Seniors Win Leinster League Tie

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The visitors had the better of the opening exchanges.  Playing with the wind advantage they were 1-2 to 0-0 ahead by the sixth minute.  Then, good interplay between Brian Motherway and Fergus Garvey set Shane O’Rorke up for Crokes opening point.  Within a minute Castletown restored their five point lead. Almost immediately an Eoin de Paor free was won by Neil Casey who pegged one back.  Alan Tiernan next got in on the act with a good catch and point.  Castletown dominated the following three minutes but could only register three wides before Shane O’Rorke put over from 60 metres.  Two minutes later a quickly taken Paul Graham free found Ross O’Carroll who tapped over to leave a point between the sides.

Castletown then sent over three unanswered points before a 60 metre Paul Graham free made it 1-6 to 0-6.  The long puck out was caught by the Castletown full forward.  He set up his corner forward whose shot produced a good MacDara O’hOgain save.  For the next few minutes the Laois side held the upper hand but were only able to muster one point.  Three wides at this stage, and another six in the opening period, left Crokes off the hook.  In the 27th minute Paul Graham came on to the sliothar some 30 metres out.  He made good ground and his goal bound shot was well saved by the Castletown custodian.  Graham pointed the resultant 65m to reduce the arrears to a goal.  A Ross O’Carroll point in the 29th minute left two between the teams at half time.

Two minutes into the second half Ross O’Carroll narrowed the margin to one.  Just as it looked like Crokes might take a grip on the game they surrendered the initiative.  During the next fourteen minutes the visitors scored three points without reply as well registering two wides.  Slowly the home team regained its composure.  The move of Neil Casey to centre forward brought a more forceful edge, while Niall Corcoran began to assert himself at centre back.  The full back line of Adrian Grogan, Damien Byrne and Willie Ryan tightened their grip and William McEvoy came more into the game. 

In the forty sixth minute Casey’s hard work set up impressive substitute Barry O’Rorke for a good point.  Two minutes on William McEvoy set up the same player for his second over.  Shane O’Rorke scooped up the puck out and made it 1-10 to 0-12.  A minute later the same player had the sides level.  Two Crokes wides preceded a pointed seventy metre free from Barry O’Rorke.  Crokes were now ahead.  Niall Butler in the corner, who now began to receive better ball, was unlucky not to set up the clinching goal.  In any event late points from Barry O’Rorke and Ross O’Carroll sealed a three point win.

Team: MacDara O’hOgain, Adrian Grogan, Damien Byrne, Willie Ryan, William McEvoy, Niall Corcoran, Eoin de Paor, Brian Motherway, Shane O’Rorke (0-4), Fergus Garvey, Ross O’Carroll (0-4), Neil Casey (0-1), Alan Tiernan (0-1), Paul Graham (0-2, f-1, 65-1), Niall Butler.  Subs; Barry O’Rorke (0-4) for F Garvey, S Gillen

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