Minor A’s progress to Championship semi-final

Judes push Crokes all the way...

Crokes got their championship campaign back on track with the narrowest of victories over a highly motivated St Judes side in Tymon North on Sunday morning. Crokes were still chasing the game well into the second-half having gone behind in the fifth minute by a fortuitous goal from a speculative 65. This gave Judes great heart and pushed them to really take the game to Crokes who seemed to be a bit shell-shocked for most of the first half. But for a couple of nice scores from Feargal Whitley and Donal Keane and a few pointed frees by Seán Keating they were lucky to be just one point behind at half-time with the score at 0-06 to 1-04.

The lads needed to up their game considerably in the second half and things eventually started to go their way after a quarter of an hour of stalemate with both sides trading points. Seán Keating got in for a goal and this was followed by a brace of points from Ciarán McIntyre and a great goal my man-of-the-match Feargal Whitley shortly after. Crokes at this stage seemed to be about to pull away, but to their credit Judes kept fighting back and were rewarded with scores from frees and another goal with just five minutes to go. This led to a nail-biting finish in which the Crokes defence had to repeatedly repulse Judes’ attacks without conceding a free. The final whistle sounded to sighs of relief rather than shouts of celebration, the score reading Crokes 2-12, Judes 2-11.

The other group in the Minor A Championship was eventually decided on score difference and has led to a semi-final meeting with old rivals Cuala on 27 October. Vincents and Ballyboden meet in the other semi-final.

Team: Tadhg Murphy, Mikey O’Dywer, Donncha Ó Murchú, Cillian O’Shea, Mark McCallion, Odhrán Ó Siochrú, Éamon Allen, Ronan Horgan, Dara Ó Gallchobhair, Donal Keane (02),  Ciarán McIntyre (02), Feargal Whitley (1-03), Dara Ó Gallchobhair (01), Alex Consadine, Seán Keating 1-04 (3f,65), Mark O’Loughlin.

Subs: Ed Campion for Mark O’Loughlin, Michael Crowley for Alex Consadine, Kevin Ó Flannagáin, Stevie O’Dwyer.