Crokes Minors C's Top Their Group

On Sunday 8th October, Crokes minor C’s overcame a spirited Castleknock team to finish top of their group and guarantee a home quarter final on October 22nd!

Crokes began brightly when right wing forward Conor Murphy scored a fine point from 40 metres after 2 minutes. Recently returned corner forward Seán McIntyre followed up with an opportunist goal after full forward David Purcell had caused havoc in the square. Left Corner forward Noah Bermingham and McIntyre added further points and Crokes were leading by 1-3 to 0 after 7 minutes!

Castleknock gradually got into the game with the aid of a few unnecessarily conceded frees and had reduced the lead to 1-3 tom 0-4 after 15 minutes. The Crokes u16 goalkeeper Mark Beggins came up the pitch to take a free on his own 45 metre line and launched a massive hit which sailed over the home crossbar. 2 minutes later Beggins landed another free from his own 65!

Crokes finished the half strongly with 2 fine points from U16 centre forward Joe Tuliani and also a David Purcell free from 40 metres out.

HALF TIME: CROKES 1-8 CASTLEKNOCK 0-6

Castleknock got the 1st point of the 2nd half before Crokes struck with their 2nd goal. Conor Murphy sent a great ball into the square from the right sideline; the defence batted it out to the corner where Bermingham did very well to regain possession and sent a high ball in which Purcell plucked out of the sky on the edge of the square, turned and buried it in the left corner! ( 2-8 to 0-7)

Crokes should really have pressed on but they were guilty of “trying to walk the sliothar into the net” instead of taking easy points. In the meantime, Castleknock added 3 points and following a puck out, they “got the run” on Crokes and went up the pitch to score a goal making it a one point game mid way through the 1/2! (2-8 to 1-10)

From here on, Crokes showed great character with Rian Robertson immense in defence, and following good work in midfield by the experienced Dan Buggy and Robert Phelan, were awarded a free around 1/2 way. Beggins came forward and settled Crokes’ nerves with another “boomer” which split the posts! (2-9 to 1-10)

Influential centre back David Mattimoe followed up with a lovely point after a great run. Sub forward Mark Sheerin added 2 fine points( one which could easily have been a goal) to stretch the lead to 5 with less than 10 minutes left. (2-12 to 1-10)

There was another twist left in the game and following some very good combination play, Castleknock rattled the Crokes’ net again to reduce the lead to 2. The home side regained possession from the puck out and worked the sliothar up to their full forward on the edge of the square but Beggins made a great save from point bank range!

Following good defensive work by sub Hugh Brosnan and Peter Bradley, Crokes cleared the danger and Mattimoe hit a great point from “out the field”. Sub u16 forward Conor Mullin then struck a sweet point from the right before Beggins closed the scoring with another massive point from a 65. (KC 2-15 C’Knock 2-10)

This team really embodies the club spirit of age groups coming together and have 2005 players Peter Bradley, James Candon, Robert Phelan, Dan Buggy, Conor Murphy, Seán McIntyre and popular captain David Purcell giving a good degree of experience. 2006 players David Mattimoe, Tadhg Ó Cathasaigh, Noah Bermingham and Mark Sheerin are making a huge contribution to the Championship campaign while the U16’s “playing up” have made the whole team viable! These are goalkeeper Mark Beggins, corner back Ross Gargan, Rian Robertson, Joseph Tuliani, Colm Buckley, PJ Phelan, Conor Mullen, Hugh Brosnan, Seán Ó Maonaigh.

Crokes: M.Beggins, R.Gargan, P.Bradley, J.Candon, T.Ó Cathasaigh, D.Mattimoe, R.Robertson, R.Phelan, D.Buggy, C.Murphy, J.Tuliani, C.Buckley, S.McIntyre, D.Purcell(Capt), N.Bermingham. 

Subs: C. Mullin -> Ó Cathasaigh, S.Ó Maonaigh -> Gargan, H.Brosnan -> Buckley, M.Sheerin -> Candon, PJ Phelan -> Purcell.

Scorers

David Mattimoe  0–2
Conor Murphy  0–1
Conor Mullen  0–1
Mark Sheerin  0–2
Mark Beggins  0–4
Sean McIntyre  1–1
Noah Bermingham  0–1
David Purcell  1–1
Joseph Tuliani  0–2