Comfortable triumph for Kilmacud
DUBLIN SHC ‘A’ GROUP 2
KILMACUD CROKES…………………………………………………. 0-24
ST OLIVER PLUNKETTS/EOGHAN RUADH………………….. 0-9
By Daire Walsh
KILMACUD CROKES got their 2014 Dublin SHC campaign off to a commanding start at O’Toole Park last night, when Ollie Baker’s men comfortably beat St Oliver Plunketts/Eoghan Ruadh.
Early scores by Sean McGrath (two) and Barry O’Rorke helped the 2012 winners to build momentum, before centre-forward Stuart Mullen opened the Plunketts account from a long-range free.
A further brace by ace marksman McGrath, alongside a second point from the lively O’Rorke, enhanced Crokes’ superiority, but two more Mullen place-ball efforts kept Mick Dunleavy’s charges in touch during the first quarter.
The impressive Cian Boland also added a 0-2 salvo for the Navan Road side before the half’s end, but a plethora of Crokes scores ensured that they were eight points in arrears (0-5 to 0-13) at the midway stage.
STRIKES
Second-half points from McGrath, Ryan O’Dwyer and Caolan Conway were cancelled out by eye-catching strikes by Mullen, Niall Murray and centre-back Paddy Bergin (sideline cut) for Plunketts, but despite enjoying ample possession after the restart, the northsiders had a 27-minute barren spell in front of goal.
Marauding half-back Conor McDonnell finally added to their account deep into stoppage-time, but they had found themselves reduced to 13 players by this stage after Liam Corbett and Boland departed the scenes through injury with the full complement of substitutes already introduced.
This relieved the pressure on the Glenalbyn outfit inside the final quarter and thanks to a quartet of white flag contributions from McGrath (who finished with a personal tally of 0-13), in addition to well-worked scores by Conway (two) and substitute Oisin O’Rorke, they eased their way to victory.
Scorers – Kilmacud Crokes: S McGrath 0-13 (12f), B O’Rorke 0-4, C Conway 0-3, R O’Dwyer 0-2, B Mulligan, O O’Rorke 0-1 each. St Oliver Plunkett’s/Eoghan Ruadh: S Mullen 0-4 (4F), C Boland 0-2, P Bergin (s/line), N Murray, C McDonnell 0-1 each.
KILMACUD CROKES: M Collins; J Clinton, B O’Carroll, J Dougan; C MacGabhann, R Murphy, B Mulligan; D Mulligan, N O’Riordan; S McGrath, D Kelly, R O’Dwyer; C Conway, J Burke, B O’Rorke. Subs: J Sweeney for O’Riordan (53), O O’Rorke for Burke (55).
ST OLIVER PLUNKETT’S/EOGHAN RUADH: J McDonnell; C Treacy, D Brennan, K Fitzsimons; P Curtin, P Bergin, C McDonnell; A Baird, F Dunleavy; L O’Doherty, S Mullen, N Murray; C Boland, O Boland, C Heffernan. Subs: L Corbett for Heffernan (26), T Hall for Treacy (34), C Walsh for Murray (39), J Smith for Fitzsimons (51), D Burke for O’Doherty (53).
Ref: B O’Connell (Croi Ro Naofa).