Go-Ahead Senior 3 Hurling Championship Quarter Finals

Raheny delivered a dominant team performance as they eased past Cuala by 1-21 to 1-8 in their Go-Ahead Dublin Senior 3 Hurling Championship quarter-final in St Anne’s Park on Saturday afternoon.

The scoring threat of Liam Dunne was a key part of Raheny’s victory as he accrued twelve points over the hour, four of those coming from open play.

Rob McGuirk netted the home goal and with Mark Murphy adding three points from play, Raheny eased home thanks to strong contributions by dual players Sean Grenham and Jack Fagan and further scores from Greg Bennett, Thomas Hurley, Brian Dunne and Ben McHugh.

It was far tighter in Poppintree in the remaining quarter-final as Na Fianna did just enough to overcome a determined Setanta by 3-15 to 3-14.

Eoin Flaherty proved the key marksman for the visitors, finishing the game with 3-8 to his name, with the likes of Joe Kavanagh and Ben Gaughran also showing well in the Na Fianna attack.

Odhrán Ó Maoiléidigh and Jack Guinan combined well in their midfield with Neil Loftus and Séafra Fitzgerald the pick of the away defence.

For Setanta, Ryan Clarke continued his excellent campaign when scoring eleven points but his efforts and goals by Seán Ó Riain, Gareth Foxton and Cian Fallon proved in vain by the final whistle.

The relegation play-offs were equally entertaining with O’Toole’s and St Sylvester’s preserving their Senior 3 status with hard-fought wins over Naomh Olaf and Scoil Uí Chonaill respectively.

At Páirc Uí Bhriain, O’Toole’s were pushed all the way before eventually seeing off Olaf’s by 3-17 to 2-18 with Conn Rock highlighting his excellence once again with a personal tally of 3-10.

The visitors opened up brightly to lead by 2-8 to 1-8 at the break but the hosts fought back with both John Carroll and Harrison Byrne impressing in the Olaf’s half-forward line as they drew level by the end of the third quarter.

A brilliant Rock goal restored the Larriers lead four minutes later and despite Eoin Foley’s best efforts late on, O’Toole’s, who had strong performances by goalkeeper Daniel O’Neill, Christy Mulligan at midfield and attackers Sean O’Keeffe and Ciaran Brabazon, held on by the skin of their teeth.

St Sylvester’s required extra-time before eventually getting the better of Scoil Uí Chonaill by 0-24 to 0-17 in Broomfield.

Ciaran McLoughney helped set the tone for the hosts with his thirteen-point contribution including six points from play.

Liam Foley also caught the eye with four points as the Malahide outfit prevailed thanks to further scoring returns from Sean Graham, Sean Murphy, Cian Whitney and Eamonn McLoughney.

SHC3 quarter-finals: Setanta 3-14 Na Fianna 3-15; Raheny 1-21 Cuala 1-8.

SHC3 relegation play-offs: Naomh Olaf 2-18 O’Toole’s 3-17; Scoil Uí Chonaill 0-17 St Sylvester’s 0-24 AET.