Under 15 Hurlers Clinch Div 1 League Title

July 11th 10.30am in Silverpark on a bright sunny morning saw Crokes line out against near neighbours and keen rivals Ballyboden.

 

Boden won the toss and elected to play up the pitch and into the teeth of a very stiff breeze. Crokes were first off the mark with a pointed 65 by Cian Mac Gabhann quickly followed by 2 snappy points from play from Staphen Faughey and Mark O Loughlin and answered by a lone point from Boden. On 7 minutes Boden struck a goal which cancelled out Crokes' early advantage. Mark O Loughlin tacked on three points more, two from frees and one from play. Ronan Horgan playing in midfield struck a wonderful point off his left and Ryan Conlon picked off an outrageous point from a very tight angle just on half time. Crokes had peppered the Boden goal throughout the first half but could not break through for goal due to some very resolute defending by the Boden backline.

Halftime scoreline Crokes 0-8 1-1 Boden.

 

Stephen Faughey opened the scoring in the 33rd minute with a point from play on the resumption of 2nd half. Boden aided by a stiff breeze replied in similar style on 42nd minute. Mark O Loughlin pointed again from play on 47th minute. The game had now turned into a dogged struggle for supremacy round the middle of the park. Boden scored a goal from long range added to a point from the puckout  to narrow the margin to a solitary point. The game was at boiling point and Boden had the bit between thier teeth. Eamon Allen in the Crokes goal was forced to dive low to his left to stop a bullet of a shot which was destined for the net. The introduction of Mark Mc Callion at wing forward swung the balance of play back in Crokes' favour with 2 points from Mark O Loughlin and Stephen Faughey. With 2 minutes to play Crokes were 3 points when disaster struck. A 60 yard free somehow passed through a melee of players to the back of the net untouched.   

 

Level on fulltime Crokes showed their mettle by winning the puckout and driving up the hill. Des Dagg came close for a winning point but his effort was blocked down. It was fitting that the sliotar fell to Mark Mc Callion 40 yards from goal 10 yards from the sideline. He calmly sidestepped his man, caught the stick short and slotted the point. Then came the last twist of the tale. Boden won possession from their puckout and were awarded a free 50 yards out with a strong helping breeze. Fortunately for Crokes it went narrowly wide and the game was up. Crokes 1 point winners to reverse the 1 point loss to the same opposition on April 25th.

 

This win secured Crokes the Dublin Division 1 title. Well done to everyone involved.

 

Team : Eamon Allen. Karl Doyle. Odhrán O Siocru. Greg Buckley. Mike Dwyer. Cian Mac Gabhann. Edward Campion. Dave Kane. Ronan Horgan. Ryan Conlon. Stephen Faughey. Ciarán Mc Intyre. Cathal KeaneBreslin. Mark O Loughlin. Donal Keane. Mark Mc Callion for C. Keane Breslin. Barry O Sullivan and Des Dagg for Ryan Conlon.