Dromin-Athlacca earn four-point win over Croagh-Kilfinny

Dromin-Athlacca made it two victories out of two in the Lyons of Limerick Premier Intermediate Championship with a hard-fought 0-22 to 0-18 victory over Croagh-Kilfinny in Ballingarry.

For most of the game, quick bursts of scores at one end of the field were followed by ones at the other but, once Dromin-Athlacca sent over three unanswered frees just before the interval, they moved into a lead that they never subsequently surrendered.

Even after that, there was always a Croagh response that at times almost bridged the gap but, led by the outstanding David Reidy in midfield, Dromin-Athlacca never looked in any real danger.

There was little to separate the sides early on as Séamus Hickey's opener was met by Tadhg Boddy's equalising free before Croagh took the lead as Cian O'Carroll converted a pair of frees either side of John Wall's strike from play.

Coming up to the quarter mark, however, Dromin-Athlacca tightened their grip on midfield, got back on track with a David Breen point, drew level after strikes from David Griffin and Daniel Scully and' after O'Carroll replied from a free and James Lanigan from play, tied up the scores again when Boddy's free was followed by another Scully point.

O'Carroll's free and Lanigan, at the end of a defence-splitting solo, had Croagh back on top but, once play became tighter, Dromin-Athlacca were emerging more often from the tight rucks.

A Boddy free, Jack Fitzgibbon, Cian Scully and Boddy from play had them back in the driving seat only for their opponents to match them with four scores on the trot from a pair of O'Carroll frees followed by O'Carroll and Lanigan pointing from play. It was to be Dromin-Athlacca that would take the lead at the break after three Boddy frees left them leading 0-13 to 0-12.

David Reidy began the second half scoring and his strike was followed by Boddy's free and by Scully's huge effort from halfway.

An O'Carroll free broke the sequence but Shane Fitzgibbon's point on the run and another Boddy free had the gap extended out to five going into the final quarter.

With the game slipping from their reach, Croagh-Kilfinny pushed the line of engagement further up the field and were rewarded with O'Carroll finding the target from a free and from play and David Lynch coming up from his goals to send a long-range free over the bar.

Just as they were about to edge closer, Fitzgibbon's point pushed them back a notch before he had a goal attempt stopped on the line.

Croagh picked up the pace again with Darragh O'Carroll and Cian O'Carroll scores that left just a point separating the sides.

But the tank was running dry and Dromin-Athlacca eased the pressure with a Reidy '65 followed by Fitzgibbon's strike off a mazy solo as the clock ticked in to added time.

Placing their hopes on an equalising goal, Croagh saw Hickey's effort from a tight angle blocked down and the resulting '65 held at bay as it dropped into the square and the breakaway clearance finding Reidy to complete the scoring.

SCORERS - DROMIN-ATHLACCA: Tadhg Boddy 0-9 (8f), Daniel Scully, Jack Fitzgibbon, Dave Reidy (1 ‘65) 0-3 each, David Breen, David Griffin, Cian Reidy, Shane Fitzgibbon 0-1 each; CROAGH-KILFINNY: Cian O'Carroll 0-10 (8f), Séamus Hickey James Lanigan 0-2 each, John Wall, Barry Lenihan, Dave Lynch (free), Darragh O'Carroll 0-1 each.

DROMIN-ATHLACCA: Robbie Breen; Shane Scully, William Dore, Seán Morrissey; Patrick O'Donoghue, Micheál Reidy, Shane Fitzgibbon; Cian Reidy, Dave Reidy; Daniel Scully, Tadhg Boddy, David Griffin; Jack Fitzgibbon, David Breen, Seanie O'Leary. Subs: David Mullins for Boddy (61 mins, inj), John O'Keeffe for O'Leary (64 mins).

CROAGH-KILFINNY: Dave Lynch; Denis Lenihan, Tom McMahon, Eoin Barry; Conor Lenihan, Barry Lenihan, Séamus Hickey; Josh O'Connor, Séamus Lenihan; Cian O'Carroll, James Lanigan, Bryan Flynn; Gearóid Lenihan, Jack Lenihan, John Wall. Subs: Brian Hannon for G Lenihan (24 mins), Darragh O'Carroll for Flynn (50 mins), Owen Dee for D Lenihan (57 mins), Adam Shanagher for Wall (64 mins).

Referee: Paddy Lyons (Staker Wallace).