All to play for as SFC1 enters last series of round-robin group games

It's all to play for in the last series of round-robin group games in the Go-Ahead Dublin SFC1 this weekend.

In what has been a very keenly contested competition no team has yet secured a quarter-final berth ahead of Friday, Saturday and Sunday's clashes.

In the 16 games which have taken place so far there have been three draws (St Jude's v Lucan, Group 4 Round 1; Ballyboden v Raheny, Group 1 Round 1 refixture; Skerries Harps v Ballymun, Group 3 Round 2) while only a point separated Lucan and Round Towers Lusk.

Two other games - Ballymun v Thomas Davis and Thomas Davis v Clontarf - were two point margins and overall the largest winning margin has been nine points (Na Fianna over Whitehall; Kilmacud Crokes over Castleknock and Round Towers Lusk over St Oliver Plunkett/Eoghan Ruadh).

In the event of two teams finishing level on league points in their groupings their direct head-to-head will decide their final positions, if this criterion does not separate the sides then scoring difference will be used.

If a situation occurs in a group where three clubs finish level on points (after the three rounds) then scoring difference between the teams from the games only involved those three teams (i.e. excluding scores against the side finishing fourth) will decide positions.

The quarter-finals will follow this format: winners of Group 1 v runners-up in Group 2; runners-up Group 1 v winners Group 2; winners Group 3 v runners-up Group 4; runners-up Group 3 v winners Group 4.

The following games are being screened live on DubsTV - Friday: Skerries Harps v Thomas Davis (Parnell Park, Group 3, 7.30); Sunday: Na Fianna v Raheny (Parnell Park, Group 1, 2.0), Round Towers Lusk v St Jude's (Parnell Park, Group 4, 4.0).

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GO-AHEAD DUBLIN SFC1 GROUP 1

Currently Raheny are on top of the group, ahead of Ballyboden St Enda's on scoring difference (both have one win and one draw), with Na FIanna in third (two points) and Whitehall Colmcille (0) in bottom spot.

This Sunday Ballyboden St Enda's face Whitehall in O'Toole Park (2.0) while at the same time Na Fianna face Raheny in Parnell Park.

Boden can advance with a draw while Na Fianna have to beat Raheny to book their berth in the last eight - a draw would see Raheny progress.

For Raheny and Boden it will be their second game in five days following their Round 1 refixture at Parnell Park when Seán Grenham injury-time free secured Raheny a share of the spoils (1-12 to 2-9).

Raheny defeated Whitehall in their Round 2 game (3-14 to 3-9) while in the same round Ballyboden St Enda's overcame Na Fianna (1-14 to 0-14).

A dominant third-quarter saw Boden edge out their Mobhi Road opponents at Parnell Park.

Na Fianna, with David Lacey kicking three points including a mark, led 0-10 to 0-6 at half-time but they were rocked back on the restart as Boden upped their tempo and physicality.

A minute into the second half Alan Flood fired past David O'Hanlon to the Na Fianna net following a great run by Warren Egan. 

It kickstarted an unanswered 1-5 for the Firhouse Road men and by the three-quarter marker they had built a potentially winning momentum to lead 1-11 to 0-11 - Na Fianna's only score of that quarter coming in the 17th minute, just before the water break, when Aaron Byrne put over a stylish score with the outside of his right boot.

Na Fianna lost Alistair Fitzgerald to a black card five minutes into the second half and Boden took advantage of their numerical superiority.

Colm Basquel (free), Warren Egan, Conal Keaney and Ryan Basquel kicked points as Anthony Rainbow's side turned the game around in their favour.

However, Na Fianna, who lined out without Dublin senior Eoin Murchan, found their feet again at the start of the concluding quarter with David Lacey and sub Brian O'Leary kicking fine scores.

But back came Ballyboden with key man Ryan Basquel slotting the fifth of his five points from play before Robbie McDaid made it 1-14 to 0-13 after being placed by a good ball from Kieran Kennedy.

Conor McHugh converted a late, close-range free for Na Fianna but they lacked the composure at times to turn opportunities into scores.

RESULTS TO DATE
Round 1
Na Fianna 1-18 Whitehall Colmcille 0-12
Ballyboden St Enda's 2-9 Raheny 1-12 (refixture)

Round 2
Raheny 3-14 Whitehall Colmcille 3-9
Ballyboden St Enda's 1-14 Na Fianna 0-14

FIXTURES TO COME
Sunday
Parnell Park: Na Fianna v Raheny, 2.0
O'Toole Park: Ballyboden St Enda's v Whitehall Colmcille, 2.0

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GO-AHEAD DUBLIN SFC1 GROUP 2
Kilmacud Crokes currently lead the way in this group following their wins over Castleknock (2-18 to 1-12 in Round 1 followed by their 1-15 to 2-7 victory over St Vincent's in the last round.
They face Ballinteer St John's this Saturday in O'Toole Park (5.0) while St Vincent's face Castleknock at the same time in Naul.
A win or draw would see Crokes safely into the quarter-finals, however, if they lost to St John's and the other game ended in a draw the Stillorgan men would still advance.
Last time out Crokes overcame a comeback from St Vincent's on their way to a 1-15 to 2-7 victory at Parnell Park.
Despite leading by nine points near the close of the opening half they sides were level on three occasions in the second half before a 54th Hugh Kenny goal steered Crokes to victory.
Just before the half-time break a James McCusker goal for St Vincent's made it 0-10 to 1-1 and on the restart Tomás Quinn showed his finisher's instinct to hit the Marino side's second goal.
Points from Eoin Adamson, Gavin Burke and a Tomás Quinn '45' brought the sides level, 0-10 to 2-4, in the 39th minute.
Man of the match Paul Mannion, who tallied 0-8 (0-5f), ended Vincent's scoring streak with an excellent individual point before Tomás Quinn, from long range, had them level once again.
By the three-quarter point a Shane Horan point edged Crokes in front, 0-12 to 2-5, but Tomás Quinn's converted free after a foul on Seán Lowry brought parity.
The next few scores were vital with Rory O'Carroll taking responsibility to fire over and then Crokes goal - Tom Fox cleverly picking out Hugh Kenny with a pass across the face of the square and the corner-forward tucked his finish accurately low into the corner of the net.
It gave Crokes breathing space as they rode out Vincent's second-half storm to record their second win from two starts.
Ballinteer St John's responded from their Round 1 defeat to St Vincent's (1-17 to 2-10) with victory over Castleknock (2-15 to 1-13) in O'Toole Park.
Castleknock, with wind advantage, led by four points at the first water break before a great team move by St John's culminated in a well-taken goal by Eoghan Fitzpatrick and by the half-time interval Castleknock held a slender 0-9 to 1-5 lead.
The freetaking accuracy of Aodhán Clabby edged Ballinteer in front on the restart before sub Oran McIvor slotted two fine points for the Marlay Park men.
Castleknock battled back with a goal but St John's found their feet again through an Aodhán Clabby goal with Eoghan Fitzpatrick tagging on two excellent points in the closing minutes.

RESULTS TO DATE
Round 1
Kilmacud Crokes 2-18 Castleknock 1-12
St Vincent's 1-17 Ballinteer St John's 2-10

Round 2
Kilmacud Crokes 1-15 St Vincent's 2-7
Ballinteer St John's 2-15 Castleknock 1-13

FIXTURES TO COME
Saturday
O'Toole Park: Ballinteer St John's v Kilmacud Crokes, 5.0
Naul: Castleknock v St Vincent's, 5.0

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GO-AHEAD DUBLIN SFC1 GROUP 3
Reigning champions Ballymun Kickhams and Skerries Harps are currently joint top of Group 3 (three points each) with Thomas Davis in third (two) and Clontarf in bottom spot (0).
This Friday night Skerries Harps face Thomas Davis in Parnell Park (7.30) while simultaneously Ballymun meet Clontarf in St Margaret's.
Harps and Thomas Davis also clashed in the round-robin stages last year when two goals from Ciarán Murphy helped Skerries to a 3-7 to 1-10 victory at home.
Kickhams have been involved in two tight battles to date - finishing the stronger to overcome Thomas Davis (1-12 to 1-10) first day out as they got the desired impact off their bench to edge past the Kiltipper Road men before snatching a late, late draw with Harps in Round 2.
Skerries looked to be heading for victory before Fiach Andrews' successful free deep in added time earned Brendan Hackett's men a draw at Parnell Park.
Ballymun, for whom the Dublin contingent of Evan Comerford, Philly McMahon, John Small and Dean Rock did not feature while Paddy Small was introduced as a sub, led by a clear goal, 1-11 to 0-11, inside the last ten minutes but were pushed to the limit to earn a share of the spoils.
Points from Rob Delaney, Jack Smith, after combining well with his brother Stephen, and Delaney again with a free brought the sides level as the game moved into added time.
Stephen Smith then showed good hands and footwork to engineer the space to put Harps ahead.
Skerries might have sealed the deal when Adam Fearon cut through on goal but elected to go for goal with a point for the taking - his effort cannoned off the underside of the crossbar.
From the resulting counter-attack Paddy Small was fouled about 35 metres out and Fiach Andrews held his nerve to slot the equaliser.
It was so nearly Skerries night as they also had two other goal-scoring opportunities in the second half.
In the 40th minute Seán Rocks' goal attempt was parried out for a '45' by Ballymun keeper Seán Currie and then five minutes later Robbie Clinton pierced the Mun cover but his shot was brilliantly blocked down by Eoin Dolan, with James McCarthy on hand to tidy up the breaking ball.
Skerries, with Stephen Smith inspirational when kicking four of his five points from play, were the better side in the opening half and took a 0-9 to 0-6 lead into the half-time break.

RESULTS TO DATE
Round 1
Skerries Harps 0-11 Clontarf 0-7
Ballymun Kickhams 1-12 Thomas Davis 1-10

Round 2
Thomas Davis 0-11 Clontarf 0-9
Skerries Harps 0-15 Ballymun Kickhams 1-12

FIXTURES TO COME
Friday
Parnell Park: Skerries Harps v Thomas Davis, 7.30
St Margaret's: Ballymun Kickhams v Clontarf, 7.30

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GO-AHEAD DUBLIN SFC1 GROUP 4
Lucan and St Jude's (three points each) currently head Group 4 while Rounds Towers Lusk giving chase (two points) with St Oliver Plunkett/Eoghan Ruad in bottom spot (0).
St Jude's and Sarsfields drew in Round 1 (1-14 each) before the Tymon North men overcame St Oliver Plunkett/Eoghan Ruadh 3-17 to 1-15 in their second game with David Mannix, Alan Connolly and Ronan Joyce their goal-scorers. Both Pat Spillane, son of the Kerry legend, and former Cork senior Niall Coakley both scored 0-4 in that victory over the Dublin 7 outfit.
Lucan Sarsfields held off a late Round Towers Lusk rally before emerging 1-12 to 1-11 victors in their Round 2 clash at Parnell Park.
The sides were level 0-9 each at the three-quarter mark before Lucan edged ahead with Brendan Gallagher hitting 1-2 on the restart in reply to a Cormac Howley point for the Lusk side.
Gallagher's goal was from the penalty spot in the 51st minute after Harry Ladd was fouled, Lucan punishing a mistake in the Lusk defence.
Gallagher, a former Leitrim senior footballer who finished with 1-5 (1-0pen, 0-2f) overall, converted a free and kicked a point from play either side of his spot-kick to push his side into a 1-11 to 0-10 lead.
Mark Lavin was then well picked out by Darren Gavin from the endline and he found the target to give Lucan a five-point cushion with six minutes of normal time remaining.
Sarsfields could have extended their advantage but Harry Ladd was denied by Lusk keeper Rory O'Brien after the Lucan inside forward was picked up by a great pass from Ciarán Smith, having also completed a well-timed dispossession.
However, the Lusk outfit were not finished and led by Jack Hussey they battled back into contention.
Hussey ignited the comeback with a fine point in the 57th and two minutes later Seán Flood was fouled in the square as he competed for a high delivery from Cormac Howley - Killian Healy put away the penalty but that was as close as Lusk got as Lucan held on for victory.

RESULTS TO DATE
Round 1
Round Towers Lusk 3-16 St Oliver Plunkett/Eoghan Ruadh 0-16
St Jude's 1-14 Lucan Sarsfields 1-14

Round 2
Lucan Sarsfields 1-12 Round Towers Lusk 1-11
St Jude's 3-17 St Oliver Plunkett/Eoghan 1-15

FIXTURES TO COME
Sunday
Parnell Park: Round Towers Lusk v St Jude's, 4.0
O'Toole Park: Lucan Sarsfields v St Oliver Plunkett/Eoghan Ruadh, 4.0