelly denied a goal by a dodgy square ball decision, but straight from the resulting free Jamie won the ball and lopped the sliotar back into the box, where the goalie made his first mistake of the day & the sliotar sailed in over his head to the back of the net. Despite Crokes looking a bit shaky at the back at times, Crokes denied Isles any scores during the second half and ran out winners with a final score of 2 goals and 13 points to 2 goals and 2 points.
A hard won victory; Isles always make it tough for us. But despite some stray pulling, the lads kept their discipline at all times and we showed that hurling will win out at the end of the day. We have now finished top of the group and have ensured home advantage for the Championship semi final against whoever finishes second in the other group. At this stage it looks like it will be Ballyboden St Endas, although there is still one game left to play in this group.
Kilmacud Crokes:
Barry Mulligan, Paul Collins, Jack Kelly, Cian O’Brien, Keith Hogarty, Bill O’Carroll, Alan Carr, Matthew Kinsella, Eddie O’Byrne, Darren McVeigh, Jamie O’Sullivan, Killian Doherty, Johnny Brew, Naomhan Reardon, Seanie McGrath.
Subs: Mark O’Dwyer for Johnny Brew, Philip Denieffe for Keith Hogarty, Sean Murphy for Killian Doherty, Jack Doughan for Cian O’Brien, Hugh Byrne for Jack Kelly, Louis Whelan for Darren McVeigh, Jack Whelan for Naomhan Reardon, Brendan Halpin for Sean McGrath.
Players unavailable: Eoin Dalton and Peter McCague.