CRAOBH CHIARAIN 2-15 BALLINTEER ST JOHNS 2-8
The accuracy of Alan McCrabbe was the decisive factor as Craobh Chiarain got their Dublin SHC ‘A’ round-robin Group A campaign off to a winning start in O’Toole Park on Saturday night.
Dublin’s marksman hit ten points in total but was forced off before the finish with a shoulder injury.
David Keanes 17th minute goal helped Chiarains to a 1-7 to 0-6 interval lead – both sides having been reduced to 14 men when Ballinteers Ciaran Walsh and Craobhs Eugene Farrell were dismissed eight minutes before the break.
Inside the last 20 minutes two Aodan Clabby goals left just two points between the sides but the Donnycarney men kept their noses in front until the finishing line.
SCORERS Craobh Chiarain: A McCrabbe 0-10 (0-6f, 0-1sline), R Mahon 0-4, D Keane, K Ryan 1-0 each, F Usanga 0-1. Ballinteer St Johns: A Clabby 2-0 (1-0f), O Power (0-3f), G Whelan 0-3 each, James Gilligan 0-2.
CRAOBH CHIARAIN – S Chester; G Kelly, E Farrell, Damien OReilly; D Kelly, Derek OReilly, S McDonnell; P OBoyle, A McCrabbe; R Mahon, F Usanga, S Kirwan; D Keane, K Ryan, E Conroy. Subs: P Purtell for OBoyle (48); K Hetherton for Conroy (55).
BALLINTEER ST JOHNS – L OFlaherty; R Collins, C OBrien, F ODonoghue; F Clabby, G OBroin, Jack Gilligan; K Davis, James Gilligan; A Clabby, C Walsh, G Whelan; J Maher, O Power, S Lane. Subs: K Nolan for Davis (46); C Dolan for Lane (52).
REF – E Mullarkey (Lucan Sarsfields).
Hill 16
