Lucan Sarsfields Claim Go-Ahead Championship Opening Round Win over Kilmacud Crokes

LUCAN SARSFIELDS 1-18 

KILMACUD CROKES 2-11 

Lucan Sarsfields pulled away in the second-half to claim a deserved four point win over a depleted Kilmacud Crokes in their Go Ahead Dublin Senior 1 Hurling Championship Group 1 encounter at a damp O’Toole Park on Friday evening.

The holders were without the services of the injured Davy Crowe and Ronan Hayes while Dara Purcell was also absent, and their performance suffered as a result as they struggled to make a concerted impression in attack.

Lucan, in contrast, were quicker to the pitch of the ball for the large part, with John Bellew proving hugely effective is his man-marking role on Alex Considine.

Sarsfields opted to play against the breeze in the first-half and that decision was vindicated as they trailed by just two points at the interval.

Eddie Gibbons and Sean Harkness traded frees in the early stages with Kevin Fitzgerald and Brendan Kenny doing likewise from play in what was a tight and evenly matched opening.

However, Lucan landed the first body blow in the 7^th minute as Ben Coffey found space behind the Crokes rearguard and his early shot from fifteen yards seemed to take Gibbons by surprise as it nestled in the top corner of the net.

Mark Grogan replied with a classy point at the opposite end with Harkness and Oisin O’Rorke trading frees towards the end of the first quarter.

Kilmacud landed two scores in quick succession through a cracking effort from Fergal Whitely and an O’Rorke free to restore parity by the 18^th minute before Lucan edged back in front thanks to Colm Walsh’s smart score.

An O’Rorke free and a glorious point from Conal Ó Riain saw Kilmacud back in front and they enhanced their advantage in the 24^th minute as Colin Crehan fired home at the third attempt, with O’Rorke’s precise pass unlocking the Lucan defence.

Crucially, that proved their final score of the half with Harkness adding two late frees to leave just two points between the teams.

Lucan resumed in a determined and dominant fashion, hitting five unanswered points through Chris O’Leary, Harkness (2), Evin Dowling and Paul Crummey as their opponents looked bereft of options in the final third.

A trademark Whitely point in the 41^st minute finally opened their second-half account but another brace of Harkness frees and a contested O’Leary score pushed Lucan five points clear by the start of the final quarter.

Ó Riain and Michael Roche responded for Kilmacud and the margin was reduced to the bare minimum by the 56^th minute as Fionn Ó Ceallaigh followed up superbly to sweep home after Cillian Murray had repelled a Gibbons penalty.

That score should have acted as a springboard for a late concerted push from Crokes but Lucan remained clear of thought and precise in their play with another pair of Harkness frees and O’Leary’s third of the half seeing them complete an impressive and well-merited success with Grogan’s dismissal for a second booking compounding Crokes’ misery by the final whistle.

Scorers – Lucan Sarsfields: S Harkness 0-11 (10f, 1 ’65), B Coffey 1-0, C O’Leary 0-3, C Walsh, K Fitzgerald, P Crummey, E Dowling 0-1 apiece. Kilmacud Crokes: C Crehan, F Ó Ceallaigh 1-0 each, O O’Rorke 0-3 (3f), F Whitely, C Ó Riain 0-2 each, E Gibbons (f), B Kenny, M Roche, M Grogan 0-1 apiece.

Lucan Sarsfields: C Murray; C Walsh, J Bellew, R smith; M McCaffrey, J McCaffrey, J Behan; R Ward, S Harkness; K Fitzgerald, C O’Leary, P Crummey; E Dowling, C Keher, B Coffey. Subs: C McHugh for Fitzgerald (48), M Coogan for Dowling (58).

Kilmacud Crokes: E Gibbons; D Lucey, B O’Carroll, C Ryan; C Ó Riain, M Grogan, F Whitely; B Hayes, B Kenny; C Conway, O O’Rorke, S Veale; C Crehan, A Considine, M Roche. Subs: J Dillon for Kenny (46), F Ó Ceallaigh for Crehan (46), L O’Loughlin for Conway (58).

Referee: Chris Mooney (St Pat’s Palmerstown).