Réalt Dearg C: 5- 12 St. Pelegrines: 5 -16 (possibly)
AHL 9 Drimnagh Castle, 9th April 2017 – Division 9 All grannies safe and accounted for as Stars lack killer instinct. ‘Bobby Collins..used to say: “would he kill his granny?” and Bobby Collins would kill his granny and his grandfather to win, to win a match’ John Giles A stunning first half display by the C-men wasn’t enough kill off a spirited St. Pelegrines fightback. The home team started brightly as Pelegrines’ accuracy escaped them for the opening skirmishes of the first half. Pelegrines’ flurry of wides was not reciprocated by the mean R.D. forward line who capitalised to great effect in the opening half and seemed to score from every chance. The home team’s forward line were in especially effervescent form and had racked up a potential match winning score by the break. Gary Walsh dubiously enough laid claim to a calf deflection while Ray Cahill and David Lynch also chipped in with some impressive scores. However; the scoring was led from an unusual source; a tough as nails, grizzled stopper playing with a notional nosebleed streaming down to his boots. Said enforcer, let’s call him ‘Bobby Collins’, was revelling in his newly found offensive role and was hunting the target with extreme prejudice. At half time, the Stars were leading by 8 points, thanks to two net-busters from Bobby and the ghost of Rathcoole had been banished. The Pelegrine brief for the second half was to up the tempo and bring greater physicality to the occasion. Unfortunately. the scores dried up for the home team and they let their jackboots off the necks of their opponents for long enough to let them rise from the dead, nailing a succession of scores to rare second half replies from Dearg. ‘Chunky’ Sheehan narrowed the deficit late on with a howitzer that nearly Paddy-Ryan’d the keeper, such was its ferocity. This was too little, too late. There was an inherent ‘niceness’ about this callow Realt Dearg squad full of rookies and long-term returnees. Such was the improvement from last week that it was too much to ask to add the bit o’ dog to their development. This cordiality was not shared by our offensive enforcer who was savvy enough to throw a half full bottle of water into the long grass rather than share it with an opponent on a hot day; the type of badness that this team needs to develop to mix in the street-brawl that is Division 9. Pelegrines wheeled on their big-boss of sorts in the closing stages. The grizzled veteran; in his dotage, didn’t disappoint and one of his bullets almost made it a full 20 yards; not bad for an octogenarian. Fresh-faced Leon looked on and could only admire his elder. In the end, a four point deficit was probably an unfair reflection on the effort that the Cs put in. Serious positives must be taken from this fixture. The lads racked up an impressive score and although the rate of scoring dropped off into the second period, the team showed enough improvement to show real promise for future challenges; both league and championship. Further hurling debuts have been made again this week and this team is growing in confidence and ability with every minute of additional hurling under their belts. Best of all, our spiritual leader; Paddy Ryan is recovering from his decapitation and should be fit enough to line out once his head is fully sewn back on. Dhá lámh! Réalt Dearg team: Gary Thompson, Kevin McEvoy, Ross Kelly, Gavin Deacon, Domhnaill Carberry (c), Eoin Ryan, Mick Butler, Cillian Thornton, Ruairi Henchy, Paddy Ryan II, Ray Cahill, David Lynch, Gary Walsh, Dave Sheehan Subs: James Brooks, Michael Gavin, Leon Flanagan, Peter McElhone
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AHL 8
Realt Dearg B 1-19 Kilmacud Crokes 1 - 02 Sunday 9 April, Sliverpark Look, it wasn’t the closest of games as the score line suggests but it was another good performance for the B team under the tutelage of caretaker Coach Gahan. Highlights of a first half played against the wind was the workrate that we pride ourselves on mixed in with a blistering start from full forward Ciaran Brennan. He scored a goal and several points from play in a fine performance. Highlight of the half was a bursht of pace up the field and a shot from Hollywoods finest Ronan Moloney, only this time it just dropped short. It was a strong gust I’m assured. Second half started slowly for us. Kilmacud got their goal which proved their only score of the second half. Moloney backed up his first half antics with a majestic pluck from the skies on the spin with a Hollywood clearance to dazzle the crowd. Your humble narrator also contributed a score amongst several from play and frees from T-Bone. There was even a scoring cameo from 2 of our subs Chubba and Dave Berney. Another fine performance from the Stars, and while some other reporters might include the fact that T-Bone bellowed #Mulout in honour of his new Wexford overlord of the day in the dressing room after, I for one I’m not one of those to break the sanctity of the dressing room. No siree bob. Realt Dearg Abú. Team: Trevor Jackman, Gav O'Connell , Mushy, Billy Brazil, Mike Richardson, Ronan Moloney, Tom ‘T-Bone’ Keohoe, David O’Connell, Stephen Barry, Stephen Casey, Niall Kennedy, James Kenny, Ultan Dillon, Ciaran Brennan, Shane Murphy Subs: Chubba, David Berney, Mark Dunphy, Ed Kavanagh Réalt Dearg A 1-18 v 0-16 St Vincents
Páirc Naomh Uinsinn, 8 April 2017 Saint Vincents welcomed the Stars men to a gloriously sunny Marino on Friday evening in the next chapter of the 2017 AHL5 tale. The club with 41 Dublin Senior titles to their credit going toe to toe with the club without a championship trophy at any level (yet..). A true David v Goliath match-up if ever there was one. Having wandered for almost forty days in the desert of defeat in this league season, a victory here was paramount to avoid giving into the temptation of accepting we might not belong in this illustrious company. But this was a good Friday evening for the Stars. The transfiguration from discombobulated, disjointed, directionless individuals to a cohesive, connected collection had a profound impact on the team’s performance. Even within this spirit of community, the power of transcendence can be achieved. Jamie O’Hara, Moses-like parting of the seas in the opening stanza showing the road to enlightenment. Yours truly ascending to the heavens to pluck the sliothar from the sky performing a minor miracle (failed a repeat performance moments later, a mere mortal after all). The evening might have provided the first glimpse of our Irish summer but this was still early April. Twilight descending rapidly, the referee called out for some illumination. “Let there be light” he cajoled of the Vincents officials...the floodlights turned on...and there was light. Proceedings a little clearer but the result still in doubt - the engagement toing and froing into a epic battle. Like David found out all those years ago, Goliath is a difficult foe. Nothing was going to be achieved easily here. Half-time offering some brief respite but the score deadlocked at 10 apiece. Some divine inspiration needed to get the victory. The second half was where the Stars men wrote the new testament of their hurling year. Not yet the greatest story ever told but a glorious refrain nonetheless. Fabled performances.. like Matt Lynch appearing to walk on water having time and space in a disintegrating battlefield, Conor Maharaj ceremonially leading the crusade into the heart of Marino, Eoin O’Dwyer omnipresent under the dropping ball. O’Dwyer knew what he was doing (like Tom Humphries did the devil). JB and Hesty ushering attackers from the danger-zone with a righteous anger like the Messiah clearing the traders from the Temple, Paul Warren being flogged in midfield but undaunted, coming back for more, you’ll have to knock him more than three times. The Vincents men coming forward in waves but crashing on the seashore of the Stars defence, disciples of Brendan Walsh’s defensive coaching. In the midst of the tempest, Martin Murphy offering some Christian charity bounce-passing his penalty into the welcome arms of the goalkeeper. No matter, Murphy atoned for his sin with an almost spiritual over-the-shoulder effort. New recruit Robbie Madden led us to the promised land. A beautiful work of art controlling and striking the sliothar in one graceful movement without the need to handle the ball. An Abraham-like knife to the heart of the Vincents men. Goliath was down. David had again won the day. The Stars men victoriously heralded back into the AHL5 fold on this Palm Sunday weekend. An important post-script though is that the glory of Palm Sunday did not last long for Our Lord. No doubt, Cuala, like the Roman centurions of old are waiting for their opportunity to crucify us. The possibility of ascending to greatness is ours to grasp. Unwavering faith and belief will be key to achieving that goal. Réalt Dearg: Gary Hurney, Mossy O’Connor, Cathal Hester, Brian Gavin, Eoin O’Dwyer, John Barry, Mike O’Connor, Paul Warren, Dave Berney, Martin Murphy, Matt Lynch, Conor Maharaj, Jamie O’Hara, Colm Gahan, Robbie Madden Colm O’Gorman, Stephen O’Leary, Padraig Buckley, Ultan Dillon, Stephen Casey, Mike Richardson |
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