Junior B's beaten in Final by Good Counsel

The Kilmacud Crokes Junior B hurlers came up just short after an engrossing championship county final at Parnell Park on Saturday 24th October 2009 against Good Counsel. 

 

On a wet surface Crokes faced off against the swirling wind. The Drimnagh side had a dream start and in the sixth minute a goal put them 1-2 to no score clear. Almost immediately Dara Burke pointed a free and in the next minute Joe Walsh, who was exerting a strong influence at midfield, sent in a good ball. Jonathon Healy Hayes fed Adrian Crean and the veteran corner forward finished to the net.  

 

At 1-2 to 1-1 Crokes were back in the game but then came a purple patch for Counsel when every effort at a score seemed to produce a flag as they extended their lead by seven unanswered points. In the nineteenth minute Burke reduced the margin by one with a 63 metre free. Five minutes later he repeated the dose from play and then sent over two more placed balls. Just on the stroke of half time Counsel were awarded a 20 metre free. The resultant over left it 1-9 to 1-5 as the first instalment concluded.

 

With the wind at their backs and their superior fitness beginning to show, the Kilmacud side took the field for the second half in confident mood. Within sixty seconds they suffered a body blow as one of their defenders was shown a red card. Counsel then pointed before Burke did the same from a 40 metre free. In the fortieth and forty first minutes a brace of Counsel points had them 1-12 to 1-6 to the good. Two free conversions from Burke reduced the margin. Next Barry Mulligan, operating at midfield in the second half, sent in a long high ball. With full forward Paddy Rath pulling in the air against his marker the sliothar found the back of the net. 

 

Now there was just a point in it. In short order Counsel made it 1-13 to 2-8 and then saw one of their substitutes get his marching order. With six minutes left Burke’s accuracy from the placed ball had the minimum between the teams again. Two minutes later came the body blow as Counsel capitalised on a defensive lapse and made it 2-13 to 2-9. Crokes refused to lie down and once more took the game to their opponents. Their late pressure was rewarded with two points but it was not enough to stop the John Maher Cup (named after the Crokes legend) heading for Davitt Road.

 

On a day not conducive to good hurling, both teams are to be complimented on serving up some excellent fare in a game that was in the melting pot right to the end. For Crokes Dara Burke’s contribution was immense. Sean Garvey in goal could not be faulted, while his corner backs Paul Ryan and Cormac O’Keeffe provided good cover. Substitute Barry Mulligan made a major impact as did John Ross Hunt especially in the second half when converted to an emergency centre back. While disappointment at the result is only natural the entire panel and especially the management team of Mark Regan, Donal Hayes and Tom Bohan can look back on a year of solid achievement. The mentors are to be particularly lauded on the introduction of several youngsters to adult hurling and all concerned can now look forward to the coming year in upbeat mood.

Panel

1.      Sean Garvey, 2.      Paul Ryan, 3.      Paddy Igoe, 4.      Cormac O Keeffe, 5.      Darren McVeigh, 6.      James Byrne, 7.      Aidan Byrne, 8.      Joe Walsh, 9.      James O Keeffe, 10. Dara Burke (0-10, f-8), 11. John Ross Hunt (0-1), 12. Karl Russell, 13. Adrian Crean (1-0), 14. Paddy Rath, 15. Jonathan Healy-Hayes, 16. Traolach O' Sullivan (for P Rath 50 mins), 17. Donal Monnelly, 18. Brian Sheehan (for A Crean 54 mins), 19. Chris Cunningham (for J O’Keeffe, 57 mins), 20. Conor Caulfield for K Russell (36 mins), 21. Niall Hall, 22. David Staunton, 23. David Stafford, 24. Colm Crowley, 25. Daire Brennan, 26. Barry Mulligan for A Byrne (22 mins, 1-0).

 

Team Management: Mark Regan, Donal Hayes, Tom Bohan.