ROUND UP: GO-AHEAD IRELAND SENIOR 1 HURLING CHAMPIONSHIP ROUND 2

Picture courtesy Grainne McKinney 

The clash of holders Na Fianna and Kilmacud Crokes was the pick of the Round 2 fixtures in the Go-Ahead Ireland Dublin Senior 1 Hurling Championship and the teams didn’t disappoint as they played out a thrilling 3-14 to 0-23 draw in their Group 1 clash at Parnell Park on Saturday afternoon.

With the wind at their backs, it was Kilmacud that enjoyed the greater amounts of possession but their struggles at the back were seized upon by a goal-hungry attack.

Colin Currie set the tone with a goal in the opening minute from Ciaran Stacey’s pass and another green flag was raised in the 19^th minute as Currie returned the compliment for Stacey to fire past the exposed Eddie Gibbons in the Crokes goal.

Kilmacud stayed well in contention through seven Oisin O’Rorke points and two apiece by Caolan Conway and Brian Hayes but a goal in added time by Gavin King saw Na Fianna edge into a 3-5 to 0-13 interval lead.

Points from Hayes, Brendan Kenny, Michael Roche and O’Rorke allowed Crokes to push three points clear by the 39^th minute but Na Fianna improved significantly thanks to the introduction of Jack Meagher off the bench.

Meagher picked off two excellent points, curbing Hayes’ influence in the process, and late scores by Currie and Joe Kavanagh looked to have sealed Na Fianna’s comeback before Kilmacud deservedly picked up a share of the spoils thanks to Mark Grogan and a late, late O’Rorke free.

The curtain-raiser in Donnycarney saw St Vincent’s complete their second successive win in Group 2 as they pipped Ballyboden St Enda’s by 0-17 to 0-15.

The contest lacked the customary bite of championship fare as four placed balls by Paul Ryan and two points from play by Niall McMorrow helped Boden to a narrow 0-8 to 0-7 advantage by half-time.

Simon Lambert popped over a brace of points within five minutes of the restart to leave St Enda’s three points to the good but with Darach McBride sparking at the opposite end of the field, Vinnies began to assume control of matters.

Ballyboden edged back in front through Ryan and Jack Lambert but a string of five unanswered scores that included three John Hetherton frees proved telling as St Vincent’s saw the game out comfortably with Conor Burke an influential presence at centre-back.

The tightness of the exchanges in Parnell Park were mirrored over in O’Toole Park as Lucan Sarsfields and Cuala drew by 1-16 to 0-19 in their Group 1 encounter.

Ben Coffey was in inspirational form for Lucan, amassing 1-11 of his team’s total but points from Liam Murphy and Jamie Conroy, allied to an excellent performance at centre-back from Diarmuid Ó Floinn saw Cuala gain a deserved draw.

The earlier match in Kimmage also saw an equitable conclusion as Cian Derwin converted a late free to ensure a 0-16 apiece draw for Craobh Chiaráin against St Jude’s.

John Carty opened the scoring for Jude’s inside ten seconds as his side moved three points clear early in the half but Craobh were never out of the hunt with Derwin (0-7) and Billy Ryan (0-5) keeping their scoreboard ticking over.

Joe McManus top scored with 0-9 (7f) with Carty chipping in with an impressive four points from play but further points by Ciaran Mangan, Ciaran McLoughlin and Kevin Lahiff were not enough to see them over the line, thanks to Derwin’s late intervention.

SHC1 Group 1: Na Fianna 3-14 Kilmacud Crokes 0-23; Lucan Sarsfields 1-16 Cuala 0-19.

SHC1 Group 2: Ballyboden St Enda’s 0-15 St Vincent’s 0-17; St Jude’s 0-16 Craobh Chiaráin 0-16.