Donal Burke leads way as Na Fianna defeat Whitehall in SHC ‘A’

Recently crowned top-flight league champions, Na Fianna, got their Go-Ahead Dublin SHC 'A' Group 1 off to a winning start when comprehensively defeating Whitehall Colmcille 4-27 to 1-13 in Parnell Park on Friday night.

The St Mobhi Road outfit, for whom Dublin senior hurler Liam Rushe was making his Na Fianna championship debut, led 1-18 to 0-7 after a commanding opening 30 minutes and there was never any sign of a Whitehall comeback.

Donal Burke finished with a tally of 1-15 (0-9f, 0-1 65) including some excellent points from play and deadball.

Na Fianna hit three second half goals with Donal Burke and Seán Baxter on target while late on Seán Burke added their fourth goal in their 23-point victory.

They had other goal-scoring chances but Jack D'Arcy, making his SHC in the Whitehall goals, showed good reactions to keep the sliotar out.

Whitehall's goal came in the 21st minute when Mikey Noonan showed fast reflexes to control a rebound, Eoin Skelly having saved Seán Foran's original goal effort, before firing to the net.

In the first half two quickfire points at the outset from AJ Murphy set the tone and further points from Donal Burke (three, including one free), Martin Quilty and Colin Currie had Na Fianna 0-7 to 0-1 ahead by the 11th minute. Enda O'Donnell being the lone Whitehall scorer.

In the 12th minute Martin Quilty fired to the net and Na Fianna piled on the scores with points from Seán Baxter, Peter Feeney and Donal Burke.

By the first water break they were 1-12 to 0-2, with Dublin footballer Cormac Costello hitting Whitehall's second score.

The accuracy of Donal Burke from play and deadball - including three frees from halfway - ensured any opportunities were seized upon and by the interval he had tallied 0-10 (six frees), while Mikey Noonan converted three frees for Whitehall.