Round-Up of the Go-Ahead Ireland Senior 1 Hurling Championship Round 5

The quarter-finalists in the Go-Ahead Ireland Dublin Senior 1 Hurling Championship were confirmed over the weekend as the final group matches took place across Friday night and Saturday afternoon. 

On Saturday, Cuala salvaged their season with a hugely encouraging 0-26 to 1-21 victory over previously unbeaten Kilmacud Crokes at Parnell Park. 

The All-Ireland winners of 2017 and 2018 dominated the first-half with Donal O’Shea, Liam Murphy, Con O’Callaghan and Jake Malone sharing the scores but an injury-time goal from Brian Hayes trimmed their lead to 0-17 to 1-9 by half-time. 

Dara Purcell and Oisín O’Rorke led the Crokes comeback but with substitute Dara Twomey clipping three points, Cuala held on as O’Shea landed a brace of precious points in added time. 

Earlier in Donnycarney, Na Fianna finished on the front foot as they overcame a stubborn Lucan Sarsfields by 0-25 to 1-18 to complete their fifth successive group win. 

Lucan struck early through Paul Crummey’s 3rd minute goal and they entered the break leading by 1-12 to 0-13 as the lively Seán Harkeness added five points. 

Na Fianna finally clicked into gear with Brian Ryan scoring two points in quick succession while Colin Currie finished the contest with 0-12 to his name. 

Across in O’Toole Park, St Brigid’s did just enough to overcome local rivals St Oliver Plunkett’s/Eoghan Ruadh, winning by 2-23 to 2-20, confirming their place in the last eight in the process. 

Plunkett’s entered the break leading by 2-12 to 0-12 with Ger Ryan and Irinel Popa finding the net with spectacular goals. 

However, St Brigid’s played their way back into contention through the free-taking of Paul Winters and a brace of Cian O’Sullivan goals got them over the line. 

It proved far more comfortable for Ballyboden St Enda’s, who eased past Craobh Chiaráin by 2-29 to 0-12.

David Keogh set the tone for Boden with a first-half goal as they impressed through the defensive efforts of Paddy Dunleavy and Fergal Ryan to lead by 1-15 to 0-8 by half-time. 

They continued to build on that lead upon the restart with Darragh Kenny (0-6), Niall Ryan (0-5), Luke McDwyer (0-3) and Fergal Ryan (0-3) to the fore while Timmy Hammersley chipped in with 1-3 for the winners.  

On Friday night, both St Vincent’s and Naomh Barróg progressed to the last eight after comfortable wins over Whitehall Colmcille and St Jude’s respectively in Parnell Park. 

The first contest of the Donnycarney doubleheader saw St Vincent’s pull away after the break on their way to a resounding 5-22 to 1-15 success over a depleted Whitehall Colmcille. 

Darach McBride was the pick of the Vinnies attack initially with his 1-3 first-half tally helping build a 1-14 to 0-9 lead by half-time. 

The procession continued after the break as further goals from Tom Connolly, Stephen Williams, Kyle Ward and McBride allowed the Marino outfit to ease home by the final whistle.   

Later that evening, Joe Flanagan struck eleven points, including seven from open play, as Naomh Barróg eased past a disappointing St Jude’s by 1-23 to 0-11. 

Leading by 0-13 to 0-9 at half-time, Barróg restricted their opponents to just two points upon the restart with Paddy Doyle shining at centre-back and a goal in added time from Finn McDonald gave the final scoreline a more accurate complexion. 

SHC1 Group 1: St Jude’s 0-11 Naomh Barróg 1-23; Na Fianna 0-25 Lucan Sarsfields 1-18; Ballyboden St Enda’s 2-29 Craobh Chiaráin 0-12. 

SHC1 Group 2: St Vincent’s 5-22 Whitehall Colmcille 1-15; St Brigid’s 2-23 St Oliver Plunkett’s/ER 2-20; Kilmacud Crokes 1-21 Cuala 0-26.