Minor B's win cracker in Silverpark

The minor B team secured a crucial win against a strong Thomas Davis side in their penultimate league match at Silver Park on Monday, 2 July. Due to pressure on both sides to field full squads the match was played with 13 a side. This led to an open fast-paced game and in the first half Thomas Davis certainly had much the better of the play throughout the field. Though Crokes opened the scoring with points from Stephen Faughey (2) and Mikey O’Dwyer it was the lads from Kiltipper who looked more committed and tuned into the game and it wasn’t long before they took the lead and scored two great goals within the space of a few minutes midway through the half. They held the upper hand for the remainder of the first period and Crokes were lucky to go in at half-time only four points behind, 2-06 to 0-08, due mainly to the accuracy of Dara Ó Gallchobhair from placed balls.

After a no holds barred talk during the break Crokes emerged for the second half with a new found sense of purpose to their play and had scored a goal and two points within the first seven minutes. Thomas Davis clawed back a couple of scores and the game was nip and tuck for the first quarter and developed into a titantic battle throughout the field with some really hard challenges from both sides. Then on 18 minutes Dara Ó Gallchobhair scored a brilliant individual goal after a great run. This put the Crokes four points ahead and they never relinguished the lead from then to the final whistle. Mikey O’Dwyer scored three super points at crucial stages in the half, another goal from a penalty by Dara Ó Gallchobhair and an opportunist goal at the death by Conor Egan after great work by Ruairí Geraghty sealed the matter for the Crokes. 

The second half performance from the whole team was really heartening for the fighting spirit and commitment shown and has put them in a position to challenge for league honours.

Team: Peter Herlihy, Karl Doyle, Gregory Buckley, Andriú Ó hEachthairn  Ciarán McIntyre Seán Bedford, Mikey O’Dwyer (0-4), Ronan Horgan, Dara Ó Gallchobhair (2-08, 1-00 pen, 0-06 f), Stephen Faughey (0-2), Graham Healy-Hayes, Adam Spollen, Conor Egan (1-00).

Subs: Ruairí Geraghty for Adam Spollen, Barry O’Sullivan.

 Report by Joe Ó Murchú.