Impressive wins for Crokes and Whitehall in SHC ‘A’ Group 2

Kilmacud Crokes have topped Dublin SHC 'A' Group 2 following their 0-20 to 1-14 victory over Na Fianna on Friday night in Parnell Park.

Both sides had already booked their quarter-final positions and Crokes now advance as group winners.

Mark Howard (0-6, 0-4f) and Fergal Whitely (0-5) enjoyed productive showings for Anthony Daly's men as the led 0-13 to 0-8 at half-time.

Kilmacud finished the opening half the better with points from Ronan Hayes, Whitely and Sean McGrath.

The freetaking of Colin Currie kept Na Fianna in contention, he finished with a tally of 0-11 (0-8f, 0-1 '65') overall, while AJ Murphy's point briefly checked Crokes' momentum late in the opening half.

But Crokes went into the break with their tails up following points from further scores from Whitely, Lorcan McMullan and Howard with Colin Currie and Paul O'Dea on the mark for Na Fianna for the southsiders to lead by five points at the break.

Crokes restarted well with McMullen, Oisin O'Rorke, Caolan Conway and Howard all on target to extend their advantage.

Just on the three-quarter mark Na Fianna were awarded a penalty when keeper Matt Collins hauled down AJ Murphy, Donal Burke took the penalty but was denied by Collins.

Inside the last ten minutes Crokes were 0-20 to 0-12 ahead before the St Mobhi Road side finished with a scoring flurry.

Colin Currie struck over two points before Dublin senior footballer Conor McHugh found the net in added time.

In the curtain-raiser Conor Sheedy hit a hat-trick and  Niall O'Donnell got the other goal  while Sean Gray struck 0-10 (0-8f) as Whitehall Colmcille defeated Nh Fionnbarra 4-20 to 2-14, also in Group 2.

Dublin senior footballer Cormac Costello also came off the bench in the 46th minute and fired over two fine long-range points.

Sheedy grabbed two goals in the first-half with the pacey forward helping Whitehall to a 2-9 to 0-5 lead inside 20 minutes.

However, a goal from Eamonn Dillon and another from Pierce O'Brien saw the Cabra men close the gap to just two points, 2-11 to 2-9, by the half-time break.

Chris O'Brien pointed for Barrs on the restart to leave just the minimum in it but Colmcille's regained control with Niall O'Donnell's goal nine minutes into the second-half, following great work by Niall O'Connor.

Sheedy completed his hat-trick with two points from Costello to put Whitehall out of sight.