U21 Hurling Championship Roundup

Faughs advanced to the final of the Dublin Under 21 ‘A’ Hurling Championship following their thrilling victory on penalties over near neighbours Ballyboden St Enda’s at Páirc Uí Mhurchú on Saturday afternoon.

It was left to James O’Brien to convert the winning penalty in sudden death with Liam Mostyn, Eoghan Brennan, Kevin Hogan and Scott McConnell also finding the net in a dramatic conclusion between these local rivals.

An early goal saw the hosts take control of matters as they built up a five-point lead by the 8^th minute before O’Brien finally opened the Faughs account with a point from play two minutes later.

A goal in the 20^th minute from Conor Brennan helped settle the visitors and a penalty from O’Brien in added time saw Faughs limit their deficit to the bare minimum (2-5 to 2-4) by half-time.

Points by Sean Kenny and Conor Kenny, along with O’Brien’s contribution from placed balls, allowed Faughs to take the lead and while Conor Brennan edged them two points clear approaching added time, Boden converted two late frees to leave the sides deadlocked at 2-13 apiece by full-time.

The hosts maintained that momentum in extra-time as they moved three points clear but a brace of points from Eoghan Brennan and further scores by Mostyn and O’Brien ensured the lottery of penalties as the contest concluded at 2-19 apiece.

O’Brien finished the contest with 1-10 to his name with the winners best served by the displays of Sean McDonald, Conor Kenny, McConnell and Oisín Walsh.

It proved similarly tight at the 12^th Lock as Lucan Sarsfields progressed to the last four and a date with Raheny after a narrow 1-20 to 0-22 win against Kilmacud Crokes.

The free-taking of Seán Harkness proved central to Lucan’s success with the talented attacker accounting for nine of Lucan’s scores.

David Mulqueen pounced for the game’s solitary goal in addition to scoring two points and with the influential Brendan Kavanagh adding four points, Lucan did just enough to prevail thanks to further scores by Darragh Lyons, Cathal Kennedy, Ryan Clancy and Darragh Meehan.

For Crokes, Sean Purcell, Conal Ó Riain and Conor Hughes shared the bulk of the points but their scores and the efforts of David Lucey, Brendan Kenny, Luke Walsh and captain Breandán Ó Conaill saw them fall just short by the final whistle.

In the ‘B’ Championship, Clontarf secured their place in the last four as they overcame Fingallians by 4-11 to 1-12 at Lawless Park.

The contest was evenly contested all the way through the first-half with points from Paddy McKeon and a Sean O’Grady goal seeing the visitors enter the break on level terms at 1-7 apiece.

Clontarf began to take control of matters upon the restart through the defensive efforts of Harry Digan, Paddy O’Grady and Jack Higgins while Sean Byrne also impressed over the hour.

At the opposite end of the field, they put distance between the sides through goals from Donagh Murphy, Andrew Keegan and a McKeon penalty, booking a semi-final date against Naomh Barróg in the process.

U21 ‘A’ HC quarter-final: Lucan Sarsfields 1-20 Kilmacud Crokes 0-22.

U21 ‘A’ HC semi-final: Ballyboden St Enda’s 2-19 Faughs 2-19 AET. Faughs won 5-4 on penalties.

U21 ‘B’ HC quarter-final: Fingallians 1-12 Clontarf 4-11.

U21 ‘B’ HC semi-final: Ballinteer St John’s v Commercials OFF.

U21 ‘C’ HC quarter-final: O’Toole’s 1-10 Castleknock 0-19.

U21 ‘C’ HC semi-final: Naomh Mearnóg 5-14 St Brigid’s 0-10.