Dublin Clarke face Offaly in Celtic Challenge

Tue, 4th June 2019

Dublin Clarke conclude their Bank of Ireland Celtic Challenge (U17 hurling) Group C round-robin phase games this Wednesday night when they face Offaly in Abbotstown (8.0).

Clarke bounced back from their opening night loss to Wexford to defeat both Laois and Dublin Plunkett to lie second in the table behind the unbeaten Slaneysiders.

Offaly have lost to both Laois and Wexford but recorded a victory against Dublin Plunkett.

In their victory over Laois in O'Moore Park, Portlaoise Dublin Clarke led 0-11 to 0-8 at the interval and improved in the second half to run out 1-20 to 1-11 victors.

Their goal arrived ten minutes from time when Matthew Lynam, who finished with 1-3, found the net.

Dublin Clarke put six goals past Dublin Plunkett in their recent meeting in O'Toole Park when they prevailed 6-18 to 1-16.

Clarke put in an impressive opening quarter and led 2-7 to 0-2 after 15 minutes with Matthew Lynam and Adam Drewett getting their goals.

Both Lynam and Drewett finished the night with two goals each with Ciaran McLoughney and Sean Murphy raising their other green flags.

Ger Ryan was influential for Clarke, scoring 0-9 (six frees).

› The Celtic Challenge is the only competition in hurling that has teams from 32 counties participating and, in total, 135 games will be provided to over 1,250 players on 41 teams.

› It is a competition for players, aged 16 and 17 years old, who are not participating in Leaving Cert Examinations, 41 teams are participating in the competition.

› The ethos of the competition is a developmental one, where an eight-week programme of games is supplemented by a one-to-one ratio of games to training.

› Each team plays a minimum of five games through a programme that is structured on the basis of Group Stages, Preliminaries and Play-offs.

› The group stages consist of eight groups of teams selected on a geographical and developmental basis.

› After the group stages, teams will be graded on foot of their performance and will be assigned to 1 of 5 Divisions prior to participating in the Preliminaries and Play-Offs where they will play against opposition of a comparative developmental level.

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CELTIC CHALLENGE GROUP C: Results To Date

Round 1: Wexford 0-20 Dublin Plunkett 2-12; Laois 3-18 Offaly 2-15

Round 2: Offaly 2-11 Dublin Plunkett 2-10; Wexford 2-15 Dublin Clarke 1-12

Round 3: Dublin Clarke 1-20 Laois 1-11; Wexford 4-20 Offaly 2-6

Round 4: Dublin Clarke 6-18 Dublin Plunkett 1-16; Wexford 5-21 Laois 2-15

Round 5: Dublin Plunkett 0-23 Laois 3-12

CELTIC CHALLENGE GROUP C: Fixture Remaining (Round 5)

WEDNESDAY, JUNE 5

Abbotstown: Dublin Clarke v Offaly, 8.0

CELTIC CHALLENGE GROUP C: Table

P W D L PTS