Na Fianna beat Faughs To Seal Go-Ahead SHC1 Knockout Berth

NA FIANNA 4-30 

FAUGHS 1-10 

Na Fianna claimed a crucial victory in their Go-Ahead Dublin Senior Hurling Championship Group 1 campaign as they defeated Faughs by twenty-nine points at Parnell Park on Saturday afternoon.

Last year’s finalists led by eight points at the break and assumed complete control in the second-half to leave their opponents chasing shadows by the final whistle.

Colin Currie top scored for the winners with all of his eleven points coming from placed balls while substitute Ciaran Stacey impressed with a lively cameo off the bench as he chipped in with 1-2.

Despite conceding the opening score through a James O’Brien free in the first minute, it was Na Fianna that settled the better with John Tierney restoring parity with a superb catch and strike a minute later.

A Colin Currie free edged Na Fianna in front and they added three further scores through Shane Barrett, Sean Currie and AJ Murphy to lead by four points by the 6^th minute.

Carl O’Mahony and Colin Currie (free) traded points before some sporadic pressure from Faughs saw them reduce their arrears to two points thanks to fine scores from play by Sean McDonald and O’Brien.

Two further frees by Colin Currie saw Na Fianna regain their ascendancy as the half progressed and they continued to add to their tally with Sean Currie and Peter Feeney spilling the posts.

John Tierney was moved from wing-forward to the edge of the square midway through the half and that switch paid dividends in the 27^th minute as he was on hand to fire home after Colin Currie’s point attempt had struck the upright.

Faughs responded to this setback in the best possible manner as Fergal Heavey rose highest in the square to tap home after O’Brien’s low shot had deflected into the danger area.

However, it was the Glasnevin side that finished the half on the front foot as late points from Colin Currie and Gavin King pushed them 1-15 to 1-7 clear by the turnaround. 

The procession towards the Faughs goal grew even stronger in the second-half as Peter Feeney timed his run from midfield to perfection as he crashed home a second Na Fianna goal in the 34^th minute.

Liam Mostyn offered some brief resistance with two points from play at the opposite end but their opponents were finding space all too readily as wing-back Brian Ryan helped himself to three points from play.

Colin Currie ensured there was to be no let-up in terms of the Na Fianna scoreboard and that was highlighted as substitute Sean Baxter crashed home for another well-taken goal.

The misery was compounded for Faughs as Emmet McKenna was dismissed in the 56^th minute with Stacey’s 60^th minute goal and subsequent points by Tom Brennan and Stacey completing the rout.

Scorers – Na Fianna: C Currie 0-11 (10f, 1 ‘65’), C Stacey 1-2, J Tierney, P Feeney 1-1 each, S Baxter 1-0, S Currie (1f), B Ryan 0-3 each, AJ Murphy, G King (1 sideline) 0-2, K Burke, M Murphy, S Barrett, T Brennan, M Quilty 0-1 apiece. Faughs: J O’Brien 0-5 (4f), F Heavey 1-0, C O’Mahony, L Mostyn 0-2 each, S McDonald 0-1.

Na Fianna: J Tracey; D Ryan, S Burke, D Clerkin; P O’Dea, K Burke, M Murphy; B Ryan, P Feeney; J Tierney, S Barrett, G King; C Currie, AJ Murphy, S Currie. Subs: M Oliver for M Murphy (37), C Stacey for King (43), T Brennan for Barrett (44), S Baxter for K Burke (46), M Quilty for AJ Murphy (49).

Faughs: E McNamara; S O’Brien, E McKenna, J Moore; S McDonald, J Kenny, J McVeigh; C O’Mahony, C Nagle; C Leahy, L Mostyn, J O’Brien; F Heavey, C O’Shea, N Fitzgibbon. Subs: C Foley for Fitzgibbon (30+1), D Croke for Leahy (37), J Maloney for Heavey (46).

Referee: Sean Stack (Parnell’s)