No denying Millstreet hurlers’ supremacy over Croke Rovers

DUHALLOW U-21 ‘C’ HC SEMI-FINAL

Millstreet 6-14 Croke Rovers 3-5

A DOMINANT performance allowed Millstreet claim a comprehensive win over Croke Rovers in the Duhallow U-21 C Hurling Championship semi-final at Kilbrin.

On the day, Millstreet emerged the better balanced and more accomplished outfit. A closer contest had been anticipated but with Rovers down a few players, Millstreet possessed too much power and scoring options for their opponents.

The sides were fairly evenly matched for stages early in the opening half, Rovers availing of solid work from Michael Buckley, Diarmuid O’Mahony and Cillian Buttimer. And a promising spell for the Castlemagner and Kilbrin combination allowed Eoin O’Mahony and Stephen Hayes bag goals.

Still the Millstreet response was calm and effective, Donal Sheehan and Darragh Cashman pounced for green flags to enjoy a 2-8 to 2-1 grip at the break.

On the restart, Millstreet took up the running, much more precise than a Crokes outfit that were seldom allowed build up any decent momentum.

Indeed, Millstreet enjoyed a dominance, Colm O’Leary, Neil Flahive and Padraig Moynihan secured the locks at the heart of defence witth Shane Hickey and Danny Buckley ever reliable at midfied.

And the attacking flair surfaced in attack for Cashman, Patrick Dineen and Dylan Sheehan add goals. Crokes tried gallantly to muster up a reply, their efforts received a reward from a Liam Nally goal.

However Millstreet were always in control of their own destiny and completed the task with a series of well taken scores.

MILLSTREET: D Hartnett; E Murphy, D O’Donovan; C O’Leary, N Flahive 0-3, P Moynihan; S Hickey 0-2, D Buckley; D Kelleher 0-1, P Dineen 1-1, D Cashman 2-6, Donal Sheehan 1-1, Dylan Sheehan 2-0.

CROKE ROVERS: D Lucey; K O’Sullivan, D Murphy; D O’Mahony, M Buckley, R King; C Buttimer 0-2f, A O’Keeffe; J Burke, S Hayes 1-1, R O’Mahony 0-1; L Nally 1-0, E O’Mahony 1-0. Subs: A Heffernan, R O’Sullivan.

REFEREE: E Walsh (Freemount)