Wins for Cuala, Vincent’s and Jude’s in Dublin SHC

Back-to-back All-Ireland club senior hurling champions, Cuala, got the defence of their Dublin SHC crown off to a 1-14 to 1-7 winning start against St Brigid's in Group 3 in atrocious condtions on Saturday evening in Parnell Park.

Cuala trailed, 1-3 to 0-5, at the break after Derry Murphy goaled in the 27th minute following a pacey break and pin-point handpass from Donnacha Ryan.

The Dalkey side, with Cian O'Callaghan impressive at full-back, upped the tempo in the second period and after David Treacy ('65') and Johnny McGuirk (free) had traded scores points Cuala struck for their goal in the fourth minute of the second half.

A sideline cut from Jake Malone did not suggest an immediate danger for the Brigid's defence but Brian Fitzgerald swept the sliotar to the far corner of Alan Nolan's net to put his side into a 1-6 to 1-4 lead.

Another Treacy free followed by an excellent Colm Cronin point moved Cuala four clear, 1-8 to 1-4, by the 40th minute.

Cuala put in another short scoring flurry just inside the final ten minutes with Treacy (free), Seán Moran with an 80-metre free, Con O'Callaghan and Treacy again from a deadball extending their lead to 1-13 to 1-6.

During this spell Brigid's midfielder Daire Plunkett was sent off on a second yellow card as their challenge petered out while they lined out without regular top-scorer, Paul Winters, who was serving his suspension following his red card in Brigid's last SHC game of last year (versus Cuala).

In the earlier Group 1 clash between St Vincent's and Raheny two Cian McBride goals, one in either half, saw the Marino side run out comfortable 3-13 to 0-10 victors.

Raheny started well and led 0-3 to 0-1 early on but Cian McBridie's first goal came during a period of dominance for Vinnies as they hit 1-5 without reply to lead 1-6 to 0-3.

By the interval Vincent's, who lined out without Tomás and Diarmuid Connolly as well as John Hetherton, were 1-8 to 0-4 up following two Conor Burke points, one a free.

The freetaking accuracy of Eoin Smith kept Raheny hanging on and with points for Seán Dempsey and Smith again Raheny trailed 1-12 to 0-9 with ten minutes remaining.

However, Vincent's, for whom Rian McBride impressed, struck for two goals in the 53rd and 60th minute to record a 12-point victory with Cian McBride firing emphatically to the net off his left following good work by his younger brother Rian and then sub Tomás McGrane found the net as the game moved into added time.

Over in O'Toole Park St Jude's defeated O'Toole's 0-20 to 0-11 in Dublin SHC Group 1.

Danny Sutcliffe and Fionn O Rian Broin both hit three points in the opening half as they led 0-12 to 0-7 at the break.

In the second half Mark Maguire, who scored four points overall, Tom Devlin, O Rian Broin, Sutcliffe, Donie Fox (free), and Joe McManus kept the scoreboard ticking for the Tymon North men.

The Group 3 clash of Ballyboden St Enda's and Craobh Chiaráin schedule for O'Toole Park on Saturday was postponed earlier in the week owing to a bereavement in Craobh.