SHC semi-finals sure to serve up two great duels

Wed, 18th October 2017

Holders Cuala will put their Dublin, Leinster and All-Ireland titles on the line this Sunday when they face St Vincent’s in the Dublin SHC semi-final at Parnell Park (3.45).

The Marino club are chasing a senior championship double with their footballers already through to the SFC decider on Bank Holiday Monday against Ballymun Kickhams (7.0).

The other SHC semi-final pits Lucan Sarsfields against last year’s runners-up Kilmacud Crokes, also in Parnell Park this Sunday (2.0).

Crokes are the only one of the four sides left standing that enjoy a 100 per cent record from their round-robin games and they responded well to a slow start to Na Fianna in their quarter-final.

However, their manager, former Clare senior star Ollie Baker, is hoping they ‘hit the ground running’ this weekend against Lucan Sarsfields.

“We need a quicker start than what we had against Na Fianna and it is never a good thing to go that far behind so early in a match.

“For whatever reason, we just didn’t get going that day and the problem is that you can expend so much energy trying to get back into the game that it can sometimes leave you short in the closing stages.

“Thankfully, we managed to keep the pressure on and were able to dig out the result and in fairness, we were fairly fortunate to get out with the win,” says Ollie.

“Naturally, we will be highly conscious of not having a similar start next Sunday but there’s a huge difference between being aware of the issue and taking steps to ensure that it doesn’t happen again.

“While it wasn’t the ideal circumstances in which we found ourselves, we are experienced enough to know that games last over 60 minutes and that there was no need to panic in that opening quarter.”

The Crokes boss knows his side are facing a side buoyed by their quarter-final victory over Ballyboden St Enda’s.

“Lucan put up a massive performance against Ballyboden the last day and from what I heard, they fully deserved their win.

“It was a very important win for them as they have lost some big matches to Ballyboden in recent years and to get one over on them in a championship knock-out game will do wonders for their confidence.”

Before then the Dublin IHC final takes place this Friday night when Na Fianna encounter Thomas Davis in Parnell Park (7.45).

ROUTES TO DUBLIN SHC SEMI-FINALS

Kilmacud Crokes

Record to date: Beat Setanta (5-20 to 2-10); Beat St Jude’s (2-17 to 2-12); Beat St Vincent’s (0-23 to 2-13); Quarter-final beat Na Fianna (0-17 to 0-15).

Lucan Sarsfields

Record to date: Beat St Brigid’s (0-21 to 0-7); Lost to Naomh Fionnbarra (0-9 to 0-10); Beat Ballinteer St John’s (0-23 to 0-12); Quarter-final beat Ballyboden St Enda’s (2-15 to 0-16).

St Vincent’s

Record to date: Beat St Jude’s (4-21 to 0-15), Beat Setanta (6-26 to 0-9); Lost to Kilmacud Crokes (2-13 to 0-23); Quarter-final beat Craobh Chiaráin (2-14 to 1-10).

Cuala

Record to date: Lost to Ballyboden St Enda’s (0-17 to 1-18); Beat Faughs (1-23 to 0-10); Beat Crumlin (3-23 to 1-12); Quarter-final beat St Brigid’s (3-14 to 2-15).

DUBLIN SHC SEMI-FINALS

SUNDAY

Parnell Park: Kilmacud Crokes v Lucan Sarsfields, 2.0

Parnell Park: Cuala v St Vincent’s, 3.45