Dublin Senior Hurlers - The Road to 1A

The Dublin Senior Hurlers secured promotion to Division 1B of the Allianz League for 2027 last weekend, with victory over Carlow.

A Division 1B League Final awaits against Clare in Limerick on Easter Sunday.

Here's how our Senior Hurlers made it to 1A!

NHL1B

Round 1: 25th January 2026, Zimmer Biomat Cusack Park

DUBLIN 1-22 CLARE 3-18

A daunting opener for Dublin and they more than held their own with Brian Hayes excelling with 1-3 but Clare’s ability to find the net proved the difference as they prevailed through goals from Tony Kelly, David Reidy and Peter Duggan.    

Scorers – Dublin: D Burke 0-11 (Pen, 9f); B Hayes 1-3; A Dunphy, C Donohue, C O’Sullivan 0-2 each; C Burke, D Purcell 0-1 apiece. Clare: M Rodgers 0-11 (9f); T Kelly 1-3; D Reidy, P Duggan 1-0 each; D Lohan, D Fitzgerald, S Meehan, D Stritch 0-1 each. 

Dublin: S Brennan; J Bellew, P Smyth, E O’Donnell; C Burke, C Crummey, A Dunphy; C Donohoe, C Groake; B Hayes, C O’Sullivan, D Power; D Burke, R Hayes, D Ó Dúlaing. Subs: D Keogh for Power (33), D Purcell for Ó Dúlaing (41), C Ó Riain for Keogh (57), D Lucey for C Burke (66).

Clare: E Quilligan; R Hayes, C Cleary, A Hogan; C Malone, D Ryan, C Galvin; D Lohan, R Taylor; D Fitzgerald, T Kelly, P Duggan; D Reidy, M Rodgers, S Meehan. Subs: D Stritch for Reidy (46), J O’Neill for Fitzgerald (56), N O’Farrell for Duggan (59), J Conneally for Galvin (59), C O’Meara for Lohan (70).  

Referee: Shane Hynes (Galway).

Round 2: 31st January 2026, Parnell Park

DUBLIN 2-19 KILDARE 0-11 

Dublin secured their first win of the campaign as a couple of early Ronan Hayes goals put them on their way to a comfortable win as they faced a Kildare team playing above Division 2 for the first time since 1980.

Scorers – Dublin: D Burke 0-11 (7f, 3 ‘65’); R Hayes 2-0; D Purcell, C Ó Riain 0-2 each; B Hayes, D Power, D Ó Dúlaing, C Kennedy 0-1 apiece. Kildare: J Sheridan 0-9 (7f, 1 ‘65’); C McCabe (f), G Keegan 0-1 apiece.

Dublin: E Gibbons; J Bellew, P Smyth, E O’Donnell; A Dunphy, C Crummey, C Burke; C Donohoe, C Groarke; B Hayes, D Burke, D Power; D Ó Dúlaing, R Hayes, D Purcell. Subs: C Ó Riain for Donohoe (43), C Kennedy for Groarke (48), S Gallagher for O’Donnell (61), T Brennan for Ó Dúlaing (64), J Madden for Purcell (68).    

Kildare: P McKenna; D O’Meara, R Boran, S Leacy; P Dolan, Cian Boran, L O’Reilly; A Goss, C McCabe; D Guerin, G Keegan, C Dowling; J Sheridan, M Curtin, J Dolan. Subs: J Travers for J Dolan (half-time), Conan Boran for Goss (51), C Smith for Dowling (59), C Derivan for O’Meara (63), T Ryan for Curtin (68).          

Referee: James Owens (Wexford).

Round 4: 21st February 2026, Croke Park

DUBLIN 4-19 WEXFORD 3-22

After a three-week break, Dublin’s clash with Wexford always looked pivotal and they held the early lead through goals from Cian O’Sullivan and John Hetherton. However, with both Conor Groarke and Paddy Smyth seeing red, the hosts secured a precious draw through a point by captain Chris Crummey deep into injury time. 

Scorers – Dublin: D Burke 1-9 (1-0pen, 0-7f, 0-1 ’65); J Hetherton 2-0; C O’Sullivan 1-1; F Whitely, B Hayes 0-2 each; J Bellew, E O’Donnell, C Crummey, C Groarke, C Donohoe 0-1 apiece. Wexford: S Roche 0-10 (7f, 1 ’65); K Foley 2-0; C Hearne 0-4; L Chin 1-1 (1-0pen); M Fanning (f), D Carley, D Reck, Darren Codd, R Banville, T Kinsella, R Higgins 0-1 apiece. 

Dublin: S Brennan; J Bellew, P Smyth, E O’Donnell; A Dunphy, C Crummey, C Burke; C Groarke, D Power; F Whitely, B Hayes, D Burke; J Hetherton, R Hayes, C O’Sullivan. Subs: C Donohoe for Power (half-time), D Ó Dúlaing for Whitely (53), D Purcell for R Hayes (62), C Ó Riain for O’Sullivan (69).     

Wexford: M Fanning; D Carley, C Foley, S Donohoe; D Reck, R Lawlor, E Wickham; C Hearne, David Codd; Darren Codd, S Roche, L Chin; R Banville, K Foley, T Kinsella. Subs: R Higgins for Kinsella (44), D O’Leary for Wickham (49), J Byrne for Darren Codd (59), C Byrne for Banville (71).   

Referee: Michael Kennedy (Tipperary).

Round 5: 1st March 2026, Corrigan Park, Belfast

DUBLIN 1-31 ANTRIM 1-16

Dublin raced out of the blocks to seize the initiative with Fergal Whitely and Dara Purcell to the fore and a goal early in the second-half by Crummey saw the Dubs ease home by the final whistle. 

Scorers – Dublin: D Burke 0-8 (4f, 1 ‘65); F Whitely 0-5; C Crummey 1-1; D Purcell, C O’Sullivan 0-4 each; J Madden, R Hayes 0-2 each; P Smyth, C Burke, B Hayes; J Hetherton, D Ó Dúlaing 0-1 apiece. Antrim: S Elliott 0-8 (7f); R Donaghy 1-1; K Molloy 0-3; J McNaughton (1f), C Johnston 0-2 each.  

Dublin: S Brennan; C Groarke, P Smyth, E O’Donnell; A Dunphy, C Crummey, C Burke; B Hayes, C Donohoe; F Whitely, D Burke, J Madden; D Purcell, J Hetherton, C O’Sullivan. Subs: D Ó Dúlaing for Hetherton (43), C McHugh for Groarke (43), J Bellew for Smyth (58), C Ó Cathasaigh for O’Donnell (61), R Hayes for O’Sullivan (65).  

Antrim: D Nugent; S Rooney, N O’Connor, P Burke; E McFerran, G Walsh, J Maskey; R McCambridge, P Boyle; K Molloy, C Johnston, R Donaghy; S Elliott, J McNaughton, S Walsh. Subs: E O’Neill for S Walsh (47), J McCloskey for Elliott (62), S Duffin for Boyle (62), J McLaughlin for McCambridge (68).   

Referee: Brian Keon (Galway).  

Round 6: 7th March 2026, Parnell Park

DUBLIN 6-32 DOWN 0-18

The final scoreline was an accurate barometer of Dublin’s dominance as they led by 3-15 to 0-11 by half-time with a brace of Hetherton goals augmented by another from Diarmaid Ó Dúlaing. 

Further goals from Purcell and Paddy Dunleavy in the opening ten minutes of the second-half continued the procession with Whitely adding a sixth goal in the 68th minute. 

Scorers – Dublin: J Hetherton 2-3; D Burke 0-8 (6f); D Purcell 1-5; F Whitely, D Ó Dúlaing1-2 each; D Power 0-4; P Dunleavy 1-0; B Kenny 0-3; D Keogh 0-2; C Burke, C Crummey, S Gallagher 0-1 apiece. Down: P Sheehan 0-7 (5f, 1 ’65); D Sands 0-3; F Turpin 0-3; C Taggart, L Savage, T Prenter, S Pucci, T McGrattan 0-1 apiece.  

Dublin: E Gibbons; J Bellew, C McHugh, C Kennedy; P Dunleavy, C Crummey, C Burke; D Power, C Ó Riain; F Whitely, D Burke, J Madden; D Purcell, J Hetherton, D Ó Dúlaing. Subs: D Keogh for Ó Riain (half-time), P Doyle for Madden (half-time), B Kenny for D Burke (48), S Gallagher for Crummey (51), D Lucey for McHugh (60). 

Down: P Smyth; N McFarland, R McCrickard, B Teggert; B Trainor, C Taggart, L Savage; D Hughes, T Prenter; F Turpin, P Sheehan, D Sands; E Pucci, S Pucci, T McGrattan. Subs: M Dorrian for McGrattan (half-time), M Fisher for Teggart (24), B Christie for Prenter (51), C Coleman for E Pucci (51), C Cassidy for McCrickard (60), S McCarthy for Sheehan (Temp, 71).    

Referee: Colm McDonald (Antrim).  

Round 7: 21st March 2026, Netwatch Cullen Park

DUBLIN 0-34 CARLOW 2-14

Given their healthy points difference, Dublin just needed a win of any kind to secure their return to NHL1A and they duly delivered with Whitely top scoring on a day in which fourteen separate players contributed on the scoreboard. 

Scorers – Dublin: F Whitely 0-5; J Hetherton, D Ó Dúlaing (3f) 0-4 each; C O’Sullivan (1f), D Power 0-3 each; D Purcell, C Burke, P Doyle, C Crummey, C Donohoe, D Keogh 0-2 each; D Burke (1f), P Smyth 0-1, C Groarke 0-1 apiece. Carlow: M Kavanagh 1-3 (0-2f); C Nolan 1-2 (0-1f); D Murphy, C Whelan, F Fitzpatrick 0-2 each; T Joyce, F O’Toole, J Nolan 0-1 each.

Dublin: S Brennan; C McHugh, P Smyth, E O’Donnell; P Doyle, C Crummey, A Dunphy; C Burke, B Hayes; F Whitely, D Burke, D Power; D Purcell, J Hetherton, C O’Sullivan. Subs: D Ó Dúlaing for D Burke (half-time), C Groarke for Dunphy (half-time), S Gallagher for C Burke (Temp, 43-45), C Donohoe for Purcell (53), D Keogh for Hayes (62), Gallagher for Crummey (67).    

Carlow: K Foley; C Fitzpatrick, D Wall, P Doyle; E Kealy, K McDonald, F O’Toole; C Whelan, F Fitzpatrick; J Treacy, D Murphy, John Doyle; R Coady, M Kavanagh, C Nolan. Subs: T Joyce for John Doyle (half-time), C Kehoe for Murphy (50), James Doyle for Kavanagh (50), C Beck for Kealy (54), J Nolan for Whelan (57).  

Referee: Shane Hynes (Galway).