CUAL’ HAND LUCA
LATE GOALS FROM SHEEHAN AND SINNOTT SNATCH TITLE BACK FOR DALKEY BOYS AFTER FAUGHS STAGE FIGHTBACK
DUBLIN MHC ‘D’ FINAL
CUALA…………………………………….4-12
FAUGHS…………………………………..2-14
Daire Walsh
AMIDST blistering sunshine at Tymon Park on Sunday afternoon, Lúca Sheehan and Ruaidhri Sinnott grabbed late goals to guide Cuala towards victory in a dramatic Dublin Minor ‘D’ Hurling Championship decider.
Having found themselves 11 point adrift midway through the first half, Faughs looked set to pull off a remarkable triumph. Thanks to he growing influence of inside forward Liam Lynch Crowe, the Templeogue outfit were 2-14 to 2-11 in front on the stroke of 50 minutes.
At this juncture, it would have been easy for Cuala to let their heads drop. However, Mick Dunphy’s charges knuckled down and claimed the spoils by registering 2-1 without reply.
This was the second meeting between the two sides in this year’s championship. At the same venue on August 16, Cuala came away with a 2-12 to 3-4 success in the final round of Group Two.
Both teams had done enough to progress and subsequently came through their respective last-four clashes in remarkably contrasting style. Whereas Faughs squeezed past St Oliver Plunkett’s/Eoghan Ruadh on a scoreline of 4-10 to 2-15, Cuala enjoyed a convincing 7-19 to 1-12 win at the expense of Castleknock.
Despite facing into a stiff breeze for this showpiece affair, Faughs opened the scoring courtesy of Conor Kenny’s pointed free. Nonetheless, Cuala took full advantage of the elements in a dominant first-quarter display.
Supplementing Sheehan’s magnificent long-distance score, Matthew Ryan was successful off three placed-ball efforts. The Dalkey men created additional daylight in the seventh-minute when Ryan Barnes pulled to the Faughs net from the tightest of right-hand angles.
Faughs settled briefly with a brace of points from midfielder Conor Dargan, but Cuala embarked on another scoring blitz in advance of the game’s first water break. After Aaron Carey, Sheehan (two) and Ryan raised white flags in quick succession, a floated delivery by the impressive Sheehan deceived opposition netminder Matthew Ryan for the second goal of the contest.
With a 2-8 to 0-3 cushion at their disposal, Cuala were firmly in the driving seat. Half-back Shane Mangan and Ryan kept the scoreboard ticking over for the leaders, although Faughs were slowly creeping back into contention.
Either side of Mikey Dunphy’s penalty save from full-forward Conn Murray, the dependable Dargan dissected the Cuala uprights. Kenny followed up with a 1-1 salvo, reducing the Faughs deficit to five (2-10 to 1-8) in time for the interval.
This encouraging finish to the opening period offered Faughs a fighting chance of coming out on top. Cuala appeared to restore order when Ryan posted a 35th-minute point – his sixth of the tie – but the home team’s challenge gathered momentum as the action developed.
Wing-back Ross O’Donovan converted long-range frees and with Luke Davis and Dargan singles sandwiched in between these efforts, the gap was down to just two points. Cuala were struggling to replicate their excellent attacking play from the opening half and were coming under considerable strain in defence.
Lynch Crowe claimed possession close to goal and unleashed an unstoppable shot beyond the reach of Dunphy. The Cuala custodian produced a stunning save from the same player in the 49th minute, but substitute Tom Casey and Lynch Crowe kept Faughs in the box seat with the finishing line in sight.
Cuala ended a 20-minute scoring drought with a badly needed score by Peadar Ó Muirí. This helped to east their nerves when Sheehan brilliantly dispatched a penalty moments later, they were back in the ascendancy.
The decisive score of the proceedings then arrived in the penultimate minute of normal time. Faughs’ Matthew Ryan superbly turned away a Carey strike, but Sinnott was on hand to flick home the rebound and ultimately secure the silverware for Cuala.
MATCH FILE
Scorers – Cuala: L Sheehan 2-3 (1-0 pen, 0-2f), M Ryan 0-6 (5f), E Hall, R Barnes, R Sinnott 1-0 each, S Mangan, P Ó Muirí, A Carey 0-1 each. Faughs: C Dargan 0-6 (6f), C Kenny 1-2 (0-2f), L Lynch Crowe 1-1, R O’Donovan 0-2 (2f), T Paterson, L Davis, T Casey 0-1 each.
CUALA: M Dunphy; F Breathnach, A McGranaghan, E Hall; S Mangan, L Sheehan, A Tormey-Murphy; R Mason, O Moloney; M Ryan, M Ainscough, P Ó Muirí; R Barnes, R Ó Muirí, A Carey.
Sub: R Sinnott for Barnes (45).
FAUGHS: M Ryan; M Breen, E Quinn, D Ryan; R O’Donovan, R Finnegan, S Ruane; F Dignam, C Dargan; E Nolan, C Curran, C Kenny; T Paterson, C Murray, L Lynch Crowe.
Subs: S Lawler for Breen (h-t), C O’Hara for Paterson, L Davis for Murray (both 36), T Casey for Kenny (39).
MENTORS – Cuala: Mick Dunphy, Adam Hall. Faughs: Fergal Nolan, Trevor Dargan.
Referee: Pat Murphy (Thomas Davis).
WIDES – Cuala: 13 (5+8). Faughs: 9 (5+4).
CONDITIONS: Dry and sunny, but also breezy.
PLAYER OF THE MATCH: Lúca Sheehan (Cuala).