LEINSTER SH LEAGUE
North exit at group stage
Daire Walsh
DUBLIN North’s quest to secure a place in the knockout stages of the Leinster Schools’ Senior Hurling ‘A’ League came to an end on Monday afternoon, as Castlecomer CS got the better (2-15 to 3-10) of the Metropolitans in a tight affair.
This was the second consecutive defeat for Mike O’Dwyer’s side to Kilkenny opposition, and despite finishing off the group stages with a morale-boosting triumph 4-15 to 5-10 triumph over St Brendan’s, Birr in Abbotstown yesterday, North’s focus will now be on the Group Teams section of the Leinster SH ‘A’ Championship in January.
Enda O’Donnell made a big impression in the early moments of their trip to Castlecomer, however, and courtesy of goals from Robert Kennedy (two) and Lee Gannon, North brought a 3-4 to 0-10 cushion into the break.
There were a number of encouraging signs for North prior to the interval, but following a brace of goals from their opponents just after the restart, they suddenly found themselves in a position where they had to chase the game.
They continued to search for scores as the half developed, though, and the outstanding Gannon finished with a tally of 1-4.
O’Donnell did have a three-point opportunity in the final minute of the action, but after his powerful shot cleared the crossbar, Dublin North were consigned to a 2-15 to 3-10 reversal.