Go-Ahead AHL 1 Round-Up

GO-AHEAD ADULT HURLING LEAGUE DIVISION ONE ROUND-UP: FEBRUARY 27

Champions Na Fianna dug deep at Collins Avenue on Sunday morning to make a winning start to their defense of the Go Ahead Adult Hurling League Division One title.

The Glasnevin men were perilously close to securing a league and championship double in 2021, having found themselves in a strong position during a Dublin SHC decider against Kilmacud Crokes before eventually losing out in extra-time. They were pushed all the way by northside rivals Whitehall Colmcille in their first competitive game of the year, but ultimately triumphed on a score line of 0-19 to 1-12.

AJ Murphy was one of their brightest performers on the march to last year's county decider and he contributed eight points of Na Fianna's final tally at the weekend. Although Whitehall persevered with their challenge, 0-2 apiece from the dependable triumvirate of Martin Quilty, Aaron Jesson and Jonathan Treacy ensured it was the visitors who claimed the spoils.

Prior to embarking on their championship journey in 2021, Na Fianna recorded a 0-22 to 0-17 victory against Ballyboden St Enda's at Parnell Park on August 21 to claim the AHL1 crown.

After suffering their own agonising extra-time reversal in last autumn's Dublin Senior 'A' Hurling Championship - to Cuala at the quarter-final stage - 'Boden are hoping to hit the ground running in 2022. There were certainly positive signs in Kilbarrack on Sunday as the Firhouse Road men registered an emphatic 1-25 to 0-8 win.

Even though James Madden was on inter-county duty with Dublin against Tipperary on Saturday evening, 'Boden were extremely impressive in his absence. Scores are normally spread quite evenly throughout the southsiders' team and it was no different on Sunday.

Former Sky Blues stalwart Paul Ryan may have been his reliable self, but he was ably-assisted by Kevin Desmond, Niall Ryan and another ex-county star in Niall McMorrow. The latter got the only goal of the contest and with the likes of Simon Lambert and Paddy Dunleavy also producing strong performances, the outcome was never in doubt.

Aside from the above clash, the rest of the games on the opening weekend of Division One were close-run affairs. At 12th Lock, Lucan Sarsfields edged a tense six-goal thriller on a score line of 3-19 to 3-15.

It was largely nip and tuck between Faughs and Cuala at Islandbridge, but the latter had two points to spare (1-16 to 0-17) over the Templeogue-based outfit. There was to be no separating Craobh Chiarain and St Vincent's at Clonshaugh, however, with both sides having to be content with a draw - 0-15 apiece.