Round-Up: PTSB - AHL 1 & AHL 2

Round 10 in Division 1 of the PTSB Dublin Adult Hurling League took place on Tuesday night with Ballyboden St Enda’s and Lucan Sarsfields maintaining their title charge with wins over Faughs and Na Fianna respectively. 

While Boden eased past near neighbours Faughs by 1-29 to 0-13 at Páirc Uí Mhurchú, Lucan kept up the pressure with a comfortable 3-23 to 1-17 victory over Na Fianna at Mobhi Road. 

The visitors started on the front foot through points by Charlie Keher, Killian Costello and Darragh Meehan while Na Fianna initially kept in touch thanks to the efforts in attack of Jack Meagher, Tom Brennan and Kevin Gray. 

The ebb and flow continued with Lucan adding to their tally thanks to Keher, Ben Coffey, Jack Behan and Sean Harkness while goals before the break from Paul Crummey and Keher extended their lead to four points by the interval. 

Crucially, Sarsfields controlled the third quarter and built up an unassailable advantage with Crummey’s second goal of the night augmented by points by Harkness, Matthew McCaffrey and Ryan Clancy.   

At the opposite end of the table, Kilmacud Crokes moved away from the relegation trapdoor when overcoming St Brigid’s by 1-22 to 0-17 at Russell Park. 

The visitors welcomed back a number of their Dublin contingent with Brendan Kenny excelling throughout from midfield with a personal tally of 1-2 while Ronan Hayes top scored with 0-7 (5f). 

Dara Purcell added four points from play in the first-half but Kilmacud were forced to dig deep after the break following the third quarter dismissal of Caolán Conway. 

Tom Stakelum was another to feature prominently for the away side and with Gearóid Flannery chipping in with four points over the hour, they managed to prevail courtesy of scores by Cian Ó Cathasaigh, Conway, Davey Crowe, Stakelum and Conal Ó Riain. 

That defeat leaves St Brigid’s in a precarious position entering the final round of matches at the weekend as they face a St Jude’s side whose relegation was confirmed following their 4-25 to 3-15 loss to Cuala at Tymon Park.  

PTSB AHL1: Craobh Chiaráin 4-14 Castleknock 2-20; St Vincent’s 0-27 Naomh Barróg 4-15; Ballyboden St Enda’s 1-29 Faughs 0-13; St Brigid’s 0-17 Kilmacud Crokes 1-22; Na Fianna 1-17 Lucan Sarsfields 3-23; St Jude’s 3-15 Cuala 4-25. 

In AHL2, both St Oliver Plunkett’s/Eoghan Ruadh and Erin’s Isle took progressive steps towards securing their top-flight status with contrasting victories against Commercials and Raheny respectively. 

With Isles enjoying a comfortable 6-14 to 2-15 away to Raheny, Plunkett’s found life much tougher but they finished strongly to edge Commercials by 2-22 to 2-18. 

The hosts saw Cian Boland return to action but it was Mugurel Popa who kept them in touch initially with his goal helping to limit the damage by the break as they trailed by 2-10 to 1-11. 

A Cian O’Connor goal saw Plunkett’s regain the initiative and while Diarmaid Ó Dúlaing impressed for the visitors, the hosts held on with Popa’s 1-4 and some vital saves by goalkeeper Dean Farrell getting them over the line. 

Clontarf still harbour ambitions of promotion as they cruised past bottom-placed Ballyboden St Enda’s by 3-19 to 1-14 in Sancta Maria. 

Crucially, they travel to Farnham Drive on the final day of the season on Saturday where a win against Erin’s Isle could see them leapfrog their opponents. 

Plunkett’s look to have an easier fixture on paper when they host a Naomh Olaf side who lost their battle for survival when falling to Thomas Davis by 0-24 to 1-18.  

PTSB AHL2: St Sylvester’s 0-16 Naomh Mearnóg 2-23; Ballinteer St John’s 4-21Fingallians 4-28; St Oliver Plunkett’s/ER 2-22 Commercials 2-18; Naomh Olaf 1-18 Thomas Davis 0-24; Ballyboden St Enda’s 1-14 Clontarf 3-19; Raheny 2-15 Erin’s Isle 6-14.