Intermediates beaten by Setanta

Even if it did not rain during the game there was enough surface water on the Poppintree pitch to keep a sizeable flock of ducks happy as Crokes played Setanta in the Intermediate Hurling League on Tuesday 17th July 2007.

Notwithstanding the conditions neither side could be faulted for endeavour or wholehearted effort in a keenly contested game.  Crokes had the first score in the fourth minute with a Diarmuid Howley point.  Setanta then blitzed 1-2 before Niall Butler shot over for the visitors in the ninth minute.  Over the following ten minutes the sides shared six points with the Crokes scores coming from a Richie Power 65, a Power free and Ronan Walsh.  In the 23rd minute a long Oran Turley side line cut found Butler and the youngster scored his second point.  Shortly after Power added another free.  Setanta responded in kind before three Power points, two from frees and one spectacular over the head, left it 0-9 to 1-6 at the break.

In the thirty fifth minute a Hugh O’Connor ball found Power who’s intelligent lay off set up Butler for a goal.  The sides then exchanged points before Setanta scored the goal that changed the match in the 39th minute.  From there on, though Crokes tried valiantly, Setanta had the scoring edge, adding six points, to Crokes one, from Power in the dying moments.  A final score of 2-13 to 1-11 in the conditions was a tribute to both teams as was the entertaining fare served up.  Among Crokes stars were Richie Power, Oran Turley, Shane McNicholas, Shea Gillen and Niall Butler.

Team:

John Barry, Oran Turley, Paddy McCormack, Shane McNicholas, Barrai Brennan, Joe O’Reilly, Ronan Walsh (0-1), Shea Gillen, Kevin Dalton, Eoin Murphy, Hugh O’Connor, Davy Baker, Richie Power (0-7, f – 5, 65 –1), Diarmuid Howley (0-1), Niall Butler (1-2).  Subs: Ciaran O’Grady for E Murphy inj), Ken Noctor for R Walsh (inj), Donal Holohan, Ronan Walsh (Clonmel)