PREVIEW: A big weekend of action ahead in the Go-Ahead Ireland Senior 1 Hurling Championship

By Conor Martin 

The Go-Ahead Ireland Dublin Senior 1 Hurling Club Championship is in full swing and there’s no let up in the action this weekend, as the second round takes place. 

In Group 1 Lucan Sarsfields take to the pitch for the first time in this Championship after receiving a bye in the first round. Lucan had a 2023 Championship to remember, winning all of their Group 1 games before missing out on a spot in the final after losing by four points to eventual winners Na Fianna. 

There’s plenty of talent in the Sarsfields team, including the likes of Ciaran Dowling, brothers Chris and Paul Crummey and fellow county panellists John Bellew and Ronán Smith. 

Their opponents this Saturday, Cuala, tasted defeat in the opening round of the Championship as they were on the receiving end of a 3-20 to 1-19 defeat at the hands of Kilmacud Crokes last weekend. 

John McCarthy's men looked impressive at times, but despite the defeat, Liam Murphy, Jamie Conroy and Cillian Sheanon all kept their club in contention and by the half-time whistle, they were only four behind.

Kevin Kirwan scored a three-pointer after the restart and Cormac Spain pointed to make it all to play for, before Crokes pulled away to grab the win. 

Saturday’s Group 1 action is rounded off at Parnell Park when Kilmacud Crokes & Na Fianna do battle at Parnell Park. 

Of course, the two clubs have quite a bit of history in recent years, with Crokes beating their northside counterparts in the 2021 and 2022 hurling finals, before Na Fianna finally managed to get one over on Crokes in the quarter-finals last year on the way to their first-ever Dublin senior club hurling crown. 

Both teams got their Championship off to a great start with solid wins last weekend and as a result, they sit in first and second, respectively, with Na Fianna on top of the pile thanks to their sizeable points difference. 

Crokes went head-to-head with a stubborn Cuala side before finally running out seven-point winners thanks to second-half goals from Ronan Hayes, Brendan Scanlan and Ronan Costelloe.

Na Fianna got the defence of their Go-Ahead Ireland Dublin Senior 1 Hurling Club Championship title underway in style with a big win last weekend against St Brigids.

The Mobhi Rd men racked up a massive 5-26 against 13-man St Brigids, who hit 0-14, as the Glasnevin club dominated from start to finish regardless of the numerical player advantage. Gavin King scored in the third minute before Colin Currie would be Na Fianna’s second first-half goalscorer.

Na Fianna’s firepower helped them pull clear and after the teams came back out for the second half, Na Fianna turned on the style thanks to goals from AJ Murphy and Ciaran Stacey before Shane Barrett came off the bench to score Na Fianna’s fifth goal in the 47th minute.

Brian Ryan, Seán Currie & Dónal Burke also impressed and Niall O'Ceallacháin will be hoping his men can take in the momentum from their opener into this weekend’s tough encounter. 

Over in Group 2, Ballyboden St Endas take on St Vincents in a repeat of last year's semi-final, which saw Ballyboden advance thanks to a last-gasp penalty save from Conor O'Donoghue to deny Thomas Connolly.

After being well beaten in last year's final, Ballyboden St Endas will be looking to go one better when they begin this year's Championship and end the wait for a first senior title since 2018. 

The likes of Niall Ryan, Niall McMorrow & Paul Ryan will be important again for the Firhouse Rd men, while Dublin defender James Madden is a key part of the side at the other end of the pitch. 

St Vincents got their Group 2 campaign off to a great start last weekend with a 0-21 to 0-14 win over St Judes and will be hoping to follow up that win this Saturday at Parnell Park.

They’ll be hoping Darach McBride and John Hetherton can carry on their form from last time out to make it two wins from two.

St Judes take on Craobh Chiaráin in a repeat of the 2023 senior 2 final, which saw Craobh Chiaráin emerge as winners as the pair were promoted to senior 1.

John Carty looked sharp in front of the posts last week as he scored four from play whilst his teammate Joe McManus nailed four frees on his way to a personal tally of six points. Despite the defeat, Danny Sutcliffe worked hard at the back to keep his side in it, but Judes couldn’t do enough to get back into the game.

Craobh Chiaráin were defeated 4-17 to 2-18 by Whitehall Colmcille in their first-round match last week.

It was a poor showing from the Clonshaugh men in the first half, as they only had 1-1 to show for their efforts by the referee's whistle, James Finn with the Craobh goal, as Whitehall led by 14 points. 

Cian Derwin was finding scores, which helped Chiaráin’s reduce the deficit, but a Whitehall goal at the other end made life difficult for them and in the end, Billy Ryan’s late goal was only a consolation.

Both teams now go in search of their first win of the 2024 Championship this weekend.

St Brigids and Whitehall Colmcille are the two clubs that receive a bye this weekend.