?Go Ahead Adult Hurling League- Division One Round-Up: April 8th-9th

GO AHEAD ADULT HURLING LEAGUE DIVISION ONE ROUND-UP: APRIL 8-9 

By Daire Walsh 

Ballyboden St Enda’s continued their winning start to Division One of the Go Ahead Adult Hurling League with a narrow victory over Lucan Sarsfields in a top-of-the-table clash at Pairc Uí Murchú on Saturday evening.

Given both teams came into this game with three consecutive wins under their belts, it was an ideal opportunity to finally create some daylight at the summit of the top-tier. There was no shortage of experience on either side with ‘Boden able to call on the services of former county stars Shane Durkin, Simon Lambert, Paul Ryan and Conor Dooley.

There were also spots in attack for Conor McKeon (an ex-professional rugby player with Connacht) and Timmy Hammersley, an All-Ireland winning panellist with Tipperary in 2010. For their part, Lucan were able to deploy Johnny McCaffrey - the man who captained the Sky Blues to the Leinster Senior Hurling Championship nine years ago - at the heart of their defence.

There was little to separate the sides for the majority of the contest, though the hosts were two points in front at the midway stage in the opening period. However, Lucan dug deep to eventually lead by the slenderest of margins (1-10 to 1-9) at the interval.

For large stretches of the action, it looked like a draw might be on the cards with neither side willing to give an inch. Yet ‘Boden had just enough in reserve to come out on the right end of a 1-19 to 1-18 final scoreline.

Lucan remain second in the league standings despite this result, with no fewer than four teams just a single point behind them in what is proving to be a ferociously competitive division. Amongst this chasing pack are Craobh Chiarain, who recorded a 2-13 to 1-8 success over Whitehall Colmcille at Clonshaugh on Friday.

Robbie Mahon finished the action with four points to his name for the victors, while Carl Sammon, Cian Derwin, Conor Ryan and Paul Kelly also chipped in with some fine points. Billy Ryan and James Finn were their goalscorers on the night as the home team convincingly emerged with their second win of the campaign.

Also keeping pace with the top-two at the moment are Na Fianna and Kilmacud Crokes, who played out an entertaining draw (2-16 apiece) at St Mobhi Road on Saturday. This game was a reunion of last year’s Dublin Senior Hurling Championship final, when Crokes required extra-time to see off the stubborn challenge of their Glasnevin counterparts.

Kilmacud are aiming for another big year in 2022 and showcased plenty of quality over the course of the proceedings. Brendan Scanlan finished with a personal haul of 1-4, but even though Shane Veale and Cian Ryan also stood out, they had to settle for a share of the spoils with Na Fianna.

At Russell Park on the same day, Johnny McGuirk struck a stoppage-time free to earn 13-man St Brigid’s a 0-20 to 1-16 comeback victory against Faughs.

Both sides came into this tie in search of their second competitive win of the year and, with the elements behind them, Faughs created early daylight with scores from Eamon Hennessy and Ciaran Brennan. Eoghan Dunne and Diarmuid Breslin responded for Brigid’s, but a Hennessy goal helped the Templeogue men to establish some daylight.

Dublin netminder Alan Nolan pulled off some fine saves to deny Faughs a second goal, however, and Brigid’s kept themselves in contention thanks to fine contributions from Andrew Kavanagh and McGuirk.

A five-point interval deficit (1-9 to 0-7) wasn’t insurmountable with a breeze behind them, but the hosts appeared to be in a perilous position when Dunne and Jack O’Neill were both given their marching orders shortly after the resumption.

Yet Brigid’s responded superbly in the face of adversity with Breslin, Kavanagh, McGuirk, Barry O’Connell and substitute Matt Barr (son of former Dublin footballer Keith) all finding the target to move the Navan Road outfit onto level terms.

Most teams would have settled a point in similar circumstances, but Brigid’s sensed the game was there for the taking. After Keith Mullally was fouled 70 metres from the Faughs goal, McGuirk stepped forward to secure a second successive one-point triumph for the men in red.

Both Cuala and St Vincent’s currently have a game in hand on most teams in AHL1, but they kept themselves in the early running with impressive wins at the weekend. Cuala registered a 3-22 to 0-21 victory over Ballinteer St John’s at Shanganagh Park and Vins were 2-18 to 1-9 winners over Naomh Barróg in Pairc Naomh Uinsionn.