Seniors beat Commercials 2-18 to 0-06, 22 Aug 2006

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Crokes opened nervously and failed to score for the first nine minutes when Niall Murphy opened the account with a point to level a similar score from Commercials three minutes earlier.  Two minutes later goal attempts in quick succession by Damian Walsh and James Burke went unconverted.  In the fourteenth minute Hugh Gannon stamped his authority with a well taken 50 metre point on the run.  On minute sixteen a goal attempt, following a good catch, by Brian Motherway was saved.  The attendance had to wait just two more minutes before James Burke pointed from a well placed Niall Murphy pass.  A minute later a shot by Daibhi de Paor was well saved by the Commercials keeper before Fergal Armstrong registered Crokes fourth point following a run down the left wing from 20 metres.  In the 23rd minute Commercials pulled a point back only for Daibli de Paor to reply immediately in like manner.  With five minutes left in the first half Brian Motherway passed to Niall Murphy who goaled after his first attempt was blocked.  Two minutes before the short whistle James Burke won a Macdara O’hOgain puck out and pointed from 40 metres.  In the thirtieth minute good work by Brian Motherway saw Niall Murphy pick up and return to the full-forward who pointed to allow the Kilmacud men lead 1-7 to 0-2 at half time.

 

Overall the first half display was a little disjointed against a struggling opposition.  While scoring chances were created the incisiveness which had been a feature of the last championship outing against O’Tooles was not always in evidence.  Such attacks as Commercials mounted were very capably dealt with by a defence in which Cormac de Frein, Dave Mahony, Adrian Grogan and Conor O’Connor were to the fore.

 

 

Crokes opened the second half much more purposefully than the first.  From the throw in the ball was worked to Brian Motherway whose goal effort was foiled and the ball eventually ended wide.  Shortly after a Damian Walsh pass resulted in Daibhi de Paor point.  From the puck out Fergal Armstrong picked up and passed to de Paor who raised another white flag from 20 metres.  The same player was instrumental in creating the opportunity for Brian Motherway to put over Crokes third score of the half in the thirty fifth minute, followed shortly after by a Donal McGovern point.  While Commercials responded with a pointed free after Damien Byrne was harshly blown up the game was now effectively over as a contest.

 

This was confirmed when Crokes rattled off four points in six minutes from Fionan Moriarty (from sixty metres), Damian Walsh, James Burke (from a sideline cut) and Hugh Gannon even if the Rathcoole men responded with two overs of their own.  A forty ninth minute Commercials point was answered in kind by Fergal Armstrong from a forty metre free before Brian Motherway scambled home Crokes second goal in the fifty second minute.  From there the game proceeded to its inevitable conclusion interspersed by pointed frees from Armstrong and substitute Aodhan de Paor in the fifty fourth and fifty seventh minutes respectively.

 

Its now roll on Saturday 26th for the final Senior Hurling Championship group game against Naomh Mearnog in O'Toole Park at 3.30pm which holds the key to quarter final qualification.

 

Team

Macdara O’hOgain, Adrian Grogan, Dave Mahony, Cormac de Frein, Fionan Moriarty (0-1), Conor O’Connor, Damien Byrne, Hugh Gannon [captain] (0-2), Fergal Armstrong (0-3, f -2), Niall Murphy (1-1), James Burke (0-3, sideline –1), Donal McGovern (0-1), Damian Walsh (0-1), Brian Motherway (1-2), Daibhi de Paor (0-3).  Subs: Paul Graham for Daibhi de Paor, Eoin Roche for James Burke, Aodhan de Paor for Niall Murphy, Fergus Garvey for Fergal Armstrong, Davy Baker for Adrian Grogan, Derry Collins, Eoin de Paor, Tomas Donohue, and Richie Power

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