Cuala crowned AHL1 champions

Sun, 25th August 2019

DUBLIN AHL1 FINAL
CUALA 3-17 BALLYBODEN ST ENDA’S 0-18

Goals from Darragh O'Connell, Colm Cronin and Niall Carthy saw Cuala capture the Dublin AHL1 title after defeating fellow southsiders Ballyboden St Enda's in Saturday's decider at O'Toole Park.

Carthy's strike five minutes from time was the insurance score for the Dalkey side as Boden had just hit four points without reply to trail by two points.

If the goal-scorers got the praise at one end of the park Cuala netminder Seán Brennan enjoyed a fine game when making several good stops to deny St Enda's with Aidan Mellett also seeing one effort rebound off the crossbar.

Boden had started the game well with points from Paul Ryan (two frees) and another score from Niall Ryan before Cuala struck for their opening goal in the sixth minute when Colm Cronin raised a green flag.

Points followed from goal-scorer Cronin, Naoise Waldron and Dublin senior David Treacy as Cuala established themselves in the game.

The accuracy of Paul Ryan (who was forced off in the 27th minute) meant that Boden edged back in front but before the break Cuala grabbed their second goal when Naoise Waldron found Darragh O'Connell and he surged through on goal before finishing past Gary Maguire to see his side into a 2-9 to 0-13 interval lead.

Boden's scoring run, hitting four points in-a-row, inside the concluding ten minutes saw them trail by just two points before Carthy's goal five minutes from the finish sealed victory for Cuala.

SCORERS – Cuala: D Treacy 0-6 (0-5f), D O’Connell 1-3 (0-1f, 0-1 '65'), C Cronin 1-2, N Carthy 1-1, Colum Sheanon, N Waldron 0-2 each, L Murphy 0-1. Ballyboden St Enda’s: P Ryan 0-6 (0-5f), C Dooley 0-4 (0-1f, 0-1 ‘65’), N Ryan 0-2, J Madden, C Keaney, P Doherty, S O’Connor, A Mellett, J Roche 0-1 each.

CUALA: S Brennan; S Timlin, J Sheanon, M Conroy; D O’Flynn, P Schutte, A Power; J Malone, L Murphy; C Cronin, D O’Connell, Colum Sheanon; N Carthy, D Treacy, N Waldron. Subs: C O’Callaghan for Conroy (ht), Cillian Sheanon for Murphy (35), N Kenny for Waldron (50), C Kelly for Treacy (53), T Ryan for Carthy (61).

BALLYBODEN ST ENDA'S: G Maguire; D O’Connor, L Corcoran, S McDonnell; S O’Connor, S Durkin, J Madden; F McGarry, C McKeon; C Dooley, P Doherty, N Ryan; C Keaney, P Ryan, A Mellett. Subs: A Roche for P Ryan (27), D Curtin for D O’Connor (34), K Desmond for Doherty (50), F McDonagh for McKeon (54).

REF: C Mooney (St Pat’s, Palmerstown).