PREVIEW: Go-Ahead Ireland Senior 1 Football Championship action continues this week

By Conor Martin 

The senior club football action continues this weekend, as Round 2 of the Go-Ahead Ireland Dublin Senior 1 Football Championship takes place. 

Fingallians and Clontarf kick off this weekend’s action at Parnell Park on Friday evening. 

Fingallians' first game back in the Senior 1 Championship last time out saw them well beaten by St Judes, who emerged from that encounter 10 points to the good.

The Swords club did have something to shout about, when Oisín Lynch found the net late in the game. 

Clontarf also experienced defeat in their return to Senior 1 football, as they were beaten 2-14 to 1-12 by Cuala.

Charlie Meehan was the Clontarf goalscorer and Kieran McKeon kicked eight points for himself and his club. But 'Tarf could only register one score in the final 15 minutes and Cuala ended up being fairly comfortable victors. 

In the other Group 1 game, St Judes and Cuala will be looking to make it two wins from two when they meet at O’Toole Park on Saturday. 

It’s early days in the Championship, but Judes currently sit on top of the pile thanks to their superior score difference.

Daragh Rooney, Eoin Kenny and Simon King all scored as St Judes turned on the style after the break in their first match.

Kieran Durkan’s men will be full of confidence going into their second game, but know they must pull off a similar performance if they are to beat a tough Cuala side.

Dublin’s Con O’Callaghan was the men from Dalkey’s standout player, scoring 2-4. Niall O’Callaghan also got in on the scoring action, as did Luke Keating, as Cuala made a winning start.

There’s also Group 2 action on Friday night as Group 2 leaders Na Fianna take on Castleknock under the Parnell Park lights.

The northsiders started well in the first game but were hassled by a determined Raheny side as Conor McHugh raised a green flag and David Lacey added four to the Na Fianna tally as they impressed in the first-half. 

They allowed Raheny to creep back into the game and suffered another setback when Vinny Flynn was sent off. However, McHugh added a trio of scores to help Na Fianna over the line. 

Castleknock edged out Lucan Sarsfields 0-17 to 1-12 in the opening weekend and will be ready to test and push Na Fianna all the way on Friday night.

With talent like Ciarán Kilkenny, Ben Galvin and Ger McDermottroe in their ranks, Castleknock will feel confident they can overcome their Mobhi Rd opponents. 

Also featuring in Group 2 are Lucan Sarsfields and Raheny. Both teams suffered narrow defeats last time out and will be hoping to kickstart their championship in Round 2.

Lucan have attacking options such as Harry Ladd and Cathal Kennedy, while Daire Newcombe can provide stability at the back as they look for a first win.

A second-half goal from Sean Grenham brought Raheny back into their tie with Na Fianna, but despite notable efforts by him and Sean Hendrick, they were unable to close in on Na Fianna and pull off a comeback.

The first points of the Championship are up for grabs in the Group 3 encounter between St Sylvesters and Ballyboden St Endas in Balgriffin on Saturday.

Alex Wright impressed last time out for Syls against Ballinteer St Johns, as he rattled the net and then proved he could also send the ball over the black spot when he nailed a handful of frees. Cian Whitney also got in on the scoring action, but the pair couldn’t do enough to stop their side experiencing defeat. 

Ballyboden were agonisingly beaten by a solitary point by Ballymun Kickhams. They lost Cathal Flaherty to a red card on the stroke of half-time before conceding a goal to trail at the break.

A Daire Sweeney 1-1 wasn’t enough to complete a late comeback, as Ballymun held on for the win despite also losing a man when James McCarthy saw red. 

Ballymun will be looking to build on their performance against Ballyboden St Endas and will be hoping captain Dean Rock can carry on from where he left off in his club's first game of the 2024 Championship. 

Fiach Andrews and Cameron McCormack were also lively in that win and will be looking to help their club to the top of Group 3 with a win this Saturday.

Ballinteer St Johns controlled proceedings well in their first game and looked keen to banish memories of their 2023 group stage elimination as they ran out 2-14 to 1-10 winners. Luke Breathnach and Donnacha Carey found the net on either side of half-time and points from Oisín Grady saw St John's home comfortably.

Skerries Harps and Thomas Davis meet in Group 4 looking to bounce back from their defeats in Round 1.

Skerries looked sharp and impressive and really gave defending champions Kilmacud Crokes a scare, as they narrowly lost 2-15 to 3-10 at Parnell Park. 

The Harps made Kilmacud look vulnerable by netting three times in the first half, thanks to a Paddy Kelly brace and a well-taken goal from Eoghan O’Connor Flanagan. 

But in the second-half, Kilmacud pulled away, and Skerries woes worsened when Adam Fearon received his marching orders. 

Killian McGinnis impressed once more by kicking three points, but Crokes managed to keep Skerries at arm's length in the final minutes to hang on for the win.

Conor Guilfoyle is one of the bright sparks on the Thomas Davis panel and he and the likes of his fellow attackers Fionn Murray and Chris Sallier will be looking to get the Tallaght club back to winning ways. 

St Vincents and Kilmacud Crokes go head-to-head at Parnell Park for the right to be sitting on top of Group 4’s perch come Saturday night.

Vinnies are looking to end a long wait for a Go-Ahead Ireland Dublin Senior 1 Football Championship title and showed grit to edge out Thomas Davis in the first round.

Full-forward Cian Dunne brings the action inside the 45’ and his teammates Kalem O’Brien and James McCusker also carry a threat.

Defending Go-Ahead Ireland Dublin Senior 1 Football champions Kilmacud Crokes will be looking to put in a more assured performance as they looked shaky in their clash with Skerries Harps.

However, they showed they have the credentials to win this competition for the fourth year on the trot as they dug deep against tricky opposition.

The experienced Paul Mannion helped lift the reigning champs and a goal from Shane Cunningham kicked the south Dublin side into gear.

Sligo man Paddy O’Connor made his championship debut for his new club and made an instant impact as he contributed three points as Robbie Brennan’s men got off to a winning start.