Round 2 of the GoAhead AHL Division 7, saw the St Brendan’s Hurlers, sponsored by Bodibro, make the short trip to Dolphin Park in Crumlin and a fixture against Kevin’s.  

The match initially had a 12.15pm throw in, but was moved to midday, but due to miscommunication between Kevin’s and the referee, the match then had a 12.45pm throw in, but eventually started at 12.35pm. 

Both teams did a rather extensive warm up whilst waiting for the arrival of the referee and the match itself was slow to come to life. It took Kevin’s 10 minutes to get the opening score, a goal, in which the Slioter took a Wim Kieft style bounce and spin which bamboozled St Brendan’s goalkeeper Joseph O’Connor and into the net. 

Kevin’s were playing with a strong breeze, and added three more points before The Dark Force finally got on the board with a point from Brian Dolan, after good assistance from The Wexican Oisin Carley and Jack ‘The Relegator’ McCarron.  

The home side added two more goals, the first of which saw the slioter sail inches over O’Connor’s hands and the second was whipped in from a sideline cut and got a connection off a Kevin’s hurl. 

The heavens opened soon afterwards and, despite wides off shots from McCarron, and Rob ‘Shane Lowry’ O Hanrahan a free out from the latter found Brian Dolan and his rasping snapshot into the wind sailed between the uprights, very few seconds were played in injury time and the half time score was 3-3 to 0-2 to the home side.  

St Brendan’s started the second half encouragingly with a long distance wind assisted shot from Eoin Corcoran, but that was cancelled out with a Kevin’s point. 

The home side, in essence, ended the match as a contest with goals in the 38th and 39th minute and could have added more but amazingly, never scored again for the rest of the match! 

The referee gave a 20 meter free for St Brendan’s, Kevin’s put 12 players on the line as O’Hanrahan’s free was low, hard, but saved for a sideline cut. Kevin’s then got penalised for overcarrying, and another O’Hanrahan free in sailed wide at the last possible moment.  

After a shot from play went wide, Eoin Fallon made amends by winning the puc out and on the spot, took his shot and over the bar for point number 4. 

As the game was petering out to its inevitable conclusion, Daniel McCarthy saw a shot hit the side netting and Pa Carey hit the 5th point from 40 meters out, Patrick O’Dowd tried to get a goal, but was penalised for over carrying as he was about to take his shot. 

With an Under 14 Camogie match between Kevins and Trinity Gaels eager to start as soon as possible and with this match essentially over as a contest, the referee blew for full time with just two minutes of normal time to go, to allow the aforementioned under 14 Camogie match to start immediately. 

St Brendan’s hope to get the first win of 2026 at the third time of asking in two weeks time and a Round 3 fixture against Lucan Sarsfields. 

Final Score from Dolphin Park, St Brendan’s 0-5 Kevin’s 5-3.