U10s in McNulty tournament
U10’s just edged out in Dermot McNulty tournament
Two U10 teams travelled across to Na Fianna, Glasnevin for the annual Dermot McNulty tournament and participated in some wonderful games against some of the best juvenile hurling clubs in the country. Ideal conditions for hurling - blue skies and a perfect playing surface – helped produce a very high standard of hurling and the Crokes lads were a credit to their club.
In the Cup, Crokes were paired against James Stephens from Kilkenny for their first match and were narrowly beaten despite a strong second half performance. Indeed the man of the match was the Kilkenny team’s goalkeeper who produced two stunning saves to deny the Kilmacud forwards. Next up were Na Piarsaigh from Cork who were very quick to settle and built up a three point lead by half-time. The Cork boys scored an early goal after the interval and maintained their advantage to the final whistle. It was in the next two matches that the Crokes boys really hit their stride, easily accounting for Dicksboro of Kilkenny and the host club Na Fianna by a few goals in each game. This meant that Crokes went in to their last match knowing that a win over Naomh Eanna,Gorey could secure them a place in the final. The match
proved a tense and exciting affair with Crokes coming back from four points down in the second half to lead by two going into the final minutes thanks to two wonderfully struck goals. However, there was disappointment for the boys as a goal against the run of play by the Wexford lads in the last minute proved to be the decisive and final score of the match. The boys watched on as James Stephens went on to pip Na Piarsaigh in a closely contested final.
In the Shield, Crokes got off to a great start to the tournament with a win over Naomh Eanna, Gorey. The second match was a close encounter with Na Fianna’s second team and Kilmacud were just beaten by a goal. After a quick lunch the boys came up against James Stephens in a hugely exciting encounter which ended with the teams’ level at the final whistle. The Crokes boys then switched across to the all-weather pitch for a match against Na Fianna’s first team. This was a hard fought affair with Crokes dominating the first half and going into the break with the advantage. Na Fianna came back in the second half and a late goal by them proved to be the gap between the two teams at the end. A tired Crokes gave their all in the final group match against Na Piarsaigh with the Cork lads proving a little too good on the day. The final was won by the jubilant host club in extra time against Na Piarsaigh.
We would like to express our appreciation and gratitude to Donal Buggy and his team of organisers at Na Fianna for their invite to this extremely well organised tournament and for their hospitality on the day.
CUP TEAM SQUAD: Adam Cantwell, Cian Coleman, Paul Buckley, Tom Kehoe, Eoin Barr, Dylan Crossan, Cathal O’Dwyer, Stephen Horgan, David Cullen, Michael Gibbons, Michael Taaffe, Harry Doyle, Lorcan O’Connor, Hugh Bermingham, Ed Gibbons
SHEILD TEAM SQUAD: Art Lynch, Niall Bezeci, Brian Rafter, Nathan Slattery, Eoin Buggy, Sam Kenny, Oisin Murray, Robert Kent, Robert Russell, Sean Burns, Barry MacGabhann, Stephen Tuite, Aran Murphy, Owen Shearer
