Na Fianna Secure a place in the Go-Ahead Ireland Senior 1 Hurling Final

Image Courtesy Matthew Lysaght

NA FIANNA 2-22 

KILMACUD CROKES 0-17

Two goals in as many minutes from AJ Murphy and Brian Ryan proved telling as Na Fianna overcame Kilmacud Crokes by eleven points in their Go-Ahead Ireland Dublin Senior 1 Hurling Championship semi-final at Parnell Park on Sunday afternoon. 

In what was a repeat of three of the last four deciders, neither side managed to exert a prolonged period of dominance on the other as they entered the break on a 0-10 apiece stalemate. 

The third quarter proved equally tight but Na Fianna pounced through Murphy (50th minute) and Ryan (52nd minute) to keep their three-in-a-row ambitions intact.  

Both teams failed to find their shooting range in a nervy and error strewn start with Donal Burke’s opening score in the 2nd minute immediately cancelled out at the opposite end by Oisín O’Rorke. 

With both teams registering uncharacteristic wides, it wasn’t until the 9th minute that the umpires were next troubled as AJ Murphy turned sharply to restore the Na Fianna lead. 

This point kickstarted a relative glut of scores as a long-range strike from Seán Currie pushed the holders two points clear before Fergal Whitely jinked inside for a trademark point. 

Burke did likewise with a sublime score from under the stand but parity was restored by the 13th minute as O’Rorke popped over two points in quick succession. 

The expected stalemate continued as Kilmacud’s Brian Hayes and Tom Brennan exchanged scores and a fourth O’Rorke point had Crokes back on level terms early in the second quarter. 

Late inclusion Ronan Hayes looked sharp in the Kilmacud attack as he won a couple of frees with his direct running and his fine score, on the back of Brian Sheehy’s point, helped edge their side in front for the first time. 

Almost inevitably, we were back on level terms by the 24th minute courtesy of a Colin Currie brace and the team’s scoring talisman restored his side’s narrow lead following some outstanding defensive play by Peter Feeney. 

The half finished in a similarly even manner as Ronan Hayes and Whitely pointed for Kilmacud in the closing stages before a Colin Currie free in added time left the teams deadlocked once again by the interval.

Alex Considine eluded the clutches of Conor McHugh to nullify an earlier sideline score from Burke before O’Rorke converted a brace of frees to regain a marginal lead for Kilmacud. 

The half continued with Burke and Whitely elevating the contest with classy points before another two frees from Colin Currie saw the holders enter the final quarter with an 0-15 to 0-14 lead. 

The contest seemed to be slipping away from Kilmacud at this stage with three of their starting forwards replaced and that impression was franked in the 50th minute as Murphy fired home past Eddie Gibbons from eight yards following Colin Currie’s well-timed pass. 

The contest was effectively settled two minutes later as Ryan made no mistake from a similar position and with that, the champions eased home at their leisure.       

Scorers – Na Fianna: C Currie 0-10 (8f); AJ Murphy 1-3; D Burke 0-5 (0-1 sideline); B Ryan 1-1; P Feeney, S Currie, T Brennan 0-1 apiece. Kilmacud Crokes: O O’Rorke 0-6 (4f); F Whitely 0-3; R Hayes 0-2; B Sheehy, D Crowe, B Hayes, A Considine, David Purcell, B Scanlan 0-1 apiece.

Na Fianna: J Tracey; M Murphy, C McHugh, S Burke; K Burke, L Rushe, P Feeney; P O’Dea, J Meagher; C Currie, S Currie, B Ryan; AJ Murphy, D Burke, T Brennan. Subs: J Kavanagh for Brennan (43), L Stacey for Meagher (58), D Clerkin for K Burke (59), S Baxter for Murphy (61), W Wheatley for S Burke (63). 

Kilmacud Crokes: E Gibbons; C Ryan, P Linehan, D Lucey; B Sheehy, M Grogan, D Crowe; F Whitely, B Hayes; C Conway, O O’Rorke, R Hayes; Dara Purcell, A Considine, B Kenny. Subs: M Roche for Dara Purcell (43), B Scanlan for O’Rorke (44), C Ó Riain for R Hayes (48), David Purcell for Considine (53), C Mac Gabhann for Grogan (55).  

Referee: Chris Mooney (St Patrick’s Palmerstown).