Crokes overcome O’Toole’s in SHC ‘A’ Group 1

DUBLIN SHC 'A' GROUP 1

KILMACUD CROKES 1-17 O'TOOLE'S 0-7

Kilmacud Crokes improved in the second half to run out comprehensive 13-point victors over O'Toole's in Wednesday night's Dublin SHC 'A' Group 1 clash at Parnell Park.

Crokes, beaten finalists of the last three years, lost Bill O'Carroll to a red card dismissal in the 16th minute but were still too strong for a limited O'Toole's challenge.

Anthony Daly's men were the better side but it to them a long time to make it really count on the scoreboard.

At the break they led 0-7 to 0-3 after a lacklustre half but it should have been by more as they shot some very poor wides but three points form Loracn McMullen and two from Fionn O Ceallaigh had the Stillorgan side four points clear at the interval.

The Crokes defence was not under much pressure but the likes of Cian Mac Gabhann and Daragh Butler coped well with whatever threat came their way.

Crokes restarted the second half with points from Mark Grogan, O Ceallaigh and Caolan Conway before Oisín O'Rorke struck for the only goal of the contest in the 37th minute.

The goal had it's origins in the middle of the field when tough tackling by Ryan O'Dwyer won back the ball for Alex Considine to race 40 metres and place O'Rorke who blasted to the net past O'Toole's keeper Brendan McLoughlin.

The Larriers kept battling and were rewarded with three Andrew Morris scores, two frees and one excellent point from halfway, but were never in touch.

Dublin senior Ronan Hayes came into the game as it progressed and hit three (one free) second half points while subs Ross O'Carroll and Shane Veale also both got in on the scoring act.

SCORERS - Kilmacud Crokes: O O'Rorke 1-2 (0-2f), F O Ceallaigh, L McMullen, R Hayes (0-1f) 0-3 each, C Conway, F Whitely, M Grogan, A Considine, R O'Carroll, S Veale 0-1 each. O'Toole's: A Morris 0-4 (0-3f), R Bergin 0-2, D Concarr 0-1.

KILMACUD CROKES: M Collins; D Butler, B O'Carroll, C O'Shea; C Conway, C Mac Gabhann, S Leahy; L McMullen, F Whitely; A Considine, R O'Dwyer, M Grogan; O O'Rorke, F O Ceallaigh, R Hayes. Subs: Ross O'Carroll for Leahy (ht), S McGrath for O'Rorke (38), S Veale for O'Dwyer (46), R Smith for Butler (58).

O'TOOLE'S: B McLoughlin; R Walker, C McStay, G Dinh; A Lynch, E Darcy, C Carton; P Carton, A Morris; S O'Keefe, P Bradshaw, D Concarr; L Lacey, R Bergin, C Wilson. Subs: M Carton for McStay (23), C Gethings for Bradshaw (43), M Cunningham for Concarr (43), S Brennan for O'Keeffe (56).

REF: D Burnett (Craobh Chiarain).