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Image Courtesy Eamon O'Callaghan
The Go-Ahead Ireland Dublin Senior 1 Hurling Championship commenced over the weekend with holders Na Fianna getting their title defence off to a wining start when overcoming St Jude’s by 2-26 to 1-19 at Parnell Park on Saturday afternoon.
An 8th minute goal from Dublin Under 20 attacker Callum Graham helped settle St Jude’s but a goal seven minutes later by Seán Currie allowed Na Fianna to build a 1-14 to 1-11 lead at half-time.
The All-Ireland champions, understandably not at the pitch of earlier in the year, were buoyed by a 37th minute goal from wing-back Liam Stacey and with Jack Meagher excelling with six points from play and Colin Currie adding 0-11, they eased home by the final whistle.
Earlier in the day, Lucan Sarsfields pulled away in the second-half on their way to an ultimately comfortable 1-24 to 0-16 win against Craobh Chiaráin.
It was Lucan that entered the break leading by 0-11 to 0-10 with Cian Derwin keeping Craobh in the hunt when landing six points in that opening period.
However, a lively start to the second-half from Sarsfields resulted in Paul Crummey’s 36thminute goal while Ben Coffey took his personal tally to ten points by the final whistle.
Across in O’Toole Park, Kilmacud Crokes recovered from a nine-point interval deficit to edge St Brigid’s by 3-20 to 2-17.
St Brigid’s made the most of the elements in their favour initially with Cian O’Sullivan and Paul Winters wreaking havoc up front and they deservedly led by 1-15 to 1-6 at half-time with O’Sullivan’s goal cancelled out before the break by his Dublin teammate Ronan Hayes.
Crokes improved immeasurably upon the restart through points from Oisín O’Rorke, Conal Ó Riain, Fergal Whitely, Mark Grogan and Brendan Kenny with a Michael Roche goal levelling matters by the end of the third quarter.
Eddie Gibbons saved a Winters penalty at this juncture and Kilmacud availed of this let-off to confirm their win through a second Hayes goal.
The first part of the doubleheader saw Ballyboden St Enda’s turn on the style in the second-half as they overcame Naomh Barróg by 3-25 to 1-17.
Niall Ryan plundered a brace of goals for Boden and with Fionn Murphy adding 1-5, they ensured an opening day win thanks to influential displays from Niall McMorrow, Conor Dooley and David Gleeson.
The action commenced on Friday night as John Hetherton scored 2-4 from play when helping St Vincent’s to ease past 14-man St Oliver Plunkett’s/Eoghan Ruadh by 6-27 to 1-19 in Parnell Park.
The writing was on the wall by half-time as the Marino outfit led by 4-12 to 1-8 with two James Mulcahy goals augmented by further goals from Hetherton and Thomas Connolly.
There was scant respite for Plunkett’s in the second-half as Connolly and Hetherton doubled their goal tallies to leave them comfortable winners by the final whistle.
Later that night, Whitehall Colmcille proved too strong for a disappointing Cuala, finishing strongly to claim an 0-24 to 0-18 win.
Cuala led by 0-14 to 0-12 at the break thanks largely to the free-taking of Donal O’Shea but with them reduced to twelve players by the end following the second-half dismissals of Cillian Sheanon, Jake Malone and Jack Twomey, Whitehall took full advantage with Paddy Spellacy proving their match-winner with 0-14.
Go-Ahead Ireland SHC1 Group 1: Ballyboden St Enda’s 3-25 Naomh Barróg 1-17; Craobh Chiaráin 0-16 Lucan Sarsfields 1-24; Na Fianna 2-26 St Jude’s 1-19.
Go-Ahead Ireland SHC1 Group 2: St Vincent’s 6-27 St Oliver Plunkett’s/ER 1-19; Cuala 0-18 Whitehall Colmcille 0-24; Kilmacud Crokes 3-20 St Brigid’s 2-17.