Round Up: U21 Hurling Championship Opening Round

The Dublin Under 21 ‘A’ Hurling Championship commenced on Saturday afternoon with Raheny securing a place in the last four following their 0-20 to 1-13 victory over Na Fianna at St Mobhi Road.

In what was a solid team display, the contribution of Thomas Hurley proved pivotal for the visitors with the midfielder accumulating sixteen points over the hour, twelve of which coming from placed balls.

The likes of David Fogarty, Brian Dunne and Jamie Kearns impressed in the Raheny defence while Ruairí Kelly, Ryan McGuirk and Ben Kennedy were heavily involved throughout.

Adam McAweeney added two vital points as the contest evolved and Raheny’s winning total was completed with points from Conor Baldwin and Conor White.

In Tymon Park, Faughs delivered a free-flowing performance as they claimed local bragging rights when accounting for St Jude’s by 5-26 to 3-14.

The bulk of the damage was done in the opening half as Faughs went on a scoring spree, building up a healthy 5-14 to 2-13 advantage by the interval.

Eoghan Brennan accounted for two of those goals with the remaining green flags being raised by Liam Mostyn, Conor Brennan and Scott McConnell.

Both Mostyn and Conor Brennan finished the contest with 1-5 to their names and with James O’Brien (0-7) and Mossy Moore (0-4) also contributing heavily on the scoreboard, Faughs pulled way through further scores by influential centre-forward Oisín Walsh and Sean Kenny.

Further down the field, Leo O’Brien was rock solid at full-back while Rory King and Sean McDonald caught the eye in the Faughs half-back line.

Elsewhere, Ballyboden St Enda’s finished strongly when getting the better of St Vincent’s by 1-16 to 1-10 at Páirc Naomh Uinsionn.

Darragh Ormsby top scored with 1-5 for the visitors and with Josh Corcoran adding three points, the visisors did enough to prevail thanks to further scores by Cian Kelly, Fionn Murphy, David Keogh and Kevin Byrne.

In the ‘B’ Championship, Naomh Barróg impressed from the outset as they eased to an impressive 3-20 to 0-12 victory over St Oliver Plunkett’s/Eoghan Ruadh at Martin Savage Park.

The Barróg captain Seán O’Reilly led the way with 1-1 from wing-back with both Finn McDonald and Harry Nolan also finding the back of the Plunkett’s net.

The visitors continued to build un an unassailable lead courtesy of five points from Ruairí McDonald and four Dylan Duggan scores with Nolan plundering an impressive 1-3.

Goalkeeper Podge Ryan excelled between the sticks for the winners while Aodhán Ó Donnchú enjoyed another excellent hour in the Barróg half-back line.

Matters were similarly comfortable at Marley Park as Ballinteer St John’s cruised into the last four following their 5-18 to 0-7 win against Thomas Davis.

The likes of Cormac O’Dwyer, Sean Mulligan and Oisín Grady led the way for the hosts, who built up a healthy lead through a brace of Joey Quirke goals and 1-4 from Luke Breathnach.

U21 ‘A’ HC preliminary round: Cuala 1-15 Lucan Sarsfields 3-29.

U21 ‘A’ HC quarter-finals: Faughs 5-26 St Jude’s 3-14; St Vincent’s 1-10 Ballyboden St Enda’s 1-16; Na Fianna 1-13 Raheny 0-20.

U21 ‘B’ HC preliminary round: Clontarf 2-19 Erin’s Isle 1-12; Fingallians w/o St Vincent’s scr.

U21 ‘B’ HC quarter-finals: St Sylvester’s 2-10 Commercials 3-21; Ballinteer St John’s 5-18 Thomas Davis 0-7; St Oliver Plunkett’s/ER 0-12 Naomh Barróg 3-20.