Lucan take the win over Brigids to secure Semi-Finals place

Image Courtesy Paul Barrett

LUCAN SARSFIELDS 2-22 

ST BRIGID’S 1-16

Lucan Sarsfields booked their place in the last four of the Go-Ahead Ireland Dublin Senior 1 Hurling Championship when overcoming St Brigid’s by nine points at Parnell Park on Sunday afternoon.

The teams entered the break level at 0-9 apiece with Cian O’Sullivan at one end and Charlie Keher at the other the bright lights as they each scored three points from play.

Lucan began to dominate matters in the third quarter and despite having Sean Harkness dismissed in the 46th minute, they confirmed their semi-final berth through goals by Paul Crummey and substitute David Mulqueen. 

The contest began in a refreshingly open manner as the sides traded early scores through Diarmuid Breslin of St Brigid’s and Lucan’s Charlie Keher. 

The Blanchardstown side offered the greater threat initially however as they added to their tally through Mark Coyne and Cian O’Sullivan and the latter converted a delightful sideline ball in the 7th minute to maintain their bright start. 

While Paul Crummey and Harkness replied for Sarsfields, they trailed by double scores by the 10th minute with Paul Winters and Conor Tierney picking off points at their leisure. 

Keher was proving a handful at the opposite end as he clipped over a brace of points as the half evolved and with Chris Crummey also on target, they reeled in their opponents by the 19th minute. 

O’Sullivan’s battle with John Bellew saw the All-Star nominees up close and personal with the former adding two classy points but the supporting act began to struggle in terms of scores as a brace of Harkness frees edged Lucan in front towards the end of the half. 

The half ended with Winters adding a fine free from distance, leaving the well-matched teams deadlocked at the turnaround.

Lucan resumed in a more aggressive manner with Colm Walsh restoring their lead within ten seconds of the restart and that score set the tone for a dominant third quarter by Sarsfields. 

Walsh added two further scores in the ensuing eight minutes while a Paul Crummey brace and points by Liam Garrigan, Ben Coffey and Cathal Kennedy saw them race clear to a seven-point lead by the 40th minute. 

An excellent Jonathan McGuirk point three minutes later stemmed the flow briefly but Lucan continued to threaten up front as Coffey clipped over a smart score towards the end of the third quarter. 

While Harkness was dismissed in the 46th minute, it failed to stall the Sarsfields momentum and after a couple of near misses, they raised the first green flag as Paul Crummey escaped down the left before firing confidently past Alan Nolan from ten yards. 

A Cathal Ruane goal offered St Brigid’s a burst of energy towards the death as they trimmed their arrears to six points entering added time but Mulqueen put the icing on the Lucan cake as he pulled home from a Ciaran Dowling pass.    

Scorers – Lucan Sarsfields: P Crummey 1-3; C Keher 0-5 (1f); S Harkness 0-4 (3f); B Coffey (1f), C Walsh 0-3 each; D Mulqueen 1-0; C Crummey, L Garrigan, C Kennedy, C Dowling 0-1 apiece. St Brigid’s: C O’Sullivan 0-6 (1f, 1 sideline); P Winters 0-5 (3f, 1 ’65); C Ruane 1-0; J McGuirk (1f) 0-2; D Breslin, M Coyne, C Tierney 0-1 apiece.

Lucan Sarsfields: S McClelland; J Bellew, P Rigney, M Pappalardo; M McCaffrey, C Crummey, R Smith; C Walsh, L Garrigan; C Keher, D Flannery, B Coffey; S Harkness, P Crummey, C Kennedy. Subs: L Mooney for Pappalardo (16), D Lyons for Garrigan (51), C Dowling for P Crummey (54), D Mulqueen for Flannery (58), K Fitzgerald for Coffey (60). 

St Brigid’s: A Nolan; B O’Sullivan, E Leen, M Coyne; A Dunphy, C Doyle, J Hannon; L Doolin, D McLoughlin; J McGuirk, E Healy, P Winters; D Breslin, C O’Sullivan, C Tierney. Subs: A McGuirk for D McLoughlin (41), R McLoughlin for Doolin (41), C Ruane for Healy (46), M Kavanagh for Coyne (55).

Referee: Seán Stack (Pobal Parnell).