Inters Claim AHL4 League Title

On Wednesday night 3rd March 2010 the Kilmacud Crokes intermediate hurlers annexed the 2009 AHL4 title.

 This was a more convincing win over O'Tooles at the latter's floodlit Blunden Drive than the 1-14 to 2-8 scoreline suggests. By the fifteen minute Crokes led 1-3 to 0-1. An O'Tooles goal was promptly answered with a Shane Canny point and soon after by a long range beauty from Ray Mangan. In the twenty second minute the home team pulled a point back and it then took a good hook by Shane McNicholas to deny them a goal. Minors from Barry Mulligan, who was in inspired long range free taking form, Naomhan O'Reardan and Daibhi de Paor gave the Stillorgan team a 1-8 to 1-3 half time edge. By the three quarter mark Crokes looked comfortable, 1-12 to 1-5 ahead. A quick goal and point reduced the margin to three. From then on O'Tooles pressed but, in spite of adding three points to Crokes two, could get no closer and the margin might have been greater but for the winners spurning a few point scoring chances.

On a night when there were soild perfomances throughout the team, among those worthy of special mention are captain Declan Browne, Richie Tighe, in goal, Eoin de Paor, who scored a super fifty third minute point, Barry Mulligan and Jack Doughan. Congratulations to the team and management on a deserved end to a long year that sees them promoted to AHL3 as champions.

Team: R Tighe, P Collins, D Canny, S McNicholas, R Mangan, D Browne, F Monnelly, K Doherty, E de Paor, B Mulligan, N O'Rearden, J Doughan, S Canny, D de Paor, M Dalton. Subs: B Hanamy for K Doherty (37 mins), D Monnelly for S Canny (45 mins).