Late Comeback Sees Lucan Sarsfields Draw With Kilmacud Crokes

KILMACUD CROKES 0-19 

LUCAN SARSFIELDS 1-16 

Kilmacud Crokes remain unbeaten in Group 1 of the Go-Ahead Ireland Dublin Senior 1 Hurling Championship as they had to make do with share of the spoils when drawing with Lucan Sarsfields at Parnell Park on Saturday afternoon.

Played in glorious sunshine, it was Crokes that enjoyed a deserved 0-10 to 0-7 interval lead, with Oisin O’Rorke accruing half of that tally from placed balls.

Kilmacud continued to play the more compelling hurling upon the restart but with Brian Sheehy dismissed late on, Lucan took full advantage through a fortuitous Ciaran Dowling goal and Charlie Keher’s dramatic late, levelling point.

There was little to separate the sides in a bright and entertaining opening quarter, one that saw Kilmacud seize the early initiative following scores by Oisin O’Rorke and Bill O’Carroll.

Ben Coffey converted a sublime sideline ball by way of riposte for Lucan but Dara Purcell restored Crokes’ two-point advantage with a tidy score by the 3^rd minute.

It wasn’t long before Sarsfields were back on level terms though thanks to points from play by their corner-forwards Dowling and Keher, reflecting the confidence in their play.

O’Rorke added a brace of frees to edge his team a point clear but on each occasion, Lucan replied in kind through Colm Walsh and Jack Behan.

Sarsfields managed to take the lead for the first time as Coffey added a 14^th minute free but another placed ball by O’Rorke saw the sides deadlocked at 0-6 apiece by the end of the opening quarter.

Conal Ó Riain regained the lead with a fine score in the 20^th minute and his side finished the half in a relatively dominant manner as a brace of O’Rorke frees and a Michael Roche point pushed them three points clear by the interval.

Ó Riain stretched the Crokes lead to five points with a brace of excellent points in the opening four minutes of the second-half as Lucan struggled to make any concerted impression up front.

A sublime Paul Crummey point in the 37^th minute aside, there was little for Sarsfields to enthuse over as they fell further behind following scores by Brian Hayes and Fergal Whitely.

However, a trio of Coffey frees ensured that Lucan remained within striking distance, even more so as their opponents were culpable of poor shot selection at times.

They did manage to add to their tally through O’Carroll, O’Rorke and the influential Ó Riain but Coffey’s fifth free of the half, following the dismissal of Brian Sheehy in the 56^th minute, saw Crokes holding onto a precarious three-point lead.

There looked like there would be no grandstand finale however as Kilmacud dealt with their numerical disadvantage in a controlled and measured manner, adding to their lead through Brian Hayes and Alex Considine.

There was a sting in the tail though as Coffey’s free was followed up by a goal from Dowling, whose lengthy delivery deceived Eddie Gibbons in the Crokes goal before rolling almost apologetically into the corner of the net.

Lucan looked determined to gain a share of the spoils and Keher duly delivered with the final puck of the game, leaving the teams with contrasting emotions by the final whistle.

Scorers – Kilmacud Crokes: O O’Rorke 0-7 (5f); C Ó Riain 0-4; B O’Carroll, B Hayes 0-2 each; D Purcell, F Whitely, M Roche, A Considine 0-1 apiece. Lucan Sarsfields: B Coffey 0-9 (8f, 1 sideline); C Dowling 1-1; C Keher, C Walsh 0-2 each; J Behan, P Crummey 0-1 apiece.

Kilmacud Crokes: E Gibbons; C Ryan, B Sheehy, D Lucey; P Linehan, C Mac Gabhann, B O’Carroll; B Hayes, D Purcell; O O’Rorke, F Whitely, C Ó Riain; B Kenny, M Roche, R Hayes. Subs: A Considine for R Hayes (45), D Crowe for Purcell (50), R Costelloe for Roche (54).

Lucan Sarsfields: S McClelland; L Walsh, P Rigney, C Stritch; C Crummey, J Bellew, M McCaffrey; C Walsh, R Smith; J Behan, B Coffey, K Fitzgerald; C Keher, P Crummey, C Dowling. Subs: S Coffey for Stritch (26), S Harkness for Fitzgerald (48), C Murray for McClelland (59).

Referee: Damian Burnett (Craobh Chiaráin).