St Marks complete triple crown at U-16 level
St Marks 2-13 St Vincents 2-10
A DECENT season got better for St Marks after capturing the Rebel Óg U-16 Hurling League title at the expense of St. Vincents.
Having already won the North Cork League and Championship in North Cork, this was the 3rd title added to their collection for 2018 by the Meelin and Freemount combination.
After a cracking championship final, Buttevent were victims to St Marks in a replay, the success repeated over the same opponents in the league final. A follow up win over Laohra Og in a county semi final secured a passage to the decider.
On the other side, St Vincents had a five point victory over Castlelyons in the Rebel Og East decider to progress directly to this county league final.
On a crisp and well laid out Kildorrery pitch, St Vincents opened brightly and led 0-5 to 0-1 before St Marks upped the tempo. Powered on up front by the agile Jimmy McAuliffe and robust Cian Curtin, St Marks took hold of the game and scored five points without reply to alter the scoreboard.
St Vincents regained the initiative and a flurry of scores gathered a 0-7 to 0-6 advantage at the break.
St Marks again opened brightly and had all the play with Cormac Curtin, Cathal Broderick and Declan Buckley excelling yet they allowed St. Vincents in for a goal after 35 minutes. The signs were ominous for St Marks, but they really stepped up to the required level, powered on by great defensive work by Brian Carroll, David Carroll and Pat Curtin.
From a period of very good hurling, where St Marks moved the ball very well throughout the field and capitalised on two goaling opportunities by McAulliffe.
Back came St Vincents to level the game with a goal in the 59th minute. Though the momentum now seemed to have shifted towards St Vincents, St. Marks battled harder and during five minutes of added on time, points from McAulliffe (2) and another by Cormac Curtin separated the sides.
Team captain Dylan Culhane accepted the trophy on behalf of the delighted St Marks team from Kieran Lenihan representing Rebel Óg.
ST. MARKS: Ciaran Curtin, C O’Connor, D Dineen, P Curtin, D Culhane, Cian Curtin, Cormac Curtin, A Linehan, J Kelly, B Carroll, D Carroll, D Buckley, J McAuliffe, C Broderick, M Collins