Previews: Dublin SHC ‘A’ quarter-finals

It’s knockout stages of the Dublin SHC ‘A’ this weekend with all four quarter-finals taking place at Parnell Park.

Three of the games are live on DubsTV Click here while the Cuala v St Brigid's quarter-final is deferred on TG4 on Sunday. 

Two of the last-eight contests serve up repeats of big contests last year including a repeat of the decider between holders Cuala and St Brigid’s on Sunday (2.0).

The Dalkey side were crowned champions for the seventh time when they overcame the Russell Park outfit, 1-18 to 1-14, in last year’s final adding to the intrigue for Sunday’s showdown.

In that final Willie Maher's men finished the game on top, scoring the last three points of the contest to seal victory with the influential Seán Moran and David Treacy (two frees) on target.

Brigid's, despite the dismissal of Kevin Callaghan in the 53rd minute, trailed by just a point when Johnny McGuirk fired over in the 57th minute but Cuala showed their experience to close out the game.

David Treacy's freetaking steered the way for Cuala, slotting 12 deadballs to punish any indiscretions by Brigid's who were only appearing in their second ever senior hurling final.

They are still awaiting their first title as their previous showing in a county decider also ended in defeat when losing to Craobh Chiaráin back in 2003.

If Cuala concluded the game with scores they also started in the same fashion with Con O'Callaghan scoring a goal in the third minute.

The Dublin senior footballer showed all his scoring instinct by first slipping away from marker Donnacha Ryan before heading for goal and arrowing the sliotar clinically to the net.

However, O'Callaghan was injured in the process and had to be replaced by Nicky Kenny in the eighth minute.

Eight minutes in Cuala were close to hitting a second goal but Mark Schutte was denied by a fine save from Brigid's keeper Alan Nolan. Points from Jake Malone and a successful '65' from David Treacy had Cuala 1-2 to 0-1 up by the 12th minute.

But Brigid's battled back with scores from Daire Plunkett from long range and two frees from Paul Winters.

Cuala forged 1-4 to 0-4 clear towards the conclusion of the opening half with two more Treacy frees but the Russell Park side entered the break on the up after scores from sub Luke Purtill Keith Mullally and Winters (free) to bring the sides level by half-time, 1-4 to 0-7.

Darragh O'Connell scored for Cuala on the restart before the sides shared seven points all from deadball.

Winters (free) and Eoghan Dunne (sideline) for the northsiders with David Treacy on target on five occasions for Cuala as they led 1-10 to 0-9 after 42 minutes.

Twelve minutes from time Keith Mullally's goal, which was quickly followed by a Winters free following a foul on Cian O'Sullivan, increased Brigid's hopes of an upset (1-13 to 1-11).

Mullally was in the right spot at right time to bat to the net as he followed up on a Cian O'Sullivan shot that was brilliantly saved by Seán Brennan.

Following Callaghan’s dismissal Brigid's hit the next two scores courtesy of Winters (free) and McGuirk to trail by the minimum, 1-14 to 1-13, with four minutes of normal time left.

Cuala's Colum Sheanon and Brigid's forward McGuirk exchanged points so with three minutes remaining the game was up for grabs.

But it was to be Cuala's day with the extra man got the vital scores from Seán Moran and David Treacy, two frees following fouls on team captain Colm Cronin and Darragh O'Connell, getting them over the line.

On Saturday St Vincent’s and Ballyboden St Enda’s meet in a repeat of one of last year’s quarter-finals.

It was a high-scoring duel with the Marino side prevailing 1-19 to 2-15 after extra-time.

John Hetherton was the scoring hero for St Vincent’s as his tally of 0-19 (0-16f) saw the Marino outfit to victory at Parnell Park.

It was the powerful Vins forward who forced extra-time, against the championship of last year with an injury-time free, following a foul on Johnny Walsh.

In extra-time he continued to be the most influential player when adding eight points (0-5f) to his haul, including all six points in the second period, to see his side into the semi-final.

St Vincent’s started extra-time in some fashion when a Mark Sweeney shot dropping short was brilliantly whipped to the Boden net, past Gary Maguire, when he doubled overhead on the sliotar.

That gave Vincent’s a 1-20 to 2-14 advantage and Boden could muster just one further score, a Paul Ryan free in the 63^rd minute following a foul on Niall McMorrow.

Conor Burke fired over for Vincent’s before Hetherton concluded the scoring in the first period for his side to hold a five-point lead, 1-23 to 2-15.

In the second period John Hetherton converted three free, all after fouls on Cian McBride, as well as two points from play to lead his side into the last-four.

Saturday’s first quarter-final pits the in-form Na Fianna against Faughs (3.0). The St Mobhi Road men will be buoyed by their victory over Cuala last time out, though both clubs had already booked their knockout berths prior to throw-in.

Faughs were involved in three very well-contested group encounters and enter Saturday’s game following their victory over Brigid’s last time out (0-19 to 1-14).

“Since we got back together in terms of collective training, we have just been focussed on taking each game as it comes,” says Na Fianna manager Niall Ó Ceallacháin.

“We have respected each challenge that has come our way, we approach every game the same in terms of our preparations and next Saturday will be no different.

“The group stage is now finished and we were generally happy with how we performed but there’s still a lot of improvement required from us all over the field.

“Of course, we have had some good spells in games and we can take encouragement from those but there is stuff that still needs working on and that we need to get right for the weekend.

“We have a lot of respect for Faughs and the progress that they have made lately and we are under no illusions as to the challenge that awaits us next weekend.

“The reality is that they have experienced three massively competitive games over the past month, three games that would have brought them on a great deal and beating a team like St Brigid’s will do them the world of good in terms of confidence.

“They have some excellent players that we would be familiar with from having played them plenty of times in the past couple of years and they’ll be really looking forward to the challenge that’s ahead of them.

"The reality is that they’ve beaten the county finalists from last year when they really needed a result and they have a wonderful tradition in this competition that I’m sure they’ll be looking to add to this year.

“We know that we are in for a serious challenge ourselves and our record at this stage over various years hasn’t been great.

“The club haven’t got past the last eight since sometime in the 1980s so that just highlights how difficult it’s going to be for us on Saturday.

“It’s a big game for ourselves and all we can look to do is follow the same path that we’ve been taking since the start of the year.

"The curve is getting steeper all the time and what was good enough in the group stages won’t necessarily work out from this point.

"We’ll just look to improve on the areas that we weren’t too happy with the last day, and if we manage to do that, we’ll let the result take care of itself,” added Niall.

On Sunday Kilmacud Crokes, who have impressed to date in the competition, face Lucan Sarsfields in the second quarter-final at the Donnycarney venue (4.30).

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Dublin SHC ‘A’ quarter-finals

SATURDAY, AUGUST 22

Parnell Park: Na Fianna v Faughs, 3.0

Parnell Park: St Vincent’s v Ballyboden St Enda’s, 5.30

SUNDAY, AUGUST 23

Parnell Park: St Brigid’s v Cuala, 2.0

Parnell Park: Kilmacud Crokes v Lucan Sarsfields, 4.30