Kilmacud Crokes 2-19 (25)
O’Tooles 0-13 (13)
Two first half goals from the 2014 county champions well and truly put the competition out of O’Tooles’ reach this afternoon in Parnell Park as Kilmacud can now aim for their seventh Senior Hurling title in a few weeks time.
O’Toole definitely started the brighter when referee Thomas Gleeson threw in the opening ball. Half Forward and designated free taker Niall Arthur pointed the first two scores and following a defensive spell, Oisin and Barry O’Rorke duly answered these scores with one each to get Crokes account open and level.
With Arthur again pulling the Larriers slightly ahead, they received the first of two big blows, as Oisin O’Rorke caught a huge ball dropping into the square, turned and snuck it under Brendan O’Loughlin into the net to raise the green flag and put Crokes up 1-02 to 0-03.
A stoppage shortly after the goal to attend to Crokes’ Robert Murphy, who appeared to tear a leg muscle, may have killed the momentum for Kilmacud, but Murphy’s replacement Dillon Mulligan along with the O’Rorke brothers continued to widen the gap after Peadar Carton had closed it to 0-01.
Two more scored frees from O’Tooles’ Niall Arthur bookended three from Oisin O’Rorke, who himself wasn’t missing a score today.
At the closing stages of the half, Ross O’Carroll, who had an amazing game just last week with the Crokes footballers, made his impact on today’s proceedings, with a fantastic individual point from play. He followed this less than a minute later, catching the perfect delivery from Fergal Whitely to slot the ball into the O’Tooles’ net. Whitely himself closed off the half with a beautiful point from play to send his side into the break nine points the better.
Like the first half, O’Tooles launched themselves into the second session, with Niall Arthur again pointing the first score. Oisin O’Rorke responded either side of an Andy Morris point before Niall Arthur, and brother Ger put over 0-03 between them to close the gap to six points.
Ryan O’Dwyer scored the first of two today. Liam Ryan responded for O’Tooles before O’Dwyer’s second. But the day belonged to Oisin O’Rorke who finished the game with four unanswered scores, three from frees, to take the game further from O’Tooles reach, making Kilmacud comfortable winners and securing their Final place on October 29th.
Kilmacud Crokes Scorers:
Oisin O’Rorke 1-11 (0-09f)
Ross O’Carroll 1-2
Barry O’Rorke 0-02
Ryan O’Dwyer 0-02
Fergal Whitely 0-01
Dillon Mulligan 0-01
O’Tooles Scorers:
Niall Arthur 0-8 (0-06f)
Ger Arthur 0-02 (0-01f)
Peadar Carton 0-01
Andy Morris 0-01
Liam Ryan 0-01
Kilmacud Crokes Subs:
Mulligan for Murphy (19)
O’Loughlin for Ó Riordáin (HT)
Considine for Whitely (44)
Kelly for McGrath (50)
McMullan for B O’Rorke (56)
O’Tooles Subs:
A Morris for G Morris (HT)
Kimmage for Cunningham (HT)
Walker for Donoghue (48)
Lynch for C Carton (53)
