Kilmacud Crokes top Group 1 after strong finish against Na Fianna

KILMACUD CROKES 4-17

NA FIANNA 1-16

Kilmacud Crokes completed their fifth successive victory in Group 1 of the PTSB Dublin Senior 1 Hurling Championship when finishing strongly to overcome Na Fianna by a flattering ten-point margin at Parnell Park on Saturday afternoon.  

Both teams had already secured their qualification for the knockout stages prior to the final group matches with Kilmacud taking a 1-10 to 0-8 interval lead with Alex Considine’s goal and Brian Ryan’s dismissal all happening in injury-time.

Eoghan McHugh and Dara Purcell traded goals midway through the third quarter while Crokes put the icing on the cake courtesy of goals in added time from Ger Veale and Ronan Hayes.     

We were treated to a glut of scores in the early stages with Ronan Hayes opening the scoring inside thirty seconds before Dara Purcell showed blistering pace to double the Crokes lead soon after.

John Tierney replied with a brace of scores for the holders and with Ryan cancelling out a Caolán Conway score, Na Fianna edged in front through a Sean Currie free in the 7th minute.

Crokes stayed in touch through first-quarter points by Tom Stakelum and Alex Considine and they deservedly drew level in the 16th minute as David Lucey charged forward from corner-back before splitting the uprights.

A brilliant Considine strike from under the stand edged Kilmacud back in front in an instant and Crokes were beginning to enjoy a dominance of sorts as Purcell added his second point to keep his side on the front foot.

With tempers raising on both sides, it wasn’t too surprising to see a red card brandished by referee Eamonn Dromgoole English with Na Fianna’s Brian Ryan shown the line after two needless bookings in quick succession.

Hayes converted a free two minutes into added time before Considine was on hand to crash home a rebound past Jonno Tracey after the Na Fianna goalkeeper had repelled Ben Lynch’s earlier effort.   

A brave Eddie Gibbons save to deny Currie helped preserve Kilmacud’s buffer in the early stages of the second-half before Hayes landed two points from placed balls to reaffirm his side’s control.

From that position of supremacy, Crokes showed some fragility in their full-back line as they failed to deal with a Conor Kelly delivery from deep and Eoghan McHugh picked up the pieces superbly to crash home past Gibbons.

That goal proved a short-lived lifeline for Na Fianna and they proved architects in their own downfall as Conor McHugh played a dangerous ball across his own fourteen-yard line and Purcell used his pace to telling effect to poked home from close range.  

That goal seemed to have a deflating effect on the contest, from a Crokes perspective at least, as they began to rack up some uncharacteristic wides while a trio of unanswered Currie frees helped add momentum to Na Fianna’s comeback ambitions.

Another trio of Currie points brought the Glasnevin side to within two points by the 57th minute but their challenge unravelled from that juncture as Brendan Kenny popped over two points before Cian Ó Cathasaigh’s storming run culminated in Veale firing home past Tracey.  

There was sufficient time for Hayes to crash into the empty net after another defensive mix-up as the holders finished the contest with thirteen players with Tracey also dismissed for a second booking. 

Scorers – Kilmacud Crokes: R Hayes 1-7 (0-5f, 0-1 ’65); D Purcell, A Considine 1-2 each; G Veale 1-0; B Kenny 0-2; D Lucey, T Stakelum, C Conway, F Donohoe 0-1 apiece. Na Fianna: S Currie 0-10 (9f); E McHugh 1-0; J Tierney 0-2; W Wheatley, B Ryan, AJ Murphy, T Brennan 0-1 apiece.  

Kilmacud Crokes: E Gibbons; B Lynch, P Linehan, D Lucey; T Stakelum, C Ó Cathasaigh, C Ó Riain; B Hayes, C Conway; F Whitely, R Hayes, F Donohoe; B Kenny, A Considine, D Purcell. Subs: O O’Rorke for Considine (Temp, 27-28), B Sheehy for Lucey (half-time), O’Rorke for Considine (35), E Keys for Stakelum (50), C Mac Gabhann for Linehan (54), G Veale for Whitely (58).  

Na Fianna: J Tracey; C Kelly, C McHugh, S Burke; W Wheatley, L Rushe, P Feeney; S Currie, D Clerkin; B Ryan, J Tierney, E McHugh; C Currie, S Barrett, AJ Murphy. Subs: T Brennan for C Currie (half-time), J Meagher for S Burke (half-time), C Stacey for Murphy (half-time), G Spollen for Barrett (52),D Ryan for Kelly (59).     

Referee: Eamonn Dromgoole English (Cuala).