PREVIEW: Go-Ahead Ireland Senior 1 Hurling Championship Round 1

It’s that time of the year; club championship hurling is back in Dublin as the Go-Ahead Ireland Senior 1 Hurling Championship returns for 2025!

The action begins with Group 2 on Friday night, as St Vincents and St Oliver Plunkett Eoghan Ruadh throw-in the championship at Parnell Park at 6:45pm, followed by Whitehall Colmcille taking on Cuala at 8.30pm.

The remainder of the Group 1 & 2 action is then rounded off with four matches split evenly between Parnell Park and O’Toole Park on Saturday.

Group 1 

Craobh Chiaráin take on Lucan Sarsfields at 3:30pm at Parnell Park, as Group 1 gets underway on Saturday.

Craobh will be hoping for an improved Senior 1 season in 2025, having failed to win any of their group games last year, losing three and drawing one. They then lost a relegation play-off to St Brigids. Thanks to the championship restructuring, they preserved their Senior 1 status and will hope to hit the ground running on Saturday.

Lucan had an excellent 2024 championship, going unbeaten and advancing from Group 1 with two draws and two wins that included an impressive victory over the future Dublin, Leinster and All-Ireland champions Na Fianna.

They were beaten by Kilmacud Crokes in the semi-final last year but will hope for an even better showing in this championship. With the likes of John Bellew and Dublin captain Chris Crummey in their ranks, they will once again look to make their mark on the Championship.

Throwing-in at the same time are Ballyboden St Endas and Naomh Barróg, who meet at O’Toole Park.

Ballyboden go into this year's championship hoping to end a seven-year wait for a Dublin senior title. They navigated the group stage last summer well with three wins and a defeat- but they were then thrashed by Na Fianna in the quarter finals.

The Firhouse Rd men may have lost some experienced players in the past 12 months to retirement, but plenty of knowhow remains in Dublin stars of past & present Paddy Dunleavy, James Madden, Conor Dooley and Niall McMorrow.

Naomh Barróg will be hoping to lay down a marker from the word go this Saturday. 2024 was one to remember, as they won Senior 2 with an eight-point victory over St Oliver Plunkett Eoghan Ruadh in the decider.

In their panel they have young defender Paddy Doyle and midielder Seán Gallagher in their ranks who will be hoping to make an impact.

Saturday evening also sees Na Fianna begin the defence of their Dublin hurling crown when they take on St Judes at Dublin HQ, Parnell Park.

Na Fianna have won the last two editions of the Dublin championship, and after their provincial and All-Ireland success, they’ll be hungry for even more silverware- under new management in 2025.

Fresh from a hugely positive inter-county season with Dublin, the likes of Seán and Colin Currie, AJ Murphy, Dónal Burke, Conor McHugh and Paul O'Dea will be eager to continue their good year in the blue & gold of the Mobhi Rd men.

St Judes were another team that earned a reprieve thanks to the restructuring after losing the relegation play-off last year, and things can only get better this year.

It remains to be seen what role Danny Sutcliffe can play this year, following an injury-hit inter-county season. But in Callum Graham, they have a forward who will be hoping to continue where he left off during his impressive year with Dublin's U20 hurlers.

Group 2

As mentioned earlier, Group 2’s St Vincents and St Oliver Plunkett Eoghan Ruadh play in the first championship game of the year on Friday night.

The Vinnies are looking to end a 32-year wait to claim Senior Hurling glory.

They have reached the Semi Final stage in each of the last two seasons and last last year, they won Group 2 undefeated with three wins and a draw, before pushing Na Fianna all the way, narrowly missing out on a place in the final, going down to a two-point defeat after extra time.

St Vincents will look to call upon Conor Burke, Tom Connolly and the experienced John Hetherton for some firepower in front of the posts.

St Oliver Plunkett Eoghan Ruadh will be full of confidence after their promotion and a positive result here will put them in good sted for the remainder of the championship.

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Whitehall Colmcille and Cuala meet under the Friday night lights as well. Whitehall went out in the quarter-finals last year, while Cuala won their relegation playoff to secure their place in the Senior 1 Championship for 2025.

Whitehall have never won a Dublin senior hurling title, but have an impressive team containing household names across the pitch. The likes of Daire Gray, Eoghan O'Donnell, Lee Gannon and Cormac Costello will hope to lead the side further again in 2025.

Cuala, meanwhile, struggled in 2024- finishing fourth in their group, which ensured they played in a relegation playoff, so they will certainly hope for an improved showing in 2025.

Kilmacud Crokes will hope to put the pain of last year's final behind them, and they can make an instant impact when they play St Brigids.

They have a team packed full of inter-county talent and are looking for a first senior title since 2022.

St Brigids lost all of their Group 1 games last year but rallied to win the relegation play-off. They have a tough task in their first game but can turn to Cian O’Sullivan in the forward line as they look for an improved championship performance this year.