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CUALA 0-22
ST BRIGID’S 0-21
Image courtesy Cliona Mellett
An injury-time free from Donal O’Shea proved pivotal as Cuala pipped St Brigid’s by the narrowest of margins in Group 2 of the Go-Ahead Ireland Dublin Senior 1 Hurling Championship at Parnell Park on Saturday afternoon.
It was Cuala that enjoyed the narrowest of leads at half-time with two points from play apiece by Jamie Conroy, David Treacy and Diarmaid Ó Floinn eking out an 0-12 to 0-11 interval advantage.
It remained tense throughout the second-half but a brace of scores from O’Shea in added time edged Cuala to a crucial first win in this year’s championship, despite Cian O’Sullivan scoring six points from play for St Brigid’s.
There was little to separate the sides initially as Cuala’s Conroy and Cian O’Sullivan of St Brigid’s traded early scores with Treacy and O’Sullivan doing likewise by the 3rd minute.
A Paul Winters free edged St Brigid’s in front three minutes later but the influential Conroy levelled matters and he could well have netted but for a superb diving stop by Alan Nolan in the 8th minute.
O’Shea converted the resultant ‘65’ and a more assured Cuala pushed three points clear by the 12th minute following a Ó Floinn brace from centre-back and another O’Shea score.
O’Sullivan oozed class throughout and popped over two further scores for St Brigid’s in quick succession but they were struggling to make much of an impression up front as they fell further behind to scores from Jack Twomey and Con O’Callaghan.
St Brigid’s finally got to grips with matters towards the end of the half with Diarmuid Breslin catching the eye with two scores but a late Jake Malone point at the opposite end left Cuala holding the slimmest of leads by the break.
The tightness continued in the early stages of the second-half as Conroy and Winters traded points before the latter restored parity in the 35th minute when converting a free from his own ‘45’ line.
However, Cuala began to re-establish control as two O’Shea frees sandwiched Conroy’s fourth score from play as they pushed three points clear by the 41st minute.
An inspirational score from O’Sullivan, who tracked back to dispossess Conroy and split the uprights from under the stand preceded points from Winters (free) and Conor Tierney as Brigid’s trailed by just a point at the end of the third quarter.
The ebb and flow continued unabated as a superb Tierney point edged Brigid’s back in front but in a frantic conclusion, O’Shea settled the issue with the share of the spoils looking the most likely outcome.
Scorers – Cuala: D O’Shea 0-8 (5f, 1 ‘65’); J Conroy 0-5; D Ó Floinn, Con O’Callaghan, D Treacy 0-2 each; J Twomey, J Malone, C Sheanon 0-1 apiece. St Brigid’s: P Winters 0-8 (6f); C O’Sullivan 0-6; D Breslin, C Tierney 0-2 each; J McGuirk, L Doolin, E Healy 0-1 apiece.
Cuala: S Brennan; C Groarke, E O’Callaghan, S Roche; S Moran, D Ó Floinn, M Conroy; J Twomey, J Conroy; J Malone, D Treacy, D O’Shea; L Murphy, Con O’Callaghan, C Sheanon. Subs: Cian O’Callaghan for Twomey (39), C O’Toole for Treacy (39), K Kirwan for Sheanon (64).
St Brigid’s: A Nolan; E Leen, D Ryan, B O’Sullivan; A Dunphy, C Doyle, J Hannon; J McGuirk, L Doolin; C O’Sullivan, P Winters, E Healy; C Tierney, D Breslin, A McGuirk. Subs: M Coyne for Doolin (39), M Kavanagh for Healy (47), S Meagher for A McGuirk (59), B Moran for Doyle (63).
Referee: PJ Murray (St Finian’s Swords).