Crumlin Claims Dublin Junior A Hurling Championship with Win Over St Peregrine’s

CRUMLIN 0-13 

ST PEREGRINE’S 0-8

Crumlin claimed the Go-Ahead Ireland Dublin Junior ‘A’ Hurling Championship title as they overcame St Peregrine’s by five points in their final at Parnell Park on Sunday afternoon.

With Conor Murphy and Kevin Byrne impressing in the central defensive positions, it was Crumlin that controlled the first-half with two points apiece by Kevin Elliott and Peter Blake helping build an 0-7 to 0-2 interval lead.

Their defence was equally instrumental after the break as they continued to dominate, handing their side the most solid of platforms as they secured a deserved victory.

Both teams took their time in finding their stride with Peregrine’s opening the scoring following a fine team move in the 3^rd minute through midfielder Sam Beirnes.

There were too many stoppages initially, which mitigated against any free-flowing hurling, but Crumlin gradually found their rhythm, starting off with a levelling free by Kevin Elliott in the 7^th minute.

Points followed in quick succession for Crumlin through Blake and Peter Elliott with their opponents spurning a number of presentable chances at the opposite end in addition to losing the talented Beirnes to a hamstring injury by the end of the first quarter.

By that stage, they had fallen further behind as Kevin Elliott and Blake both doubled their personal accounts, leaving Crumlin well placed with a four-point lead by the 15^th minute.

A Sam Caswell score two minutes later maintained their momentum before St Peregrine’s ended a scoreless period of eighteen minutes thanks to a much-needed Mark Sweeney free.

A sublime sideline cut by Philip Burgess saw Crumlin restore their five-point buffer in the 27^th minute and while Kevin Elliott struck two frees wide approaching the break, they still retained that lead as we faced the second-half.

St Peregrine’s continued to rack up the wides upon the restart and they were made to pay for their profligacy as Shane Lawlor increased the Crumlin lead with a fine score in the 34^th minute.

Sweeney did manage a free soon after by way of reply but with Burgess excelling from wing-back in the third quarter, Crumlin continued to hold the upper hand following scores by Adam McGreal and Kevin Elliott.

Their opponents switched goalkeepers in the 43^rd minute, releasing Adam O’Connor into their forward line and his replacement Daniel Joyce made an instant impact as he repelled a powerful shot from Daragh Fitzgerald.

Another smart stop by Joyce, this time thwarting Lawlor, kept St Peregrine’s in the hunt as the Blakestown Road side finally showed their qualities through points by Senan Mooney and Caelum Moriarty.

Byrne showed all his experience in the 50^th minute as he acrobatically dispossessed Sweeney close to goal and Crumlin availed of that let off to push further clear courtesy of McGreal and Kevin Elliott.

St Peregrine’s continued to battle and were rewarded for their efforts through points by O’Connor and Michael Meehan but the goal required to ignite their comeback hopes never arrived as Crumlin prevailed with a fair degree of comfort.

Scorers – Crumlin: K Elliott 0-4 (3f); A McGreal (1f), P Blake 0-2 each; P Burgess (sideline), S Lawlor, P Elliott, S Caswell, R Smith 0-1 apiece. St Peregrine’s: M Sweeney (2f), C Moriarty 0-2 each; A O’Connor, S Mooney, S Beirnes, M Meehan 0-1 apiece.

Crumlin: D Hanks; K Clare, K Byrne, D Kellett; P Burgess, C Murphy, P Elliott; D Howard, C Foley; K Elliott, S Lawlor, A Doyle; S Caswell, P Blake, A McGreal. Subs: P Purtell for Doyle (36), D Fitzgerald for Howard (40), R Smith for Caswell (44), A Power for Lawlor (62), P Devlin for Blake (64).

St Peregrine’s: A O’Connor; T O’Connell, S Sweeney, C McPartlin; S Mooney, S McCann, E Gleeson; J Callaghan, S Beirnes; O McEvoy, C Moriarty, M Meehan; D McGovern, M Sweeney, J Beirnes. Subs: R Doyle for S Beirnes (13), D Joyce for McEvoy (43).

Referee: Colm McHale (St Oliver Plunkett’s/Eoghan Ruadh)