Round Up: PTSB Dublin Senior 2 Hurling Championship

Round 2 in the PTSB Dublin Senior 2 Hurling Championship took place on Saturday evening with Clontarf picking up their second win on the bounce as they overcame Kilmacud Crokes by 5-21 to 3-11 in their Group 1 clash at Silver Park. 

The visitors also scored five goals in their opening fixture against St Sylvester’s and they looked lively up front throughout with their green flags shared by Paddy Smyth, Kevin Lillis and Tom Higgins. 

The away forward line received a steady supply of ball thanks to the midfield dominance provided by Odhran McGuckin and Ben Sullivan and with Mikey Devine keeping their scoreboard ticking over from frees and open play, Clontarf eased home with strong defensive showings by Joe Sheppard and Charlie Digan.     

There was another away win at Broomfield as Craobh Chiaráin joined Clontarf in top spot as they registered a 2-22 to 1-18 success against St Sylvester’s. 

The visitors delivered an impressive team performance with the likes of Gary Kelly, Kevin Hetherton and Mark Hayes setting the tone at the back. 

Cian Derwin enjoyed another highly influential showing, amassing 1-11 over the hour and with Jack Murray also to the fore in attack, Chiaráin’s confirmed their win with a goal from the hard-working Justin Kelly.  

In St Anne’s Park, Raheny bounced back from their Round 1 defeat to Craobh as they accounted for Thomas Davis by 2-26 to 1-19 with Liam Dunne, Mark Murphy and Jack Lyons all playing key roles for the hosts.

In Group 2, St Oliver Plunkett’s/Eoghan Ruadh are the only team that possess a perfect record with a goal from Cillian Hayes helping them pip Commercials by 2-21 to 2-19 at Martin Savage Park. 

Castleknock moved into second spot in the table as they built on their Round 1 draw against Ballinteer St John’s to edge Naomh Mearnóg by 2-18 to 2-16 at Somerton Park. 

The hosts played against the strong breeze in the first-half but started brightly through a Colum Breslin goal and three Neil Hogan points in the first quarter. 

Mearnóg gradually availed of the wind at their backs with Joey Kinnane highly influential from centre-forward and they moved into a deserved 0-14 to 1-6 lead by half-time. 

That momentum was lost upon the restart as Castleknock trimmed their arrears through points from Cian Boyle, Conor Chawke and Conal Purcell while a goal from Hogan left six points between the teams with seven minutes remaining. 

The visitors replied with two late goals but ‘Knock had built up a sufficient tally thanks to Boyle’s six points over the hour and further scores from Glen Barker, Cian Ó Dúlaing, Matthew Lynam, Reuben Cahill and Matthew Nolan. 

Matters were similarly tight in Sancta Maria as Ballyboden St Enda’s bounced back from their Round 1 loss to Commercials when narrowly getting the better of neighbours Ballinteer St John’s by 2-19 to 1-21. 

The visitors led by 0-14 to 0-10 at the break but goals by Alan Delaney and Jamie Mahon saw Boden hang on for the victory. 

Shane Kennedy top scored for the hosts with six points and with Eoghan O’Neill, Keith McCarron and Kevin Byrne chipping in with three points apiece, they did enough to prevail thanks to further scoring contributions by Matty Weldon, Darragh Smyth and Liam Dargan. 

PTSB SHC2 Group 1: St Sylvester’s 1-18 Craobh Chiaráin 2-22; Kilmacud Crokes 3-11Clontarf 5-21; Raheny 2-26 Thomas Davis 1-19.  

PTSB SHC2 Group 2: St Oliver Plunkett’s/ER 2-21 Commercials 2-19; Ballyboden St Enda’s2-19 Ballinteer St John’s 1-21; Castleknock 2-18 Naomh Mearnóg 2-16.