PREVIEW: Na Fianna v Raharney- AIB Leinster Senior Club Hurling Quarter Final

Wed, 8th November 2023

By Conor Martin

Na Fianna take on Raharney in the AIB Leinster Club Senior Hurling Quarter-Final this Sunday, as they look to continue their successful 2023 season.

The Glasnevin men ended their long wait for the Dublin hurling crown last month, when they comfortably beat Ballyboden St Endas by 16 points in the climax of the Go-Ahead Dublin Senior 1 Hurling Championship.

After getting through the group, Niall Ó Ceallacháin's men met their nemesis from recent years, Kilmacud Crokes, who had beaten them in the 2021 & 2022 finals in the last eight.

They put four goals past the south Dublin club, as they edged out the defending champions by two and put the demons from those final defeats to rest.

After beating Lucan Sarsfields in the semi-finals, Na Fianna would make sure glory wouldn’t pass them again. The two Currie brothers were in red-hot form, as they led Na Fianna’s charge to a first-ever title.

Seán Currie scored 2-5, while Colin picked up 0-10 for himself to help decide the game well before the final whistle.

Westmeath Senior A Hurling Championship winners Raharney bounced back from an opening round defeat to Castlepollard and won their remaining four group matches to top the group and head straight into the final.

A dramatic injury-time goal from Killian Doyle would see Raharney break the hearts of their Lough Lene Gaels opposition as they claimed their 15th senior Westmeath title.

Doyle will be the man Na Fianna must keep on the tight leash this weekend. Throughout the 2023 Championship, he scored 1-49 and 1-11 in the final alone. Eoin Keyes is another threat in front of the posts the Dubliners need to keep an eye on.

Na Fianna can call upon the Curries and the firepower of AJ Murphy. They also have Kevin and Sean Burke at the back to silence the Raharney attack as they look to progress in Leinster.