Cuala champions for third year in-a-row

CUALA 1-13 KILMACUD CROKES 0-13

Cuala are the Dublin senior hurling champions for the third year in-a-row following their hard-fought victory over southside rivals Kilmacud Crokes in Saturday's decider in Parnell Park.

The Dalkey side will face Kilkenny champions (Dicksboro) next Sunday in the Donnycarney venue in the Leinster club SHC quarter-finals.

The only goal of the game was crucial and it arrived in the 19th minute of the opening half when Darragh O'Connell moved into a breaking ball from a high delivery by Colm Cronin before clinically rifling the sliotar to the roof of Eoin Dalton's net.

Goal chances were few and far between with Mattie Kenny's side missing a second half penalty, for a foul on Mark Schutte, when Dalton's parried David Treacy's strike around the post for a '65' which Treacy converted.

Cuala had to defend stoutly in the dying minutes as Crokes launched ball after ball into the danger area but the likes of Seán Moran, Oisín Gough and Cian O'Callaghan were more than a match as they stood strong.

With wind advantage Crokes settled the best with early points from Lorcan McMullan, after just seven seconds, and a Oisín O'Rorke free.

David Treacy opened the champions account in the ninth minute before Crokes tagged on two further points through Fergal Whitely and Seán McGrath, both fine strikes, to lead 0-4 to 0-1 after just over ten minutes.

Cuala began to establish a better foothold in this physical contest with points from Mark Schutte and a David Treacy free before O'Connell struck for the only goal of the duel.

Points followed from David Treacy (free) and a great individual effort from Con O'Callaghan, the first of his three from play over the course of the hour, to move 1-5 to 0-4 clear by the 29th minute.

But Crokes replied well in first half added times with points from Oisín O'Rorke (free) and Whitely to cut the deficit to two points by the break.

Kilmacud started the second half well with two Oisín O'Rorke frees before Cuala got their second breath.

David Treacy had his 39th minute saved by Dalton but made no mistake with the follow-up '65'.

In one of the better, more fluid moves of the game David Treacy hit the side-netting with a goal attempt following good approach work by the influential Paul Schutte and his brother Mark.

Crokes goal chances were at a premium though Oisín O'Rorke elected to go for a point when goal might have been on his mind in the 52nd minute.

Heading into the concluding minutes Crokes lifted themselves for one final push with two Oisín O'Rorke points (one free) but Cuala had the final word with a converted free and one from play from David Treacy, who had been brought back on as a sub in the fourth minute of added time, to seal victory.

The three in-a-row of New Ireland Assurance Cups was complete. Next up the Kilkenny champions, Dickboro.

SCORERS – Cuala: D Treacy 0-6 (0-4f, 0-1 '65'), C O’Callaghan 0-3, D O'Connell 1-0, C Cronin 0-2, C Sheanon, M Schutte 0-1 each. Kilmacud Crokes: O O’Rorke 0-7 (0-5f), F Whitely 0-3, R O’Carroll, L McMullan, S McGrath 0-1 each.

CUALA: S Brennan; S Timlin, Cian O’Callaghan, O Gough; S Moran, J Sheanon, P Schutte; J Malone, D O’Connell; S Treacy, C Sheanon, D Treacy; C Cronin, Con O’Callaghan, M Schutte. Subs: S Stapleton for M Schutte (42 inj), C Waldron for D Treacy (59), N Kenny for C Sheanon (64), D Treacy for Cronin (64)

KILMACUD CROKES: E Dalton; N Corcoran, B O’Carroll, R O’Loughlin; R Murphy, C Gabhann, D Kelly; L McMullan, R O’Carroll; C Conway, F Whitely, N Ó Ríordáin; O O’Rorke, S McGrath, B O’Rorke. Subs: R Hayes for Ó Ríordáin (38), D Mulligan for B O’Rorke (44), S O’Dwyer for McGrath (52), J Gibbons for O’Loughlin (58).

REF: F Gaffney (Na Fianna).

Check out the full match highlights from the Final below: