Crokes bow out of Leinster Semi-Final

A sixth outing at Parnell Park saw our Leinster Odyysey flounder on the Ballyhale Bulwark.

The Leinster Championship rollercoaster ran out of road today. Ballyhale Shamrocks were deserving winners and, whilst proud of the run through Dublin SHC into Leinster, Crokes were left with a lingering sense that we could have asked more searching questions.

The opening exchanges were close enough but then an opportunistic deflection to goal was conjured by Henry Shefflin from a Conor Walsh point effort that had dropped short. Even as Crokes manfully came back via a couple of McGrath frees and inspiring Dillon Mulligan point - another big setback was an unfortunate fumble by keeper Matt Collins to the net from another dropping short TJ Reid free. Against that backdrop of mishaps and competitive endeavor at the short whistle there was a 9 point gap  0.6 to 2.9.

The 2nd half saw a revival of sorts, getting the gap back to 6 points, but Ballyhale also had that innate capability to pick off points with greater ease.

A Caolán Conway goal chance that went over the bar and a couple of half chances from Ross O Carroll and James Burke in the dying seconds reflected Crokes increasingly desperate efforts to cut back the 9 point deficit with Goals. A series of Ryan O Dwyer frees ensured Crokes maintained parity throughout the second half but no further inroad of the earlier critical 9 point deficit.  

We salute the support we got today and a Big THANK YOU to the Senior A Panel and Management for all the great days (including today) you gave us in Parnell Park 2014.

Please dust yourselves down and annex the AHL1 League Next Sunday Nov 30th at OToole Park - Nothing like another game  to dampen  earlier disappointments. 

Kilmacud Crokes: M Collins; N Corcoran, Rory O’Carroll, J Clinton; C MacGabhann, J Dougan, R O’Loughlin; C Clinton, D Mulligan (0-2); Ross O’Carroll, D Kelly (0-1), J Sweeney; C Conway (0-2), R O’Dwyer (0-5, 0-4 frees), S McGrath (0-2, both frees). Subs: B O’Carroll for Clinton, 18 mins; R Murphy for Rory O’Carroll, 27 mins; O O’Rorke for Clinton, 40 mins; J Burke for McGrath, 49 mins

Ballyhale Shamrocks: R Reid; A Cuddihy, J Holden, T Coogan; P Shefflin, M Fennelly, C Walsh; B Aylward, D Hoyne; J Fitzpatrick (0-1), H Shefflin (1-2), TJ Reid (1-8, 1-6 frees); E Reid, C Fennelly (0-2), M Aylward (0-2). Subs: B Cody for Hoyne, 40 mins; K Nolan for Coogan, 49 mins; R Corcoran for M Aylward, 54 mins; A Cummins for Cuddihy, 54 mins; G Butler for Walsh, 55 mins

To read the Grassroots GAA match report click HERE