Clarke too strong for Plunkett in Celtic Challenge

CELTIC CHALLENGE GROUP C

DUBLIN CLARKE 6-18 DUBLIN PLUNKETT 1-16

A strong opening quarter laid the platform for Dublin Clarke's victory over their fellow county counterparts, Dublin Plunkett, in Wednesday night's Bank of Ireland Celtic Challenge Group C hurling clash at O'Toole Park.

A fine long range point from the industrious Ger Ryan in the opening minute saw Clarke begin with intent.

Dublin Plunkett battled back with scores from Aaron Duff and Tom Hurley by the third minute.

Clarke hit their first goal in the fourth minute when the pacey Matthew Lynam rifled to the net following good approach play by Adam Drewett.

The excellent freetaking of Ger Ryan kept the scoreboard ticking for Clarke before they struck for their second goal in the 12th minute.

This time Adam Drewett was on target when his low drive from 25 metres found the net to propel his side into a 2-7 to 0-2 lead.

An injury to Plunkett's Dylan Kennedy after 16 minutes held the game up as he was attended to before an ambulance arrived.

When the game resumed Clarke continued on the front foot and by the interval were 3-11 to 0-6 clear thanks to Matthew Lynam's second goal, this one just before the break following good combination play between Jack Kielthy and Sam Stewart.

Plunkett improved on the restart with points from their top-scorer Daniel Peel (free) and Gordon Rodgers.

However, just as they were gaining a foothold Clarke found the net for their fourth time when Drewett showed a poacher's instinct to sweep the sliotar to the net from close range.

Ciaran McLoughney and Sean Murphy raised further green flags for Plunkett with Rhys McDonald getting one back for Clarke two minutes before the finish.

For Dublin Clarke Liam Kiernan was named Best and Fairest and for Dublin Plunkett Daniel Peel (both pictured above) was the recipient.

The Celtic Challenge is an U17 tournament for non-leaving certificate students. The Plunkett panel is comprised of the Dublin under-16 development squad excluding lads who have made the match-day 24 for minors in Leinster MHC.

Dublin Clarke are U17 only hurlers who are either not on the minor panel or are on the minor panel but not included in the Leinster MHC match-day selection of 24 players.

The final group games are on Wednesday, June 5 when Dublin Plunkett encounter Laois in Abbottstown (8.0) while at the same time Dublin Clarke play Offaly.

SCORERS - Dublin Clarke: G Ryan 0-9 (0-6f), M Lynam 2-1, A Drewett 2-0, S Murphy, C McLoughhney 1-2 each, J Kielthy, B Keogh, S Steward, R O'Neill 0-1 each. Dublin Plunkett: D Peel 0-6(0-5f), G Rodgers 0-4, R McDonald 1-0, A Duff 0-2, T Hurley, D Keogh, J O'Shea, B Fitzgibbon  0-1 each.

DUBLIN CLARKE: Conor Ryan, Cormac Cullinane, Ben Roberts, James Herbert, Evan McSherry, Diarmuid Clerkin, Sean Byrne, Liam Kiernan, Sam Stewart, Ger Ryan, Jack Kielthy, Brian Keogh, Adam Drewett, Matthew Lynam, Cian Hassett, Ben Rodgers, Liam Glynn, Fionn Rock, Jack Murray, Conal Shaw, Ciaran McLoughney, Ben English, Rory O'Neill, Conor Gorman, Sean Murphy, Derry Noonan, Luke Mulligan.

DUBLIN PLUNKETT: Cian Canavan, Brian Dunne, Jamie Greene, Sam Carthy, Ferghal Kilbane, Alex Gavin, Jack O'Shea, Neil Clerkin, Luke O'Loughlin, Cathal O Luasa, David Keogh, Dylan Kennedy, Tom Hurley, Rhys McDonald, Daniel Peel, Asam Langan, Paddy Doyle, Ben Stears, Niall Fitzgibbon, Aaron Duff, Jack O'Keefe, Sean Cummins, Gordon Rodgers.

REF: K Jones (Kildare).