Kilmacud Crokes Under 12 Hurlers Camaint Winners

2 of Kilmacud Crokes U12 Hurling  teams ended the summer on a high note with their A’s winning the Camaint Division 1 Cup and the B’s being narrowly defeated in the Division 4 Cup final by hosts Round Towers.

Accounts of both finals are below:

U12 CAMAINT DIVISON 1 FINAL : KILMACUD CROKES 3-5 LUCAN SARSFIELDS 3-2.

(Match report by Diarmuid Coogan.)

After overcoming hosts St.Judes by 3-2 to 0-4 in the semi final , Crokes faced a stern examination from a physically stronger Lucan side.

A feature of the Camaint tournament is that the 1st half of each half is ground hurling and the Crokes lads struggled to get the ball “up the hill” in the ground hurling phase and were on the back foot for much of it – despite this they were losing by just 1-1 to 0-1 (star forward Conal Criostoir scored a neat point to keep Crokes in touch) – before Lucan added a 2nd goal just before ½ time.

Goalie Luca Rohan found his captain James Ryan with his puck out and he played it into Criostoir on the left about 20 metres out. Criostoir used his speed to beat the 1st defender and was fouled by a 2nd and kept going before “batting” the sliothar into the net.

Much to Criostoir’s consternation, the ref had blown the whistle for a free in just before he scored. Corner Forward Conor Coogan tapped over the free to narrow the gap for Crokes as the ½ time whistle sounded.

(0-2 to 2-1)

 

2ND HALF.

With the benefit of the hill, Crokes tore into the opposition from the restart and following sustained pressure and valiant Lucan defence, Daithi Linehan was on hand to finish a rebound to the net. (1-2 TO 2-1)

Following another burst of frenetic ground hurling and a goal mouth scramble with pressure from Crokes forwards Tom Curtin and Matthew O’Rafferty, a 2nd goal was scored with an unfortunate Lucan defender being the last to touch the sliothar! (2-2 to 2-1)

Criostoir followed up with a sweet strike off the ground to extend the lead to 2 points (2-3 to 2-1).

With the hill and “air hurling” to come, any notions that Crokes had of it being easily when Lucan really upped the ante and following sustained pressure which the Crokes defence couldn’t clear, a Lucan forward rifled a shot into the net which put his side back in front.( 2-3 to 3-1)

This knocked Crokes off their stride somewhat and despite the driving work of Ryan, Eoghan O’Donovan and Rory Flannery, Crokes missed a few chances before the diminutive Connie O’Sullivan landed a 65 to equalize and settle the nerves. (2-4 to 3-1)

Crokes thought they had gone back ahead when Criostoir got free and struck a shot which appeared to go inside the left upright but both referee and umpire ruled it wide.

With a few minutes to go, Crokes had a line ball on the left about 20 metres out. Connie O’Sullivan lined it up and cut it over the bar with a stroke which Joe canning would be proud of! (2-5 to 3-1)

Lucan rallied desperately in search of an equaliser and were awarded a free about 40 metres out which the referee brought forward to 30metres for dissent. The Crokes supporters were sure it would be the equaliser but the free drifted left and wide. Coogan quickly pucked out long and found full forward Curtin who took on his man before finishing powerfully to the net for the “insurance score”. (3-5 to 3-1)

With time almost up, Lucan never gave up and managed a point from a free to narrow the gap to 3 points but the final whistle followed. ( 3-5 to 3-2)

Kilmacud Crokes Scorers: Daithi Linehan, Tom Curtin, OG (1-0 each),Connie O’Sullivan 0-2 (65,F), Conal Criostoir 0-2, Conor Coogan(0-1 F).

Kilmacud Crokes: L.Rohan, C.Coogan, H.Brosnan, J.Axelsson, T.Ambrose, D.Linehan, C.O’Sullivan, J.Ryan(Capt), R.Flannery,E.O’Donovan, F.Donohoe, C.Criostoir, T.Curtin, M.O’Rafferty, L.Kennedy.

U12 CAMAINT DIVISION 4 CUP FINAL. KILMACUD CROKES B 2-1 ROUND TOWERS A 3-1.

(Match report by Eoin Healy.)

A thrilling night's hurling at the end of summer for Kilmacud Crokes at Round Towers Clondalkin saw the KC selection narrowly beaten in west Dublin twilight to a contentious late goal in the Camaint Division 4 Final ..

The night began with a powerful performance by KC in beating St Judes in the semi. Scoreless if the first phase of Camaint ground hurling, as the boys battled with the long grass, KC took a narrow 1-0 to 0-0 lead into half time, but a blistering display in the second half, both during the ground and air hurling phases, featuring standout goals from Rian Robertson & Hugh McDonnell, saw KC safely through to a final against the home team, who disposed of Commercials in their semi.

The first half of the final was a tough experience for KC, against a home team who settled into the ground hurling phase much quicker and raced into a 2-1 to 0-0 lead. KC wre not giving up, however, and a late goal in the first half again by Rian Robertson left the match evenly poised at half time.

The second half was dominated by KC, with some outstanding performances by Ben Franklin, Robbie Murray, Conor Mullin and Sean Hanley bringig the teams level heading into the final air hurling phase. The defense was a full blodded effort, with Ross Gargan, Stephen Monaghan and Cian Cooper holding firm against the Round Towers forwards. Mark O'Leary and Liam Healy shared goalkeeping duties, and their puck outs launched waves of KC attacks as both teams went for the win in fully committed style.

With only a few minutes left on the clock, and daylight rapidly disappearing, a Round Towers forward chipped the goalkeeper to score what looked like the decisive goal. But was it a goal? Initially the ref said no, as the player appeared to kick the ball into the net. However, upon consultation with his umpires, the goal was given, breaking KC hearts.

The final whistle sounded quickly after, KC had dominated the second half with an outstanding performance that all can be proud of. The relief of Round Towers at surviving the KC charge was apparent in their celebrations.

Despite such a heartbreaking defeat, it was an outstanding performance of character and skill by KC, and bought to an end another brilliant summer of hurling.

 KILMACUD CROKES B: L.Healy,R.Gargan,M.O’Leary(Capt),S.Monaghan,C.Cooper ,B.Franklin,R.Murray,C.Mullin,S.Hanley,R.Robertson,D.Eyre,E.Lynch,H.McDonnell,J.Muldoon,W.O’Sullivan.