Dublin AHL1

Daire Walsh

LUCAN SARSFIELDS 1-20 NA FIANNA 1-16

LUCAN Sarsfields produced a strong second-half performance to secure a well-deserved win over Na Fianna in a tense Dublin Adult Hurling League Division 1 clash at St Mobhi Road on Saturday afternoon.

Two points adrift at the interval, Lucan outscored their opponents 1-10 to 0-7 on the resumption to claim the spoils in clinical style. Having also got the better of Faughs on their home patch just three days earlier, the 12th Lock men currently occupy second place in the AHL1 table behind the unbeaten Ballyboden St Enda’s.

Chris O’Leary’s 1-11 haul proved crucial in getting Lucan over the line, but returning Dublin star Chris Crummey also produced a typically commanding display from centre-back.

While inside forward AJ Murphy contributed an impressive 11 points, 2021 Dublin SHC finalists Na Fianna suffered their fifth defeat of the campaign.

Following traded points between O’Leary and opposition wing-back Paul O’Dea, Na Fianna netminder Jonathan Tracey ruthlessly dispatched a fifth-minute penalty to the net after Tom Brennan had been fouled.

The reliable O’Leary subsequently brought his personal total to 0-5 with a series of eye-catching scores and while Murphy and corner-back Conor Kelly split the uprights for the hosts, Lucan drew level courtesy of Alan Byrne’s white-flag effort just shy of the first-quarter mark.

Murphy was every bit as influential for Na Fianna as O’Leary was at the opposite end, and he bagged his side’s final six points of the opening period – including a brace from play.

Although O’Leary (two), Evin Dowling and Charlie Keher found their range, Lucan were staring into a 0-10 to 1-9 deficit at the start of the second half.

A Sean Ryan point initially kept Na Fianna in the driving seat, before Keher and Chris Crummey (from distance) cut the gap to the bare minimum in the 34th minute.

Even though Liam Stacey and Brennan combined to restore the Glasnevin side’s three-point cushion, O’Leary matched the exploits of Tracey by drilling a penalty beyond the reach of the same player on 41 minutes.

Lucan then pushed on to lead by four points with just 11 minutes remaining, Paul Crummey, O’Leary (free), Cian McHugh and Donal Flannery on target to place them within sight of the two points on offer.

After briefly departing the game with a blood injury, Murphy knocked over four frees to keep Na Fianna within touching distance.

Nonetheless, with O’Leary adding three more points of his own as a supplement to a second from the excellent Chris Crummey, Lucan ultimately came out on top.

Match file

Scorers – Lucan Sarsfields: C O’Leary 1-11 (1-0 pen, 0-8f); C Crummey, C Keher 0-2 each; A Byrne, C McHugh, D Flannery, E Dowling, P Crummey 0-1 each. Na Fianna: AJ Murphy 0-11 (9f); J Tracey 1-0 (pen); C Kelly, P O’Dea, L Stacey, S Ryan, T Brennan 0-1 each.

LUCAN SARSFIELDS: S McClelland; E Seery, P Rigney, P Claffey; P Smith, C Crummey, A Byrne; R Ward, C McHugh; E Ó Conghaile, C O’Leary, D Flannery; E Dowling, P Crummey, C Keher. Subs: S Harkness for Ward (52).

NA FIANNA: J Tracey; C McHugh, S Burke, C Kelly; P O’Dea, R Fenlon, C Heaney; B Gaughran, L Stacey; S Carthy, J Tierney, K Murphy; S Ryan, T Brennan, AJ Murphy. Subs: E Mongey for Heaney (5-9, blood), Mongey for Carthy (h-t), J Guinan for McHugh (35), A Brady for Murphy (47-51, blood), Brady for Burke (56).

MENTORS – Lucan Sarsfields: C Fenlon, D O’Leary, M Smith. Na Fianna: N O Ceallachain, M O’Dwyer, N O’Hara.

REFEREE: S Stack (Parnells).

WIDES – Lucan Sarsfields: 8 (4+4). Na Fianna: 10 (5+5).

CONDITIONS: Dry and bright.

PLAYER OF THE MATCH: Chris O’Leary (Lucan Sarsfields).