Week Ending 20th July 2008

Semple Stadium on a Summer Saturday with an entertaining curtain raiser and breathtaking main course – no better way to whet the hurling appetite. That was certainly the experience of the massively enthused Crokes under 11’s and under 15’s following matches en route against Toomevarra and Holycross Ballycahill respectively. Worthwhile games, generous hospitality and hurling talk were the order of the day, crowned by a sublime Semple experience, wonderfully recounted by Tom Humphries in the Irish Times of 21st July 2008 at http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/sport/2008/0721/1216565492866.html. Nearer to planet earth, on Thursday 17 July 2008 in Silverpark, the Seniors beat Ardclough of Kildare in a challenge game 5-14 to 0-11. Team: Richie Sweetnam, Willie Ryan, Adrian Grogan, Damien Byrne, Eoin De Paor, Rory O'Carroll, Daibhi De Paor, Fergal Armstrong, Hugh Gannon, Barry O'Rorke, Brian Motherway, Neil Casey, Donal McGovern, Eoin Fitzgerald, Shay Gillen. Scorers: Eoin Fitzgerald 3-03 (0-2 frees); Shay Gillen 2-01; Donal McGovern 0-04; Hugh Gannon 0-02; Barry O'Rorke 0-02; Brian Motherway 0-01; Neil Casey 0-01 On Wednesday the minor squad went to Moibhi Road to play Na Fianna in the final of the Summer league. Depleted due to holidays and injuries, they still managed to tog out twenty seven, an impressive achievement in itself. Unfortunately, despite a bright enough opening ten minutes, the game did not go to plan. The homesters particularly dominated the second half and emerged 1-18 to 2-7 victors (half time 1-8 to 1-3). Team: D Brennan, D Monnelly, B O’Carroll, J O’Keeffe, D McVeigh, G McMorrow, J Doughan, E Culligan, M Kinsella (0-1), K O’Loughlin (1-0, f), B Hanamy (1-0), C Caulfield, C Cunningham, N O’Riordain, S McGrath (0-5, f 0-3). Subs: J Sweeny (0-1) for N O’Riordain (inj, 27 mins), F Hanley for K O’Loughlin inj, half time) M Lynskey for C Caulfield, (38 mins), C Garvey for C Cunningham (54 mins), C O’Brien for J O’Keeffe (57 mins), B Halpin, H Byrne, B Callinan, B English, J Parker, D Ward, J Healy-Hayes Monday saw the Junior E (C3’s) lose their championship game 1-22 to 2-3 away to Setanta.