ROUND-UP: Go-Ahead Senior 1 Hurling Championship Round 1

Image courtesy: Grainne Mc Kinney

St Vincent’s produced an impressive defensive display in defeating near neighbours Na Fianna by 1-18 to 1-12 in their Go Ahead Dublin Senior 1 Hurling Championship Group 2 clash at Parnell Park on Sunday afternoon. 

It was Na Fianna that made the brighter start with a cracking Shane Barrett goal in the 12^th minute pushing them five points clear but their opponents gradually reeled them in with Conor Burke and Tom Connolly scoring two points apiece.

John Hetherton landed seven first-half points for Vinnies while four frees at the opposite end of the field by Colin Currie saw St Vincent’s enter the break with a marginal 0-11 to 1-7 advantage.

A brace of Hetherton frees and points from James Mulcahy and Connolly inched the Marino side further ahead, scores they required given the 46^th minute dismissal of full-back Mark O’Farrell.

However, Na Fianna were unable to avail of their numerical advantage with Brian Moorhouse Carroll and Sean Lambe shining in the Vinnies defence and they secured the win through a counter-attacking goal in added time by Cian McBride. 

Across the city at O’Toole Park, goals in either half from Conall O’Toole proved pivotal as Cuala defeated St Brigid’s by 2-18 to 0-21 in their Group 1 clash. 

Two early points from Colm Cronin and a free by Sean Brennan handed the Dalkey side the early initiative but a trio of Paul Winters frees ensured St Brigid’s were level by the 7^th minute.

Gradually, St Brigid’s began to take control with Winters, Diarmuid Breslin and Cian O’Sullivan all scoring from play while Cuala kept in the hunt through points by Cronin and Cormac Spain.

Winters scored nine first-half points to keep the Blanchardstown outfit on the front foot but a 24^th minute goal by Conall O’Toole saw Cuala enter the break trailing by the bare minimum (0-12 to 1-8).

The contest remained tight in the second-half with Cronin, Diarmuid Ó Floinn and O’Toole pointing for Cuala while Winters added two frees to his tally.

However, O’Toole scrambled home a second goal in the 40^th minute with two further points by Ó Floinn and a superb save by Brennan in injury time securing a three-point success for Cuala.

The championship commenced on Wednesday evening with Ballyboden St Enda’s finishing strongly to defeat St Oliver Plunkett’s/Eoghan Ruadh by 2-25 to 1-17 at O’Toole Park.

An early Conor Dooley goal set Ballyboden on their way to 1-12 to 0-12 interval lead with their midfielder Niall Ryan impressing with three points from play.

Plunkett’s fought back well after the break, buoyed by a 42^nd minute goal from Ben McSweeney, as they trimmed their deficit to a solitary point with twelve minutes remaining.

However, St Enda’s regained their authority through a well-worked Niall McMorrow goal and eased home by the end thanks to further scores by Niall Ryan, McMorrow, James Madden and Conal Keaney.

On Friday night, an understrength Kilmacud Crokes opened up their championship defence on a negative note, losing to an impressive Lucan Sarsfields by 1-18 to 2-11 at O’Toole Park.

A 7^th minute goal from Ben Coffey into the breeze gave Lucan the perfect start while the free-taking of Sean Harkness ensured their scoreboard kept ticking over as the half progressed.

The holders bounced back through points by Fergal Whitely, Conal Ó Riain and Oisin O’Rorke and a goal from Colin Crehan in the 24^th minute handed them an unconvincing 1-8 to 1-6 interval lead.

So it proved as Lucan resumed in a determined and dominant fashion, hitting five unanswered points through Chris O’Leary, Harkness (2), Evin Dowling and Paul Crummey as their opponents looked bereft of options in the final third.

Fionn Ó Ceallaigh’s goal in the 55^th minute offered hopes of a late Crokes comeback but Lucan finished strongly with Harkness taking his personal tally to 0-11 by the final whistle.

Go Ahead SHC1 Group 1: Lucan Sarsfields 1-18 Kilmacud Crokes 2-11; Cuala 2-18 St Brigid’s 0-21.

Go Ahead SHC1 Group 2: Ballyboden St Enda’s 2-25 St Oliver Plunkett’s/ER 1-17; St Vincent’s 1-18 Na Fianna 1-12.