Round-Up - PTSB Dublin Senior 1 Football Championship Round 1

The PTSB Dublin Senior 1 Football Championship commenced over the weekend withholders Ballyboden St Enda’s starting their title defence off on a winning note as they defeated Templeogue Synge Street by 2-18 to 0-1 at Parnell Park on Saturday afternoon. 

St Enda’s wasted little time in seizing control thanks to three Colm Basquel points and while not at their fluent best, they pushed on to lead by 0-8 to 0-0 at the break. 

Basquel excelled throughout on his way to a personal tally of 1-6 from play while seven Daire Sweeney points and an injury time goal from James Holland proved too much for their struggling opponents. 

Earlier in the day, Charlie Meehan’s 1st minute goal set the tone as Clontarf defeated Kilmacud Crokes by 1-17 to 1-13. 

Meehan’s strike prompted a 1-9 to 0-5 interval lead and while Dara Mullin handed Crokes a lifeline with a goal in the third quarter, Clontarf finished strongly with John Hanley and Kieran McKeown scoring four points apiece.

Their reward is a Round 2 clash against Ballinteer St John’s, who recovered from a six-point interval deficit to edge Whitehall Colmcille by 1-20 to 2-16 in O’Toole Park. 

A brace of goals from Sean Gannon and the brilliance of Cormac Costello (0-11) saw Whitehall enjoy a deserved 2-9 to 0-9 interval lead and the latter’s two-pointer early in the second-half pushed Colmcille eight points clear. 

However, a Patrick Coleman goal saw St John’s back in the hunt and with Eoghan Fitzpatrick adding a two-pointer, they edged home through late scores from Aaron Bradshaw, Jack Lundy and match-winner Ronan Cullen. 

Later in the day, St Jude’s defeated Lucan Sarsfields by 1-19 to 1-11 with Eoghan Costello top scoring for the winners with 1-2. 

Mark Lavin kicked a trio of two-pointers for Lucan but they proved of mere consolationvalue as Jude’s eased home thanks to three points apiece by Tom Lahiff, Liam Toye, Michael Lawlor and Hugh O’Neill. 

A large crowd descended on O’Toole Park on Sunday and were rewarded as Ballymun Kickhams and Cuala played out a thrilling 2-16 to 1-19 draw. 

Kickhams seized the early initiative courtesy of goals by Cameron McCormack and Keelin McGann and while Peter Duffy netted for Cuala approaching the break, his subsequent dismissal saw his side trail by 2-9 to 1-10 by half-time. 

Eoin Kennedy shone in driving his team forward after the break and while Dean Rock looked to have sealed a Ballymun win in added time, Con O’Callaghan replied with a superb two-pointed free to ensure an equitable conclusion. 

There was no such drama in the opening fixture as two goals by substitute Eoin Sawyer saw Castleknock defeat neighbours St Oliver Plunkett’s/Eoghan Ruadh by 2-15 to 1-9 with Jack O’Shea netting for Plunkett’s.   

The action started on Friday night with Thomas Davis overcoming a seven-point interval deficit when overcoming Na Fianna by 2-14 to 2-12. 

Na Fianna led by 1-7 to 0-3 at the break with Brian O’Leary’s first-quarter goal augmented by four Conor McHugh points but a Fionn Murray goal in the third-quarter helped launch a spirited comeback by the Tallaght outfit. 

Conor Guilfoyle, Adam Waddick, Chris Sallier, Murray and Seán Farrelly all added points to edge Thomas Davis in front and while Conor Baxter netted to restore Na Fianna’s lead, their vulnerability at the back was punished as substitute Eoin Kirby flicked home deep into added time. 

The second match of the Group 3 double-header proved far more straightforward as Skerries Harps accounted for Raheny by 2-19 to 0-20. 

Skerries claimed the SFC2 title last year and they looked well set at the break as goals from Greg McEneaney and Stephen Smith helped build a 2-8 to 0-8 interval advantage.  

Scorers by Smith, Rob Delaney and Adam Fearon enhanced Skerries’ position upon the restart with six two-pointers shared by recent All-Ireland winner Rob Hennelly (3), Brian Howard (2) and Brian Fenton (1) proving in vain for Raheny.  

PTSB SFC1 Group 1: Ballyboden St Enda’s 2-18 Templeogue Synge Street 0-1; Castleknock2-15 St Oliver Plunkett’s/ER 1-9. 

PTSB SFC1 Group 2: Ballinteer St John’s 1-20 Whitehall Colmcille 2-16; Kilmacud Crokes1-13 Clontarf 1-17. 

PTSB SFC1 Group 3: Na Fianna 2-12 Thomas Davis 2-14; Skerries Harps 2-19 Raheny 0-20. 

PTSB SFC1 Group 4: St Jude’s 1-19 Lucan Sarsfields 1-11; Cuala 1-19 Ballymun Kickhams2-16.