The Great Good Friday

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One of the best yet.  Of all the country trips the current under 15’s have taken the excursion to Nenagh on 10th April 2009 has to be near top of the list.

 

Assembling in Glenalbyn at 9.00am the party hit McDonagh Park Nenagh around 11.30. Waiting was former Tipperary All-Ireland captain, Tommy Dunne, from nearby Toomevarra.  A top class training session followed where the boys were introduced to several new techniques.  Lunch was laid on by the host Eire Og club and at 2.30pm the ball was thrown in on the splendid surface of the main North Tipperary ground.

 

The match that followed showcased all that is best about the Crokes youngsters.  Against a strong home under 16 side with ambitions to win the Tipperary championship and featuring five players who played in Nenagh’s 2008 county minor final win, the Kilmacud lads gave their all, contesting every ball.  Eire Og took the initiative and were three points to one up with just over fifteen minutes gone.  By the twentieth minute it was 0-4 to 0-2.  An Eire Og goal seemed to be the turning point but Crokes fought back, owned the remainder of the half and were 1-5 to 0-5 in arrears when referee, Michael McGrath, sounded the short whistle.

 

At half time another treat was in store.  Tipperary All-Ireland winner and Nenagh clubman, John Heffernan, who had been keeping a watching brief, spoke to the team and gave them the benefit of his insight.  The second half was every bit as compelling as the first with the game flowing from end to end.  Despite having a slight upper hand for most of the half, the concession of an early goal probably cost the visitors the match and it ended 2-9 to 0-10.  On such a fulfilling day the result was incidental and the Crokes group set out for home wondering how the day could have been bettered.  To all the people in Nenagh who welcomed us so warmly and made it so mile buiochas.

 

Squad: Caolan Conway, Philip O’Shea, Daibhid Corish, Shane Moran, Louis O’Sullivan, Robert Murphy, James Murphy, Conor O’Dwyer, Conor Devins, Nico Salvino (0-2), Matthew Geraghty (0-3, f-1), Tomas Barry, Neil Gorey, Barry Horan, Matthew McNicholas (0-5, f-2, 65-1), Conor J O’Dwyer and Donal Keane.

Hurling.