Minor Co. League Div 1: Dr. Crokes 1-8; Austin Stacks 3-8.
It was like a summer’s day in Lewis Road on this sunny Saturday afternoon (11th March) and with two attacking sides on display it was a little surprising that the first half was relatively low-scoring – Crokes ahead at the break by 0-6 to 0-4. The home side opened the scoring after just 18 seconds but didn’t score again until the 22nd minute, even though they were mounting attack after attack. But such was the quality of our defence that those attacks were continually repulsed. Shane Kelliher was involved on many occasions and if Shane wasn’t there Dylan Casey stepped into the breach. Likewise, Tomás Sheehy and Conor Lowe intervened many times as did Donagh McMahon and Odhran Liston. Our four points in this half came from Donagh McKivergan (2) and one each from Gearóid Fitzgerald and Michael Linnane.
As they did in the first half Ciarán O’Reilly and David Fitzmaurice dominated midfield with some beautiful fielding and inch-perfect distribution. And all this contributed to a super second half start. In the second minute David’s long ball was gathered by Michael Slattery who burrowed his way through the Crokes defence and placed his shot low in the corner of the net. Six minutes later Michael was on target again, this time putting over a free after Michael Linnane was fouled going through. Then a minute later Donagh McKivergan’s quickly-taken free found Michael Slattery again who blasted to the net to put us five clear.
By the 50th minute we had extended that lead to six after scoring three more points to two for the opposition. Those three points came from a Donagh McKivergan free and one each from play by corner forwards Gearóid Fitzgerald and Michael Slattery with good support play from Gearóid Sheehan and Harry O’Callaghan. Crokes got themselves back in the game in the 52nd minute when they converted a penalty (2-8 to 1-8) but then, a minute from time, good work from Seán Quilter (making his Minor debut) and Dylan Casey put Gearóid Fitzgerald through for our third goal and after this there was no way back for our black & amber cousins. This was our first Minor win over Crokes since the 2013 season, the year in which we last won the Co. League.
Team: Robbie Murphy, Shane Kelliher, Dylan Casey, Tomás Sheehy, Conor Lowe, Donagh McMahon, Odhran Liston, Ciarán O’Reilly, David Fitzmaurice, Gearóid Sheehan, Harry O’Callaghan, Michael Linnane (0-1), Gearóid Fitzgerald (Capt) (1-2 – one free), Donagh McKivergan (0-3 – 2 frees), Michael Slattery (2-2 – one free).
Subs used: Seán Quilter (51m), James Quigley (54m) (0-1), Joe Looby (56m).
We now have two games to play in quick succession, both in the Town League. The first is fixed for next Wednesday night (15th March), under lights away to John Mitchels (the postponed R3 game) and the second on next Friday (17th March) we were scheduled to play round 5 away to Kerins O’Rahillys however this game is now in doubt with Kerins O’Rahillys also scheduled to play a Co League game on the same date – keep an eye on club website for updates . Our next Co. League outing will be a home game against Na Gaeil on Saturday, 25th March.