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Image Courtesy Eamon O'Callaghan
NAOMH BARRÓG 5-24
CRAOBH CHIARÁIN 2-14
Naomh Barróg picked up their first win in Group 1 of the Go-Ahead Ireland Dublin Senior 1 Hurling Championship when accounting for Craobh Chiaráin by nineteen points at Parnell Park on Friday night.
Daniel Moore’s hat-trick was the highlight of a free-flowing first-half, one in which Barróg led by 4-10 to 2-8 by the interval with goals from Gary Kelly and Aaron Cooling keeping Chiaráin’s in the hunt.
A Nathan Kidd goal in the 39th minute effectively settled the issue with Billy Ryan’s nine points for Craobh proving in vain by the final whistle.
Both teams arrived into the encounter in dire need of a win following losses in the opening two rounds and it was Craobh who opened the scoring through a 1st minute free by Billy Ryan.
Barróg replied in the best possible manner as fine approach play from Sean Gallagher and Mícheál Tierney culminated in Moore crashing home beyond Lee Allen from ten yards.
Ryan and Joe Flanagan (free) traded points soon after before Barróg pushed four points clear by the 7th minute courtesy of scores from Nathan Kidd and Flanagan.
Aidan Doherty and Ryan’s fourth score of the quarter allowed Craobh to trim their deficit briefly to three points but their opponents were finding scores all too frequently at this stage with Seán Doyle, Tierney and Kidd all on target.
A second Barróg goal seemed inevitable as the contest evolved and it duly arrived in the 21st minute with Allen was left helpless once again as Eoin Hart raced through unopposed for a simple finish.
The half finished with a glut of goals as Moore benefitted once again from Tierney’s approach play to flick home in the 25th minute only for Gary Kelly to reply with a smart finish at the opposite end within a minute.
The predatory Moore completed his hat-trick when deflecting past Allen from close range four minutes before the break but a similarly deft finish by Aaron Cooling helped limit the damage for Craobh as they entered the break trailing by eight points.
It was the Donnycarney side that resumed on the front foot through early points by Carl Sammon and Ryan as their opponents struggled for fluency in the early stages of the second-half.
However, they netted from their first genuine chance of the half in the 39th minute as Seán Doyle raced through on goal and while Allen blocked his initial attempt, Kidd was on hand to sweep home from eight yards.
The free-taking of Flanagan put further distance between the teams as the half progressed with Seán Gallagher adding two points from play for a totally dominant Barróg.
The loss from the line-up of Cian Derwin was keenly felt by Craobh as their challenge petered out as their opponents added gloss to the final scoreline through points by Paddy Doyle, Moore, Finn McDonald, Ciarán Gallagher, Kidd and Flanagan.
Scorers – Naomh Barróg: D Moore 3-2; J Flanagan 0-8 (7f); N Kidd 1-4; E Hart 1-0; M Tierney 0-3; S Gallagher, C Gallagher 0-2 each; F McDonald, P Doyle, S Doyle 0-1 apiece. Craobh Chiaráin: B Ryan 0-9 (4f, 1 ’65); A Cooling 1-1; G Kelly 1-0; C Sammon 0-2, A Doherty, R Burnett 0-1 apiece.
Naomh Barróg: J Rooney; L Glynn, S Duggan, F McDonald; A O’Donohue, P Doyle, H Nolan; S Gallagher, E Hart; S Doyle, J Flanagan, S Ryan; M Tierney, N Kidd, D Moore. Subs: C Gallagher for Ryan (38), J Kelly for Tierney (53).
Craobh Chiaráin: L Allen; G Warren, E Forbes, E Farrell; M Forbes, K Hetherton, A Doherty; G Kelly, S Brennan; C Sammon, R Burnett, J Murray; A Cooling, D Kelly, B Ryan. Subs: J Ryan for Allen (44), J Keeley for Warren (53), S McCormack for Cooling (53).
Referee: Seán McCarthy (St Vincent’s).