Hurling
Heartbreak for Lucan Sarsfields in U17 decider
By Daire Walsh
There was heartbreak for Lucan Sarsfields at O’Toole Park on Bank Holiday Monday as they fell to an agonising 3-13 to 1-16 reversal at the hands of Kilmacud Crokes in the Dublin U17 ‘A’ Hurling Championship decider reports Daire Walsh.
Lucan had looked set to come away with a famous win from the Kimmage venue after finding themselves three points in front entering stoppage-time at the end of the second half. Crokes had other ideas, though, and two goals in quick succession courtesy of Tommy Butler and Oran O’Keeffe saw them snatch victory from the jaws of defeat.
This was the second meeting between the two teams in this year’s competition, following a previous Group Two encounter at Silver Park on October 2. Crokes also came away with the spoils on that occasion, but earlier successes over Ballinteer St John’s and Cuala were enough to hand Lucan a spot in the knockout rounds.
The 12th Lock outfit subsequently recovered from that group loss to set up a rematch with Kilmacud and they were the ones to hit the ground running in this showpiece affair. Thanks to three points by Daragh Meehan – one from play and a brace of frees – Lucan created early daylight.
A Ciaran Donovan goal helped Crokes to settle just shy of the first-quarter mark, but their opponents settled back into the game with points from Meehan and roving defender Eoin Conheady.
Ruairí Walsh’s dead-ball prowess kept Crokes ticking over, but the Stillorgan side weren’t utilising their wind advantage to the extent they would have hoped. Meehan and Cathal Kennedy posted fine points at the opposite end and while Lucan entered the interval a point adrift (1-5 to 0-7), the elements were in their favour on the resumption.
In response to a David Purcell score for Crokes, Meehan contributed a two-point salvo to bring the sides back on level terms. Meehan was proving himself to be a reliable source of scores and he clinically dispatched a penalty to the net to move Lucan five points clear.
Despite the likes of Purcell and Brendan Kenny splitting the uprights in fine style for Crokes, it looked like Lucan had done enough to come away with the top prize. That was until their resolute counterparts struck for those aforementioned brace of late goals in what was an extraordinary finale to a gripping tie.
The same two clubs are also due to meet in a forthcoming Dublin U19 ‘A’ Hurling Championship final, following their respective knockout wins on Sunday morning.
Whereas Kilmacud recorded a 3-19 to 1-12 triumph against Cuala, Lucan were emphatic 6-19 to 1-8 winners at the expense of Naomh Barróg on their home turf of 12th Lock. Sean Harkness was in superb form for Sarsfields as he amassed 2-8 of his side’s final tally.
It was far from being a one-man show, however, as Joey Dunne, Hugh Cuffe, Matt Coogan and Cian Canavan also shook the net over the course of the hour for a ruthless Lucan outfit.