Under 16 Hurlers – Battle hard to overcome a strong Vincents side to reach Championship Final

Date of Match: 29th September 2007

Versus: St Vincents Venue: Prc de Burca

Competition: Under 16 Division 1 Championship Semi Final

Management Team: Pat Halpin, Tom Murphy, Daibhi dePaor, Gearóid O’Riain, Kevin Coakley

Match Result
Kilmacud Crokes 1 -10 v St Vincents 0-11

Scorers;
Crokes: Seanie McGrath (1-04 (4 f)), Jude Sweeney (0-02), Naomhan O Reardon (0-02), Eoin Dalton (0-01), Dylan Mulligan (0 – 01)

Match Report/ Match Highlights:

Under 16 Hurlers – Battle hard to overcome a strong Vincents side to reach Championship Final

Saturday the 29th September saw Crokes line out against St Vincents in the Semi Final of this year’s Under 16 Championship. Pairc de Burca was in great condition and ideal for hurling.

Crokes opened the scoring in the 5th minute when Eoin hit over a great shot from the right wing. Three minutes later Seanie extended the lead with his first point of the day from a converted free. A minute later Vincents hit back with their first point. After ten minutes Bill had to be substituted as he went over on his ankle and Darren moved over to centre back. It took another twelve minutes before the next score, a long range point from Vincents to level the score. In the 25th minute, Seanie converted another free to regain the lead for Crokes and two minutes a lovely point by Dylan extended the Crokes lead to two points. Vincents hit back a minute with a point and in the 30th minute equalized, the momentum was now with Vincents and in injury time they went into a two point lead with two converted frees. At the half time whistle, Vincents were leading 6 points to 4 points. It was a tough game with both sets of defenders giving little away and scoring opportunities were few and far between.

In the second half, Vincents continued as they had finish the first half and converted another free to extend their lead to three points and straight away from the puck out they won the ball in their half back line and went up the field and popped over another point to go into a 4 point lead. It was then that Seanie broke free from his marker and latched onto a breaking ball and drove the ball into the back of the net to reduce the Vincents margin to 1 point. Three minutes later Jude won a ball in midfield and drove over the equalizing point. Vincents did not give up and in the 11th scored another pint to go back into the lead. Two minutes later it was level again when Seanie converted another free from 60 yards out and three minutes later Crokes were back in the lead after Naomhan popped over his first point of the day. Crokes were playing well but Vincents were far from finished and equalized again in the 19th minute, with a point from the left corner. Both sets of backs were still playing well and during the next 7 minutes both sets of forwards had opportunities to get goals but these attempts were rebuffed by the backs. Then in the 26th minute Seanie converted his 4th free of the afternoon to restore Crokes lead, two minutes later Naomhan pulled on a ball and drove it over the bar to extend Crokes lead to two points. Vincents now went in search of a goal to get their noses in front, but the backs held them out and in the 29th minute conceded a 65 meter free which Vincents slotted over the bar to reduce Crokes lead to narrowest margin and set up a tense ending, however with one minute of injury time played, Jude latched onto a breaking ball from midfield and struck it over the bar to finish the Crokes scoring and extend their lead to two points. The referee blew the final whistle after the ball was pucked out after this score.

Overall a good performance, especially in the second half, against a very good St Vincents side. Naomh Fionnbarra, who over came St Judes also by two points now await Crokes in the final on the 13th October ‘007.

Congratulation also to the Gerry Hogarty and the Under 16 B’s who beat Naomh Olaf to qualify for their Final against Scoil Ui Chonnaill also on the 13th October ‘07.

Kilmacud Crokes:
Barry Mulligan, Jack Doughan, Paul Collins, Jack Kelly, Louis Whelan, Bill O’Carroll, Darren McVeigh, Killian Doherty, Matthew Kinsella, Eoin Dalton, Sean Murphy, Mark O’Dwyer, Dylan Mulligan, Naomhan O Reardon, Seanie McGrath.

Subs: Gary Melican for Bill O’Carroll (10 minutes), Jude Sweeney for Gary Melican (half time) and Hugh Byrne for Eoin Dalton (45 minutes), Cian O’Brien, Peter MacCague, James O’Keeffe, Johnny Brew, Sean Garvey.

Unavailable: - Alan Carr & Eddie O’Byrne.