Preview: Go-Ahead Ireland Senior 1 Hurling Semi Finals

By Conor Martin 

It’s semi-final Sunday this weekend in the Go-Ahead Ireland Senior 1 Hurling Championship! 

Four clubs will battle it out at Parnell Park for a place in the Final in two weeks time. 

Kilmacud Crokes and Lucan Sarsfields are the two sides throwing in Sunday's Senior 1 hurling action when they meet at 2pm. 

Crokes advanced straight into the semi-finals after they won Group 1, thanks to a better score advantage despite finishing on the same amount of points as Lucan Sarsfields, and the two teams picked up two wins and two draws in their Group 1 campaign.

Kilmacud and Lucan played out a thrilling draw in their group game, which saw Sarsfields' Charlie Keher level with a last-gasp point to claim a share of the spoils. 

Kilmacud were last crowned champions in 2022 and will want to add a ninth senior title to their roll of honour this year. 

They won a very tough Group 1 this year- and they did so unbeaten and with a points difference of +32. 

Oisin O’Rorke has been in fine form this Championship for the Stillorgan club, as has Conal Ó Riain alongside the talents of Brian Hayes and Fergal Whitely and they’ll look towards the likes of the aforementioned if they’re to keep their Championship ambitions alive this weekend. 

Lucan are looking to win the Go-Ahead Ireland Dublin Senior 1 Hurling Championship for the first time and went out of the Championship at this stage last year.

Charlie Carter’s men enjoyed a solid Group 1 campaign and pulled off one of the results of the 2024 championship, beating defending champions Na Fianna in dramatic style before they beat Whitehall Colmcille in the quarter final. 

Ciaran Dowling and Ben Coffey are two attacking threats that Kilmacud need to keep quiet this weekend and given their last encounter, expect a close-fought tie this weekend with everything to play for!

St Vincents and Na Fianna play in Sunday’s second semi-final for the last place in the Championship’s finale. 

Vinnies cruised straight into the semi-finals winning Group 2 with three wins and a draw to their name. Captain John Hetherton has been crucial this Championship, most notably with his clinical free-taking.

Conor Burke and Oisin Mulcahy will also be ones to watch as the Marino club, who have 13 senior hurling titles to their name, look to take one step closer to ending a 31-year wait for hurling glory to return to Pairc Naomh Uinsionn.

After being the bridesmaid on one too many occasions, the men from Mobhi Road finally got to have their day in the sun when they became senior hurling county champions last year.

Niall O Ceallacháin’s men were unbeaten in the Championship until their final group game, where they lost to Lucan Sarsfields.

In the quarter finals, they recovered from their defeat against Lucan with a 4-26 to 2-14 win over Ballyboden St Endas. Gavin King, Ciaran Stacey and AJ Murphy were on form in that clash and will be crucial in Na Fianna's bid to reach a fourth consecutive County Final this weekend, as will the likes of Sean & Colin Currie. 

Skippered by the talented Dónal Burke, Na Fianna will now look to use the momentum from their quarter-final win in this weekend’s semi as they look to defend their senior crown.