GO AHEAD DUBLIN ADULT HURLING LEAGUE DIVISION ONE ROUND-UP: APRIL 27TH
GO AHEAD ADULT HURLING LEAGUE DIVISION ONE ROUND-UP: APRIL 27th
By Daire Walsh
Ballyboden St Enda’s cemented their status as Go Ahead Adult Hurling League Division One pace-setters with a 2-23 to 0-21 victory against Cuala at Pairc Uí Murchú on Wednesday evening.
Having already registered four consecutive wins in this year’s top-tier, ‘Boden ensured that they preserved their 100% record in the competition. The southsiders are currently two points ahead of Lucan Sarsfields in the league standings, ahead of their visit to last year’s Dublin SHC finalists Na Fianna on May 15.
‘Boden started their latest game on home soil like a house on fire as they raced into an early four-point lead. Conor Dooley (two), Pearse Christie, Niall Ryan were all on target before David Treacy finally opened Cuala’s account with a clinically-struck ’65’. The reliable Treacy also grabbed a second point for the visitors, but ‘Boden continued to dominate proceedings.
Ryan, Dooley, Conor McKeon and former Tipperary hurler Timmy Hammersley raised white flags to help the home team establish a 0-8 to 0-2 buffer. Cuala were always expected to have a purple patch, however, and the Dalkey men grew in confidence as the action progressed.
Colm Cronin, David Treacy, Colm Sheanon, Darragh O’Connell and Liam Murphy all added points, before Kevin Kirwan and Sean Treacy also made their way onto the scoresheet. Yet an earlier Dooley goal had given ‘Boden the upper hand and, with Kevin Desmond and Luke McDwyer also making fine contributions, they brought a 1-12 to 0-10 advantage into the interval.
Dooley and Hammersley added to their tallies on the resumption, but Cuala continued to make life difficult for their opponents. The Treacy brothers – David and Sean – joined Sheanon in splitting the uprights as the visitors reduced the gap to just three points.
However, ‘Boden always kept a safe distance between themselves and Cuala. Dooley, Ryan and Hammersley were delivering powerful performances with former Connacht rugby star McKeon also making his presence felt.
David Treacy once again proved himself to be a reliable source of scores, but Ballyboden held firm. Dooley, Christie and substitute Leon Kennedy chipped in with singles, in advance of Hammersley rattling the net to bring his second half tally up to 1-5.
‘Boden have certainly been the in-form side to date in AHL1, but Lucan have enjoyed a good start to 2022. Thanks to a 1-20 to 1-15 success over Whitehall Colmcille at 12th Lock on Wednesday, they have claimed four wins from five games to date – their one defeat thus far being an agonising one-point reversal to ‘Boden on April 9.
St Vincent’s are currently third in the table with a game in hand on the top-two, having overcome the challenge of Kilmacud Crokes on a scoreline of 2-16 to 1-13 at Silver Park last Sunday.
Elsewhere on Wednesday, Ballinteer St John’s secured their first win of the season by defeating Na Fianna with three points to spare (1-19 to 1-16) at Marley Park.
It was also a successful evening on the Osprey pitch in Tymon Park for Faughs, who emerged as 2-15 to 0-12 victors at the expense of Craobh Chiarain. Completing the night’s action, Naomh Barróg defeated St Brigid’s by 2-16 to 0-17 in Kilbarrack.