Junior A’s Back in Championship Frame

It was a beautiful sunny Sunday morning (22nd August 2010) in Shankill as Crokes lined out to face Cuala in their final 2010 Junior A championship round robin game.  Following Wednesday’s (18th August 2010) loss to Ballyboden at Silverpark this was do or die. 

Cuala had the better of the opening twenty minutes and looked to be pulling away.  Slowly Crokes edged their way back and thanks to a thirtieth minute Darragh Burke penalty went in 1-8 to 1-5 at half time.  Cuala scored a point in the first minute of the second half.  Then an Alex Pilkington high ball was batted to the net by Conor Caulfield to make it 2-8 to 1-6.  Cuala pegged another point back.  On thirty five minutes Darragh Burke made it 2-9 to 1-7.  The Dalkey men registered the next two points before Ger Geoghegan set up Conor Caulfield for a minor.  With forty minutes gone Jude Sweeney made it 2-11 to 1-9.  In a tit for tat half Cuala scored the next two points. 

Jude Sweeney put over for Crokes in the fiftieth minute.  The homesters twice split the uprights and a diving goalmouth save from John Ross Hunt was necessary to keep the Kilmacud side in the lead.  A Darragh Burke free brought it to 2-13 to 1-13.  Cuala won the puck out and attacked.  Crokes had keeper Neil Martin to thank for staying ahead albeit that Cuala pointed the 65.  With two minutes left Crokes were three points in the lead again as a result of good work by Chris Cunningham to set up Jude Sweeney.  With time up Conor Caulfiled delivered the coup de grace to see Crokes home 2-15 to 1-14.  To the fore for the winners were Paddy Igoe, Ger Geoghegan, Darragh Burke, Jude Sweeney and Conor Caulfield.

Team:

N Martin, P Igoe, A Byrne, C O’Keeffe, C Cunningham, B Brennan, G Geoghegan, J Walsh, J O’Keeffe, D Burke (1-7), J Sweeney (0-4), A Pilkington, C Caulfield (1-2), A Crean (0-1), K Russell (0-1).  Subs: JR Hunt for A Byrne (half time), S Canny for J O’Keeffe (38 mins)