How Cuala and Brigid’s advanced to Dublin SHC ‘A’ decider

Sat, 19th October 2019

St Brigid’s and Cuala meet on Sunday in the Dublin SHC ‘A’ final at Parnell Park (4.0).

Here we look back on how they advanced through the knockout stages after both emerging from Group 2 of the round-robin group stages

DUBLIN SHC 'A' SEMI-FINAL

CUALA 3-21 ST VINCENT’S 1-16

Cuala moved into the Dublin SHC ‘A’ with confidence after defeating St Vincent’s in their semi-final at Parnell Park.

However, it was Vincent’s who made the dream start when Brian Bolger fired past Seán Brennan inside the opening minute following good approach play by Johnny Walsh.

But Cuala quickly recovered and led 2-13 to 1-6 at the interval after taking control of the contest.

The interplay of Cuala was top class at times and both first half goals concluded with simple finishes as a result of the clever build-up play.

Mark Schutte, whose sporting career has been blighted by injury in recent seasons, top scored for Cuala with 1-3 from play but also played a key role at the fulcrum of their attack.

He was well assisted by Con O’Callaghan up front with the Dublin senior footballer tallying 0-5 from play but could have goaled towards the close of the opening half but drew his shot narrowly wide from close range.

Cuala’s first half goals came through Seán Treacy and Mark Schutte to give Willie Maher’s side a ten-point interval cushion.

But Vincent’s, for whom Conor Burke scored five points from play overall, came storming back early in the second half with four points in quick succession.

Rian McBride and John Hetherton (three, two frees) to reduce the gap to 2-13 to 1-10.

But a Con O’Callaghan point broke Vincent’s chain of scores with Mark Schutte and Nicky Kenny tagging on further Cuala scores.

Before the finish Colm Cronin grabbed Cuala's third goal and they could begin their final preparations.

SCORERS – Cuala: M Schutte 1-3, Con O’Callaghan 0-5, C Cronin 1-2, N Kenny 0-4, D O’Connell 0-3, S Treacy 1-0, C Sheanon 0-2, J Malone, D Treacy (0-1f) 0-1 each. St Vincent’s: C Burke, J Hetherton (0-4f) 0-5 each, B Bolger 1-0, R McBride, C McBride 0-2 each, M Sweeney, J Walsh 0-1 each.

CUALA: S Brennan; Cian O’Callaghan, D O Floinn, O Gough; S Timlin, S Moran, J Malone; S Treacy, C Sheanon; D O’Connell, C Cronin, D Treacy; Con O’Callaghan, N Kenny, M Schutte. Subs: N Waldron for Kenny (47), M Conroy for Cian O’Callaghan (56), C Waldon for Malone (57), L Murphy for C Sheanon (59), E Murphy for Con O’Callaghan (60).

ST VINCENT’S: D de Poire; R Pocock, R Trainor, C Harney; F Power, M O’Farrell, T Connolly; M Sweeney, R McBride; B Bolger, C Burke, J Hetherton; C McBride, W Moloney, J Walsh. Subs: R Fallon for Harney (ht), N Billings for Trainor (43), A Moore for Moloney (47), S McCarry for Bolger (56).

REF: PJ Murray (St Finian’s, Swords).

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DUBLIN SHC ‘A’ SEMI-FINAL

ST BRIGID’S 2-17 CRAOBH CHIARAIN 1-13

St Brigid’s booked their spot in the Dublin SHC ‘A’ final following this deserved seven-point victory over Craobh Chiaráin in this semi-final at Parnell Park.

The Russell Park outfit have never won the SHC title and last competed in a decider in 2003, when beaten by Craobh.

With wind advantage Brigid’s put themselves in a winning position by half-time when leading 2-8 to 0-6 both goals coming in quick succession in the opening half.

Cian O’Sullivan hit the first goal in the 13th minute when he came onto a long diagonal delivery into the right corner-forward position, he still had plenty to do but showed great power and pace to get past Eugene Farrell and Seán Finnegan before angling an unstoppable shot to the roof of Stephen Chester’s net.

Five minute later O’Sullivan muscled onto a breaking ball after Damien O’Reilly had lost his footing, Johnny McGuirk tidied up possession before unselfishly handpassing across the small square to Paul Winters who applied the finish and give his side a 2-2 to 0-2 lead.

Points from Winters, a free following a foul on McGuirk, and O’Sullivan, following good work between Cathal Doyle and the pacey Eoghan Dunne, extended Brigid’s lead.

When Kevin Callaghan pointed from long range the Dublin 15 men were 2-5 to 0-2 clear.

Craobh though battled back with points from Gary Kelly, showing good footwork to create the opportunity, and two Cian Derwin frees.

Derwin added two further frees before the interval but Brigid’s, through Daire Plunkett with a superb score, and two Winters frees were 2-8 to 0-6 clear.

Craobh had to press on in the second period and that allowed the Brigid’s forwards a bit more space in the second half and the likes of Johnny McGuirk and O’Sullivan prospered.

Chiaráins were reduced to 14 men in the 53rd minute when Eugene Farrell was shown a second yellow by ref Sean Stack.

However, Brigid’s keeper Alan Nolan had to be at his best to deny James Finn from close range with five minutes remaining.

The energetic Eoghan Dunne also had a goal opportunity as the game moved into added-time but was denied by the crossbar.

There was a late consolation goal from Craobh in the second minute of injury-time when Derwin’s free from inside his own half on the standside made it all the way to the net after keeper Alan Nolan misjudged the flight.

It was too little too late with McGuirk completing the scoring with a late free following a foul on Dunne.

SCORERS– St Brigid’s: P Winters 1-6 (0-6f), C O’Sullivan 1-2, J McGuirk 0-4 (0-1f), E Dunne 0-2 (0-1 sideline), D Plunkett, M Kavanagh, K Callaghan 0-1 each. Craobh Chiaráin: C Derwin 1-6 (1-5f), B Ryan (0-1f), G Kelly, K Hetherton, C Ryan, A McCrabbe, R Mahon, J Finn 0-1 each.

ST BRIGID’S: A Nolan; E McKeigue; D Ryan, J O’Neill; M Kavanagh, D Plunkett, A Dunphy; K Mulally, C Doyle; C Kellett, E Dunne, K Callaghan; C O’Sullivan, J McGuirk, P Winters. Subs: L Purtill for Callaghan (ht), J O’Connell for Mulally (48), S Dunphy for Kellett (58).

CRAOBH CHIARAIN: S Chester; S Finnegan, E Farrell, Damien O’Reilly; Derek O’Reilly, G Kelly, K Hetherton; C Ryan, A McCrabbe; C Derwin, F Usanga, R Mahon; P Kelly, K McGouran, B Ryan. Subs: A Kenny for Damien O’Reilly (ht), S O’Brien for Derek O’Reilly (41), J Finn for McGouran (50), D Cullen for Finnegan (50), S Kelly for Usanga (62).

REF: S Stack (Parnell’s).

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DUBLIN SHC 'A' QUARTER-FINAL

CUALA 3-18 KILMACUD CROKES 1-11

Con O'Callaghan returned to club action following his All-Ireland SFC winning heroics when scoring 2-3 for Cuala in their Dublin SHC 'A' quarter-final victory over Kilmacud Crokes at Parnell Park.

The dual ace hit two goals inside the opening seven minutes and tallied 2-3 from play in total as well as providing the assist for further scores as Cuala cruised to a 13-point victory.

The Dalkey men, All-Ireland club champions in 2017 and 2018, will face St Vincent's in their semi-final.

Last year Crokes got the better of Cuala at the semi-final stage but after opening well with two fine Fergal Whitely points they were rocked by O'Callaghan's two early goals.

His first goal was the pick of the brace when he powered past Ryan O'Dwyer before unleashing an angled drive to the net. His second was a close range finish following a brilliant run and layoff from Seán Moran.

However, an Eddie Gibbons penalty in the 17th minute left them just a point in arrears, 2-3 to 1-5, despite their poor start.

But Cuala hit the next three points with David Treacy (free), Con O'Callaghan and Darragh O'Connell on target.

Before the interval Willie Maher's side had extended their lead to 2-8 to 1-6 following points from Colum Sheanon and Colm Cronin, Cronin doing well under pressure to get his shot away with accuracy from close range.

Cuala grabbed the opening two points of the second period through a David Treacy '65' and point from play from his brother Seán.

A scoring burst between the 38th and 49th minute put Cuala out of sight as they tagged on 1-6 without reply and almost had another goal but Crokes keeper Matt Collins denied Darragh O'Connell after he was fed on the burst by Con O'Callaghan.

Jake Malone got the goal in this spell when Colum Sheanon did well to tidy up a loose ball before spotting Malone unmarked close to the Kilmacud goal.

Con O'Callaghan, Mark Schutte, Darragh O'Connell and David Treacy (three points, two frees) did the damage for Cuala at this stage and there was no way back for Anthony Daly's side.

SCORERS - Cuala: Con O'Callaghan 2-3, D Treacy 0-9 (0-6f, 0-1 ‘65’), J Malone 1-0, D O'Connell 0-2, M Schutte, S Treacy, C Sheanon, C Cronin 0-1 each. Kilmacud Crokes: E Gibbons 1-6 (0-5f, 1-0 pen), F Whitely 0-3, L McMullen, R O'Carroll 0-1 each.

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DUBLIN SHC ‘A’ QUARTER-FINAL

ST BRIGID’S 2-19 NA FIANNA 2-16

St Brigid's booked their berth in the Dublin SHC 'A' semi-final with this three-point quarter-final victory over Na Fianna in Parnell Park.

The prize for the Russell Park men was a semi-final clash with Craobh Chiaráin which saw Brigid's manager Johnny McGuirk pitted against the club he starred for during his playing career.

McGuirk's son, also Johnny, scored one of Brigid's two goals, his coming five minutes into the second half to give his side a 2-10 to 1-10 advantage after the sides were deadlock, 1-9 each, at the interval.

In this high-scoring duel Brigid's held slightly the upperhand to the finish with Paul Winters, Eoghan Dunne and Cian O'Sullivan doing the scoring as they progressed to the last-four.

By the midpoint of the opening half three Winters scores in succession, including two frees, gave Brigid's a 0-7 to 0-4 lead.

Seán Currie converted his second free of the contest for Na Fianna before Brigid's full-forward Kevin Callaghan fired to the net after being setup by Winters.

AJ Murphy and Cian O'Sullivan exchanged points before brothers Seán (free) and Colin Currie were on target for Na Fianna.

Eoghan McHugh closed the gap to two points before Dublin senior Donal Burke rattled the net following good work by Murphy to put Na Fianna in front, 1-9 to 1-8.

In first half added time Winters pointed to leave it all square at half-time.

Winters and McHugh had both added points for their respective sides before McGuirk hit Brigid's second goal.

With ten minutes remaining an AJ Murphy goal brought Na Fianna right back into contention as they trailed 2-16 to 2-15.

But crucially Brigid's got the next two scores, both from Cian O'Sullivan.

Murphy, who tallied 1-4 from play, was on target again before Winters made sure of victory for Brigid's with the concluding point of this duel.

SCORERS – St Brigid’s: P Winters 0-9 (0-5f), C O’Sullivan 0-5, E Dunne 0-4 (0-1 sline), K Callaghan, J McGuirk 1-0 each, A Murphy 0-1. Na Fianna: S Currie 0-8 (0-7f), AJ Murphy 1-4, E McHugh 0-3, D Burke 1-0, C Currie 0-1.

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ROUTE TO SHC 'A' FINAL

CUALA

DUBLIN SHC ‘A’ SEMI-FINAL

6 October Parnell Park Cuala 3-21 St Vincent’s 1-16

DUBLIN SHC 'A' QUARTER-FINAL

22 September Parnell Park Cuala 3-18 Kilmacud Crokes 1-11

ROUND-ROBIN GROUP 2

7 September O'Toole Park Cuala 1-32 Ballinteer St John's 0-6

17 April Monastery Road Cuala 2-27 St Jude's 0-16

6 April O'Toole Park Cuala 3-26 St Brigid's 1-13

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