Cuala set to meet Carlow’s St Mullin’s in Leinster SHC

Dublin champions Cuala set out on the Leinster road when they face Carlow's St Mullin's in this Sunday's AIB Leinster Club SHC quarter-final in Netwatch Cullen Park, Carlow (2.0).

The sides met three years ago at provincial semi-final stage at the same venue when Cuala prevailed 1-19 to 1-7 with Con O'Callaghan getting the Dalkey side's goal.

St Mullin's have won the Carlow SHC on 27 occasions, leading the way in their roll of honour, and edged out Mount Leinster Rangers (2-17 to 1-19) in this year's Carlow SHC final thanks to a 64th minute point by Jason O'Neill and Marty Kavanagh's impressive tally of 0-10 (0-5f).

The Dalkey outfit were recently crowned Dublin senior hurling champions for the seventh time in their history when they defeated St Brigid's, 1-18 to 1-14, in the Dublin SHC 'A' decider.

Willie Maher's men finished the game on top, scoring the last three points of the contest to seal victory with the influential Seán Moran and David Treacy (two frees) on target.

Brigid's, despite the dismissal of Kevin Callaghan in the 53rd minute, trailed by just a point when Johnny McGuirk fired over in the 57th minute but Cuala showed their experience to close out the game.

Treacy's freetaking steered the way for Cuala, slotting 12 deadballs to punish any indiscretions by Brigid's who were only appearing in their second ever senior hurling final.

If Cuala concluded the game with scores they also started in the same fashion with Con O'Callaghan scoring a goal in the third minute.

The Dublin senior footballer showed all his scoring instinct by first slipping away from marker Donnacha Ryan before heading for goal and arrowing the sliotar clinically to the net.

However, O'Callaghan was injured in the process and he did not line out for Cuala's footballers last Saturday when they lost their Dublin SFC2 semi-final to Round Towers, Lusk in extra-time at O'Toole Park.

"I remember playing St Mullin's down in Carlow three years ago,” said Cuala defender Seán Moran.  “It stands out because it was a foggy day. We had a really tough game against them and we were fortunate to get through.

“We had lost the Leinster final in Dr Cullen Park in 2015 so we wanted to do ourselves justice back on that same field a year later.

“They are a really good side and they beat Mount Leinster Rangers even though they had 14 men for a lot of the game. It takes a good side to see it out under circumstances like that so we’re under no illusions of the task we’re facing into.

“Jack Kavanagh and Marty Kavanagh are players that everyone knows and Marty Kavanagh scored 0-10 in the county final. So we know we have a huge job on our hands.”

Dublin's have other representatives in provincial action this weekend with Fingallians hosting Kilkenny's Conahy Shamrocks in Lawless Memorial Park, Swords on Saturday (1.30) in the Leinster JHC quarter-final while Scoil Uí Chonaill will meet Wicklow senior champions, Bray Emmet's, in the Leinster IHC in Aughrim, also on Saturday at 1.30.

Here we look back at the November, 2016 meeting of Cuala and Carlow champions, St Mullin's.

2016 LEINSTER CLUB SHC SEMI-FINAL

SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 20: Netwatch Cullen Park, Carlow

CUALA 1-19 ST MULLIN’S (Carlow) 1-7

Cuala are into the Leinster Club SHC final for the second year in-a-row following their 12-point victory over Carlow champions St Mullin’s in Netwatch Cullen Park.

The Dublin champions will be hoping to go one better than last year when the face Kilkenny’s O’Loughlin’s Gaels after being edged out by Wexford’s Oulart-The Ballagh 12 months ago.

“Obviously, O’Loughlins are going to bring a huge challenge. They’re Kilkenny champions. They’ve form in the All-Ireland series before … they’re going to be a serious challenge and we’re not underestimating what’s coming down the tracks,” said Cuala manager Mattie Kenny afterwards.

St Mullin’s got a great start when 11 minutes in John Murphy fired to the Cuala net to give them a 1-1 to 0-2 advantage.

However, Cuala showed their class to outscore the Carlow men 0-7 to 0-2 before the break to lead 0-9 to 1-3 at the half-time interval.

Eight minutes into the second half Con O’Callaghan followed up on his goal-scoring heroics of the previous round by adding another goal and Cuala were on their way with Seán Treacy playing a leading role for the Dalkey men.

Mark Schutte set up the chance for O’Callaghan who rifled to the net as Cuala drove onto the final dreaming of becoming the first Dublin club since Crumlin in 1979 to taste provincial hurling senior honours.

SCORERS - Cuala: D Treacy 0-7 (0-5f), Con O’Callaghan 1-3, S Treacy 0-3, M Schutte 0-2, J Malone, D O’Connell, C Cronin, C Sheanon 0-1 each. St Mullin’s: J Murphy 1-0, J Doyle 0-3 (0-1f), M Kavanagh (0-1f), J Kavanagh 0-2 each.

CUALA: S Brennan; S Timlin, Cian O’Callaghan, O Gough; S Moran, J Sheanon, P Schutte; J Malone, D O’Connell; C Waldron, C Cronin, D Treacy; Con O’Callaghan, M Schutte, S Treacy. Subs: C Sheanon for Waldron (50), S Stapleton for J Sheanon (57), R Tierney for S Treacy (57), B Fitzgerald for Cronin (59), N Carty for D Treacy (59).

ST MULLIN’S: K Kehoe; P Doyle, J Doran, G Bennett; D Whelan, P Kehoe, G Coady; J Kavanagh, M Walsh; J (Minor) Murphy, M Kavanagh, J Murphy; J Doyle, S Murphy, J Walsh. Subs: C Kavanagh for J (Minor) Murphy (ht), P Connors for J Walsh (50).

REF: P Burke (Kilkenny).

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CUALA'S ROUTE TO 2019 DUBLIN SHC 'A' SUCCESS

DUBLIN SHC 'A' FINAL

20 October Parnell Park Cuala 1-18 St Brigid's 1-14

DUBLIN SHC ‘A’ SEMI-FINAL

6 October Parnell Park Cuala 3-21 St Vincent’s 1-16

DUBLIN SHC 'A' QUARTER-FINAL

22 September Parnell Park Cuala 3-18 Kilmacud Crokes 1-11

ROUND-ROBIN GROUP 2

7 September O'Toole Park Cuala 1-32 Ballinteer St John's 0-6

17 April Monastery Road Cuala 2-27 St Jude's 0-16

6 April O'Toole Park Cuala 3-26 St Brigid's 1-13

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SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 2

AIB Leinster Club Junior Hurling Championship Quarter Finals

Trim (12.30) Clan na nGael (Meath) v Cullion (Westmeath) Ref: Adam Kinahan (Offaly)

Carlow Venue (1.30) Naomh Brid (Carlow) v Ballygarrett Realt na Mara (Wexford) Ref: Kieran Dooley (Offaly)

Lawless Memorial Park Swords (1.30) Fingallians (Dublin) v Conahy Shamrocks (Kilkenny) Ref: Caymon Flynn (Westmeath)

Glennon Bros Pearse Park Longford (1.30) Clonguish Gaels (Longford) v Mountmellick (Laois) Ref: Mark Ryan (Dublin)

AIB Leinster Club Junior Football Championship

Dr Tierney Park, Graiguenamanagh (1.30) Mooncoin (Kilkenny) v Rathgarogue/Cushinstown (Wexford) Ref: Gary Hurley (Westmeath)

AIB Leinster Club Intermediate Hurling Quarter Finals

Bellefield Enniscorthy (1.30) Cloughbawn (Wexford) v Naas (Cill Dara) Ref: Richie Fitzsimons (Offaly)

Joule Park, Aughrim (1.30) Bray Emmet's (Wicklow) v Scoil Ui Chonaill (Dublin) Ref: Shane Guinan (Offaly)

Trim (2.30) Kildalkey (Meath) v Seir Kierans (Offaly) Ref: Barry Nea (Westmeath)

AIB Leinster Club Intermediate Hurling Quarter Final 

O'Moore Park, Portlaoise (1.30) Rosenallis (Laois) v Tullaroan (Kilkenny) Ref: Barry Redmond (Wexford)

SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 3

AIB Leinster Club Senior Hurling Quarter Finals

TEG Cusack Park Mullingar (1.30) Clonkill (Westmeath) v Ballyhale Shamrocks (Kilkenny) Ref: Justin Heffernan (Wexford)

O'Moore Park, Portlaoise (2.30) Rathdowney Errill (Laois) v St Rynagh's (Uibh Fhaili) Ref: Gearoid McGrath (Wexford)

Netwatch Cullen Park Carlow (2.00) St Mullin's (Carlow) v Cuala (Dublin) Ref: Michael Murtagh (Westmeath)

- Extra Time and Winner on the Day in above games, if necessary