CROKES RETURN TO WINNING WAYS AGAINST FAUGHS – MATCH REPORT

ADULT HURLING LEAGUE DIVISION ONE

KILMACUD CROKES 3-24

FAUGHS 3-14

By Daire Walsh

Kilmacud Crokes returned to winning ways at Silver Park on Wednesday evening, defeating southside rivals Faughs with all of 10 points to spare in Division One of the Adult Hurling League.

With nine different scorers over the course of the contest, Crokes bounced back in style from recent reversals against St Jude’s and St Brigid’s. In addition to impressive hauls by Oisin O’Rourke, Caolan Conway and Ronan Hayes – they registered a combined tally of 2-10 – Mark Howard contributed nine points off the bench for the Glenalbyn men.

Fergal Heavey and Chris Bennett led the way in attack for Faughs, while substitute David Croke also made an impact during the second half. Both teams ended the proceedings with 13 players as a result of an incident in the 57th-minute, but Anthony Daly’s hosts had effectively secured the points on offer by that stage.

Following their 0-13 to 1-16 reversal to arch rivals Jude’s on May 5th, Faughs were hoping to make up ground in the top-flight table. Their opening round success over Crumlin (6-11 to 0-13) served notice of their attacking potential and they were well in contention for large stretches of the first half.

Although they conceded eye-catching scores to Seamie Leahy, Barry O’Rourke and Lorcan McMullen in the early moments, Bennett (two) and Conor O’Shea responded at the opposite end to keep Faughs on level terms.

The first goal of the night then arrived on nine minutes, when Oisin O’Rourke brilliantly fired past Liam Gleeson at a tight right-hand angle. There was little let-up from either side in the first-quarter, as a Conway point for Crokes was sandwiched in between Peter Shaw and Ruairi Crowley singles for their Wellington Lane counterparts.

It was the home team who appeared to possess the goal-scoring touch, though, and Oisin O’Rourke added his second via a neat Ronan Hayes pass. Yet, despite having momentum behind them, Crokes saw their lead wiped out on 19 minutes.

After splitting the posts in effortless style, centre-forward Shaw turned provider for Faughs’ maiden three-pointer. His long-delivery provided the platform for Heavey to raise a green flag for the visitors and Bennett added his third point at the end of a subsequent move.

A brace of frees by Ronan Hayes helped Crokes to settle once more, before Karl O’Mahoney opened his account with a routine place-ball effort. They found themselves increasingly on the back-foot as the half wore on, however, and they ultimately entered the interval trailing by six points (2-11 to 1-8).

Alongside a 0-2 salvo by Conway, Howard also found the target moments after his introduction in place of Barry Horan. This kept Crokes on course to retain their 100% home record in 2018, but they were hit by a sucker punch two minutes after the restart.

When the space opened up for O’Shea deep inside the opposing half, he dispatched an unstoppable shot beyond the reach of youthful netminder Eddie Gibbons. Though this seemed to set-up an intriguing second period battle, the Crokes response to this set-back was emphatic.

Thanks to four points from the deadly accurate Howard in as many minutes, they re-asserted their authority in a big way. This scoring sequence was halted by an O’Mahoney ’65’, only for Howard to once more enhance his side’s buffer with a routine free.

Slowly but surely, Crokes were beginning to pull away from Faughs. Further unanswered scores courtesy of the O’Rourke brothers and Howard (two) gave them an 11-point (2-20 to 2-9) stranglehold on the action on the three-quarter mark.

Croke injected fresh life into the Faughs challenge with a couple of quick-fire points, and he was joined on the scoresheet by midfielder Colin Devane, Crowley and O’Mahoney in a productive spell for the visiting team.

Howard, Conor Hayes and Conway kept Crokes firmly in the ascendancy, but a major flash point in the dying embers of the play subsequently limited their hand.

Along with Faughs duo Stephen Casey and Gavin Kenny, Howard and McMullen receiving straight red cards for their part in an off-the-ball scuffle. This consequently created significant space throughout the field, which both teams managed to exploit in the final minutes.

Complimenting points from Ronan Hayes and Conway, half-back Daragh Jones broke forward for a magnificent goal. The hard-working Heavey added his second goal on the hour mark, but this only acted as a consolation for Faughs in the end.

They will now aim to pick themselves up for an away assignment against St Brigid’s on May 30th, whereas Kilmacud also hit the road on the same evening for a tricky encounter with St Vincent’s at Pairc Naomh Uinsionn.

Scorers – Kilmacud Crokes: Mark Howard 0-9 (5f), Oisin O’Rourke 2-1, Caolan Conway 0-5, Ronan Hayes 0-4 (3f), Daragh Jones 1-0, Barry O’Rourke 0-2, Lorcan McMullen, Conor Hayes, Seamie Leahy 0-1 each. Faughs: Fergal Heavey 2-0, Conor O’Shea 1-1, Karl O’Mahoney (1f, 1 ’65’), Chris Bennett 0-3 each, Peter Shaw, Ruairi Crowley, David Croke 0-2 each, Colin Devane 0-1.

KILMACUD CROKES: Eddie Gibbons; Matthew Geraghty, Rob O’Loughlin; Niall Corcoran; Daragh Jones, Cian McGowan, Jim Gibbons; Lorcan McMullen, Conor Hayes; Seamie Leahy, Ronan Hayes, Caolan Conway; Oisin O’Rourke, Barry O’Rourke, Barry Horan. Subs: Mark Howard for Horan (28), Mark O’Loughlin for Geraghty (52).

FAUGHS: Liam Gleeson; Stephen Casey, Gavin Kenny, Lorcan Heavey; Neil Bennett, Emmet McKenna, John Prendergast; Jake Moore, Colin Devane; Conor O’Shea, Peter Shaw, Karl O’Mahoney; Fergal Heavey, Ruairi Crowley, Chris Bennett. Subs: David Croke for Moore (37), Ciaran Nagle for L Heavey (51).

Referee: Thomas Gleeson (Naomh Fionnbarra).