?Go Ahead AHL Division 2 Round-Up

GO AHEAD ADULT HURLING LEAGUE DIVISION TWO ROUND-UP: JULY 14-15

By Daire Walsh

Following their 2-21 to 0-16 victory against Naomh Fionnbarra at St Anne’s Park on Wednesday evening, Raheny currently lead the way at the summit of the Go Ahead Adult Hurling League Division Two North table.

After overcoming O’Toole’s and Scoil Ui Chonaill in the opening two rounds of the division, the two-time Intermediate Hurling Championship winners - who also won the Dublin Senior ‘B’ Hurling Championship in 2017 - were hoping to continue their excellent start to 2021. Against a Fionnbarra side that enjoyed an impressive triumph over O’Toole’s at ‘The Bogies’ on July 3, they managed to do so with considerable aplomb.

Next up for Raheny is a top-of-the-table clash with St Sylvester’s at Broomfield on Wednesday week (July 28). Their forthcoming opponents from Malahide were in action against O’Toole’s at Blunden Drive last night and looked set to join Raheny on six points after developing a 3-10 to 0-13 cushion on the third-quarter mark.

However, O’Toole’s rallied in the closing minutes and bagged a stoppage-time goal to bring themselves on level terms in the most dramatic of fashions. The teams proceeded to trade scores in a frantic finale - which ensured there was a sharing of the spoils in the Ayrfield venue; O’Toole’s 2-17, St Sylvester’s 3-14.

In a low-key opening, Syls attacker Seanie Graham rattled the opposition net to give his side a 1-2 to 0-4 cushion at the first half water break. This major proved crucial for the visitors as they ultimately held a 1-8 to 0-9 buffer during the interval.

Graham possessed the midas touch in front of goal and he completed his hat-trick with another brace of green flag efforts on the resumption. This put Sylvester’s within reach of a third consecutive win - having already accounted for Scoil Ui Chonaill and Erin’s Isle - until O’Toole’s dug deep to secure a hard-earned draw.

On Wednesday night, the aforementioned Scoil welcomed Erin’s Isle to their Clontarf Road base hoping to record their first success of the campaign. They were perilously close to coming out on the right side of the result, but eventually fell to a 0-21 to 2-13 reversal.

This victory puts Isles level on points with Fionnbarra, who currently occupy third place in the Division Two North standings on score difference.

In AHL Division Two South, St Oliver Plunkett’s/Eoghan Ruadh and St Jude’s are neck-and-neck at the top after coming through Wednesday night’s round of fixtures with flying colours.

At Silver Park, Plunkett’s had 13 points to spare (2-22 to 0-15) over Kilmacud Crokes ‘B’. It was a high-scoring affair in Sancta Maria College, but it was Jude’s who emerged victorious against near neighbours Ballyboden St Enda’s ‘B’ on a final margin of 1-29 to 4-11.

In Pearse Park, Crumlin bounced back from recent defeats to Crokes and Plunkett’s by edging past Thomas Davis. In a thrilling contest, the hosts squeezed through against their Tallaght counterparts with the bare minimum to spare (1-18 to 1-17).