Na Fianna win first ever Go-Ahead Senior 1 Hurling title with victory over Ballyboden St Endas

NA FIANNA 2-19 

BALLYBODEN ST ENDA’S 0-9

Na Fianna dominated from start to finish as they cruised to an emphatic sixteen-point victory over a disappointing Ballyboden St Enda’s in their Go Ahead Dublin Senior 1 Hurling Championship final at Parnell Park on Sunday afternoon.

The win secured a first senior hurling title for the Glasnevin outfit and given their heartache of successive final defeats to Kilmacud Crokes in the two previous years, few outside Firhouse Road could quibble with their deserved success.

Like Crokes a week previously, Na Fianna left their most complete performance for the most important of stages with a brace of Sean Currie goals in the first-half giving them the platform that they never relinquished throughout the sixty-plus minutes. 

Both teams took their time to settle with the soft underfoot conditions playing its part and over six minutes had elapsed before Colin Currie opened the scoring from a placed ball.

Paul Ryan restored parity with the first of four frees in the opening half but it was evident from the early stages that Ballyboden were struggling to make any significant impact up front.

A brace of poor Conor Dooley wides reflected their unease in attack and it wasn’t long before their opponents took advantage of this when moving two points clear thanks to AJ Murphy and Sean Currie.

Colin Currie added two frees in quick succession to double the Na Fianna lead by the end of the first quarter before his side were awarded a penalty in the 17^th minute as James Madden was adjudged to have hauled down Murphy.

Conor O’Donoghue ensured Boden’s spot in the final when saving a last-gasp John Hetherton penalty in the semi-final a fortnight previously and he repeated those heroics when diving to his left to repel Colin Currie’s attempt.

Currie gained some relief when converting the resultant ‘65’ before St Enda’s opened their account from play after an incisive run down the middle by Luke McDwyer.

However, from the resultant puck-out, Murphy gained possession ahead of Madden down the right flank and his inviting cross-field ball was gathered by Sean Currie, who rifled home emphatically beyond the helpless O’Donoghue from eight yards. 

Ballyboden’s response to this setback was impressive as a Kevin Desmond point preceded two Paul Ryan frees prior to Sean Currie splitting the posts from a Jonno Tracey pass in the 24^th minute to leave five points between the teams.

That margin was enhanced in an instant as another Murphy pass caused havoc in the Boden defence and Sean Currie showcased his predatory instincts once again as he pulled to the roof of the net from an acute angle.

The half finished with Na Fianna maintaining their control with two Colin Currie leaving his side superbly placed with a ten-point (2-10 to 0-6) interval advantage.

Na Fianna may have lacked the same attacking verve after the break but it mattered little as their dominance remained undimmed with their stranglehold on the St Enda’s attack tightening even further.

A trio of Colin Currie frees was the sum total of Na Fianna’s third quarter scoring output but all Ballyboden could offer in reply were three points through Aidan Mellett, Niall Ryan and Jack Lambert.

Lambert’s 46^th minute point proved Boden’s final score of the game and their afternoon deteriorated even further when substitute Timmy Hammersley was dismissed for a high tackle on Conor McHugh four minutes later.

From that point, Na Fianna could savour the remainder of the contest with co-captain Sean Baxter, Gavin King, Sean Currie and Ciaran Stacey adding the icing on the cake on a day to remember for all associated with the great St Mobhi Road club.

Scorers – Na Fianna: S Currie 2-5, C Currie 0-10 (7f, 1 ‘65’), AJ Murphy, G King, S Baxter, C Stacey 0-1 apiece. Ballyboden St Enda’s: P Ryan 0-4 (4f), K Desmond, L McDwyer, A Mellett, N Ryan, J Lambert 0-1 apiece.

Na Fianna: J Tracey; D Clerkin, C McHugh, S Burke; K Burke, L Rushe, P O’Dea; B Ryan, P Feeney; C Currie, C Stacey, J Tierney; AJ Murphy, S Barrett, S Currie. Subs: M Murphy for Barrett (33), S Baxter for M Murphy (44), G King for Tierney (51), D Ryan for McHugh (58), M Quilty for B Ryan (60).

Ballyboden St Enda’s: C O’Donoghue; S McDonnell, J Madden, S O’Connor; J Lambert, S Lambert, L Corcoran; S Durkin, N Ryan; L McDwyer, C Dooley, A Mellett; P Ryan, K Desmond, N McMorrow. Subs: P Christie for Desmond (Blood Sub, 24), P Dunleavy for O’Connor (half-time), C Keaney for Dooley (40), T Hammersley for P Ryan (47), E Behan for Durkin (47), D Kenny for N Ryan (58).

Referee: Chris Mooney (St Patrick’s Palmerstown)

Go-Ahead Man-of-the-Match: Seán Currie (Na Fianna)