Kilmacud Crokes Minor B’s stage a “Late Late Show” to snatch C2 Championship!
Kilmacud Crokes Minor B’s stage a “Late Late Show” to snatch C2 Championship!
(Match report by Diarmuid Coogan.)
Minor C2 Championship Final: St.Pats, Donabate 2-11 Kilmacud Crokes Minor B’s 2-14
Scorers: G.King 0-7 (5f), L.Kennedy 1-2, S.Ó Maonaigh 1-0, C.Buckley 0-2, D.Kelly, J.Tuliani, C.Mullin 0-1 each.
Kilmacud staged a scarcely believable recovery in the last 10 minutes of this final to snatch victory over St.Pats who had played most of the best hurling in the match. Crokes drew on their “muscle memory” of winning tight games over the last 2 championships and hung in until the opportunities finally fell for them in the critical stage of the game.
From the start, Crokes appeared as if they were still looking for directions to the pitch while St. Pats rattled over 3 great points from play in the 1st 4 minutes. Indeed, St.Pats should have had a goal in the 7th minute only for a great block by Crokes corner back Senan Canny.
Crokes finally got off the mark on 8 minutes with a free from forward Gavin King. (St.P 0-3 KC 0-1)
St. Pats were nearly in for a goal a minute later only for good work by Canny, full back Ross Gargan & Goalie Mark Beggins to clear the danger but it was only a temporary reprieve as the defence was at “6’s and 7’s” for a further high ball in and St.Pats finished to the net. (St.P1-3 KC 0-1)
Over the next 4 minutes, St.Pats tagged on another 3 points to a solitary point from King (a fine effort from an acute angle on the left), leaving the score 1-6 to 0-2 after the 1st quarter.
Crokes started to claw their way back into the match with 2 further frees from King and an inspirational team lifting point from midfielder David Kelly from 60 metres. (St.P 1-7 KC 0-5)
St.Pats added another point on 20 minutes but following good work by talismanic No.11 Joe Tuliani and corner forward Cillian Hall, Crokes won a free which King despatched. (St.P 1-8 KC 0-6)
Tuliani followed up with a great point after a high catch and solo. (St.P1-8 KC 0-7)
On 27 minutes, dynamic midfielder Lorcan Cooney cleared the ball from his own half to Lochlainn “the Horse” Kennedy and he struck a lovely point from 45 metres. (St.P 1-8 KC 0-8)
Avoidable Disaster!
On the side line, we were saying , “having made such a poor start, Crokes are right back in the match and just have to avoid any banana skins before halftime” – we put “the hex” on the team! A seemingly harmless long ball was hit into the Crokes Goal area and following a complete failure of the defence to deal with it, Beggins eventually emerged with the ball but was dispossessed before he could clear and the St.Pats forward tapped into the empty net! (St.P 2-8 KC0-8)
The halftime whistle sounded just after and the St.Pats players had a pep in their step as they ran over to their bench while the Crokes players looked very deflated.
2nd Half
That goal clearly had energised the St.Pats players and they scored 3 frees in the 1st 10 minutes. The only ray of hope for Crokes was a great point from tigerish sub Colm Buckley following a strong run up the middle from influential Dublin U16 centre back Jack Quinlan. (St.P 2-11 KC 0-9)
Over the next 10 minutes, Crokes attacks were continually stifled by strong St.Pats defending while St.Pats squandered several opportunities to extend the lead. In particular on 45 minutes, a St.Pats forward was through on goal from the left but Beggins was out quick to “reduce the angle” and the Crokes fans were relieved to see the sliothar go just wide!!
On the 50th minute, Quinlan carried well and fed Buckley who hit another great point to reduce the deficit to 7. (In the last quarter of the game, both Quinlan and full back Ross Gargan were getting onto more ball and launching attacks that ultimately turned the game.)
Supersub!
3 minutes later, Beggins tried to launch a long free into the box but it fell short and St.Pats cleared but only to Quinlan at half way. Quinlan is a player who seems to make time on the ball and he evaded one player before delivering a “hanging ball” into the danger area; sub forward Seán Ó Maonaigh used his physicality to create “maximum chaos” in and around the square and with his first touch, scored the goal that set a cat among the pigeons!! (St.P 2-11 KC 1-10)
2 minutes later, following great pressure by Crokes, the sliothar was worked to Kennedy on the run just to the left of the gaol and he unleashed an unstoppable shot to make it a one point game! (St.P2-11 KC 2-10)
Crokes also introduced 2024 Minor winners Cian Cooper and Charlie Grehan for Senan Canny and PJ Phelan. (Phelan and Canny had done some great “fire brigade” work in preventing St.Pats from extending the lead in the half.
With 4 minutes left, King showed great composure to draw the sides level for the 1st time since the throw in! (St.P 2-11 KC 2-11)
Crokes kept their foot down and Kennedy edged them ahead on 57 minutes. With a minute of normal time left, Tuliani showed great courage to win possession and was “pulled on” for his troubles. King nailed the resultant free to extend the lead to 2. (St.P 2-11 KC 2-13)
St.Pats really needed clean possession from the puck out but the Crokes forwards contested brilliantly and the ball fell to half forward Conor Mullin near the right sideline; Mullins shot looked as if it was going to drop short but it just about had the legs to creep tantalisingly over the bar to make it a 3 point game. (St.P 2-11 KC 2-14)
We were now in injury time and only a goal would save St.Pats and they rallied bravely. However the Crokes players contested every ball ferociously, in particular wing backs Liam Sheerin and Finn McGovern (as they had all game) and subs Grehan and Cooper. One player who shined throughout for Crokes was midfielder Lorcan Cooney who was tireless in his team’s cause.
After 4 minutes of injury time, the final whistle was sounded, much to the delight of the Crokes players and supporters and the desolation of St.Pats who had played the better hurling for most of the game.
Kilmacud Crokes: M.Beggins(Capt),PJ.Phelan, R.Gargan, S.Canny, L.Sheerin, J.Quinlan, F.McGovern, L.Cooney, D.Kelly, O.Gormley, J.Tuliani, C.Mullin, C.Hall, L.Kennedy, G.King.
Subs: C.Buckley f O.Gormley, C.Cooper f S.Canny, S.Ó Maonaigh f C.Hall, C.Grehan f PJ.Phelan.
Other Subs: O.Candon, S.Lambertine, T.Fahy.
Dúirt sé:
Crokes Bainisteoir Nick Canny: “The team clinched the C2 Championship in a hard-fought final; their effort, communication and grit were on full display. Their success sprang from relentless teamwork and resilience — every player on the panel stepped up when it mattered not just in this game but across the across the season as a whole. Above all, their unwavering belief and willingness to work for each other carried them through; they are a credit to themselves and to the Club.”
This was a great “family day” for the Canny’s as Nick’s brpther Shane was “Leas Bainisteoir” and Senan had been a stalwart defender throughout the season.
