U10's in Stephen Fry Cup & Shield Blitz, 15 September 2012

The U10's were delighted to accept the invitation to the Stephen Fry Cup and Shield blitz at the Jame Stephens GAA club on Sept. 15th last. Crokes a had team entered in both the Cup and Shield competitions, made up of the following group of players.

Both competitions were 13 a-side full rules hurling, with 8 teams in the cup and a further 8 in the shield.

The shield competition was a round-robin affair, with each team playing each other and the top two playing off for the silverware. The Crokes boys started extremely well and were unlucky to be narrowly beaten by Dicksboro in the first game. They then went on to have 2 fine victories against James Stephens and Naas. This meant that Dicksboro and Kilmacud Crokes would contest the Shield final. The final was a very tense affair with both teams really getting stuck in from the throw-in. Crokes got an early lead and went in a goal up at the break but the Kilkenny lads equalised at the start of the second half to leave the game in the balance. Points were traded at either ends as both teams tried desperately to get the upper hand. At the final whistle it was a drawn game and the ref decided to play 5 minutes each way of extra time. In the first period of extra time Dicksboro piled on the pressure and got their reward with a quick-fired goal from a free. The Crokes lads fought back bravely and were camped down in Dicksboro territory for the remainder of the match and managed to tag on a point but the Dicksboro lads defended their goal line resolutely and end up victors by 2 points.


The cup competition saw Crokes in a group along with Naomh Eanna, Dicksboro and Erins Own. First up was Dicksboro and our lads knew they were in for a tough game when Dicksboro took an early lead. Crokes responded very quickley and slowly got the upper hand to go in at half time a goal ahead. The second half was a very tight affair with a last minute free from the Dublin boys giving them a well deserved victory. Then came Erins Own Castlecomer who provided a slightly easier challenge for our lads who won well in the end. As Naomh Eanna had beaten both Dicksboro and Erins Own it meant that the final game of the group between ourselves and the Wexford boys would be the play-off for the final. The Crokes boys were a bit sluggish to start off and some slack marking let Naomh Eanna in for a couple of early goals. The lads fought back bravely and were dominant in the second half but they couldn't bridge that early gap and Naomh Eanna went on to win the game and played James Stephens in the final. Crokes then played a third place play-off game against Faythe Harriers which they won comfortably.

A huge thanks to everyone in James Stephens GAA club for their great hospitality and very well organised tournament