O’Dwyer drives Crokes to victory over 14-man Vinnies

KILMACUD CROKES 2-15 ST VINCENT'S 0-12

Second half goals from Ryan O'Dwyer and Ross O'Carroll saw Crokes overcome 14-man St Vincent's in Friday night's second Dublin SHC quarter-final at Parnell Park.

The game was evenly balanced until the sending off of Vincent's wing-back Davy Garland in the 39th minute but the Stillorgan men took full advantage of their numerical superiority to secure victory in a mostly lacklustre contest.

Crokes led 0-9 to 0-8 at the time of the sending off but quickly moved into a strong position with scores from Seán McGrath (free), a debated point from Dillon Mulligan (pictured above) and goal from O'Dwyer in the 42nd minute to suddenly move 1-11 to 0-8 clear.

O'Dwyer had added another point before Crokes keeper Matt Collins made one of his many telling reflex saves, on this occasion denying Tomás McGrane.

Seven minutes from time O'Carroll put the game beyond doubt when he rifled his shot past Paddy Clarkin in the Vincent's goal to make it 2-13 to 0-11 and Crokes was as good as in the semi-finals.

Three minutes from time Collins deflected a John Hetherton free over the crossbar as Vincent's tried to muster a late, late flurry.

In the opening half Crokes led 0-7 to 0-6 at the interval in a half dominated by the deadball shootout between McGrath and McGrane but Hetherton's 15th minute point when he batted a Kilmacud puckout in front of himself before running on to it and striking over from 50 metres was on of the few highlights from the opening 30 minutes of action.

SCORERS – Kilmacud Crokes: S McGrath 0-6 (0-5f), R O'Dwyer 1-3, Ross O'Carroll 1-0, C Conway 0-2, D Mulligan, D Kelly, B O'Rorke, O O'Rorke 0-1 each. St Vincent’s: T McGrane 0-7 (0-5f, 0-1 '65'), J Hetherton 0-2 (0-1 pen), C McBride, A Moore, D Connolly 0-1 each
KILMACUD CROKES: M Collins; N Corcoran, Rory O’Carroll, J Clinton; C Mac Gabhann, J Doughan, B O’Carroll; D Mulligan, D Kelly; C Conway, R O’Dwyer, Ross O’Carroll; O O’Rorke, S McGrath, B O’Rorke. Subs: R O'Loughlin for Rory O'Carroll (45), J Sweeney for Mulligan (52), J Burke for B O'Rorke (54).
ST VINCENT'S: P Clarkin; C Harney, C Billings, R Trainor; F Power, J Hetherton, D Garland; C McBride, I McLoughlin; K McMahon, T Connolly, S McBride; A Moore, D Connolly, T McGrane. Subs: R McBride for McLoughlin (35), M Chawke for McMahon (43), S Donnelly for S McBride (52).
REF: J Brennan (Faughs).