Commercials face Lucan in junior decider
By Daire Walsh
Commercials and Lucan Sarsfields will do battle in the forthcoming Dublin Junior ‘A’ Hurling Championship final thanks to their respective wins over St Peregrine’s and Good Counsel/Liffey Gaels on Sunday.
On their home turf of Rathcoole, Commercials had all of 18 points to spare against Peregrine’s (2-23 to 0-11) following an emphatic display. While Gearóid Keogh and Cormac Ó Nualláin rattled the net over the course of the contest, there was much more to the hosts’ performance on the day.
Cillian Crookes was highly influential around the middle-third and Eanna Ó Nualláin stood tall in defence throughout. Their Blakestown counterparts never truly threatened to force themselves back into the reckoning, but strong contributions from Diarmuid Ó Dúlaing, Jack O’Keeffe and Adam Drewett kept the scoreboard ticking over from a Commercials perspective.
They will have to be at their best once again if the Junior ‘A’ title is to return to the Collegeland club, however, as Lucan were convincing 2-18 to 0-8 winners over Good Counsel/Liffey Gaels at 12th Lock.
Lucan’s third team were seeking to join them in reaching a hurling decider, but ultimately fell to a 2-17 to 1-15 defeat at the hands of Faughs in the Junior ‘B’ Championship at Arthur Griffith Park on Sunday morning.
A Dublin minor footballer in 2021 and a member of Templeogue Synge Street GFC, Scott McConnell shook the net for Faughs in the early exchanges. Kevin Hogan was to finish the tie with 1-8 to his name and his green flag effort was crucial in terms of keeping Lucan at bay in the opening period.
Alan Leahy (0-3), Conor Doyle and Conor Kenny (0-2 apiece) were others to chip in with vital scores as Faughs advanced to face St Oliver Plunkett’s/Eoghan Ruadh in the Junior ‘B’ showpiece.
Elsewhere on Sunday, Thomas Davis booked their spot alongside Portobello in the Junior ‘G’ Hurling Championship final with a last-four triumph of 2-6 to 0-9 against Lucan Sarsfields at Arthur Griffith Park.
Meanwhile, there was unconfined joy at Bohernabreena on Sunday as St Anne’s secured a 2-10 to 0-7 win over Geraldine P Moran in the penultimate phase of the Junior ‘H’ Hurling Championship.
The Tallaght club were facing into a strong breeze during the opening 30 minutes of the action, but goalkeeper Andy Jones and centre half-back Jonathan Doyle ensured their opponents were largely kept at bay. Niall O’Brien and Dylan Nevins forged a strong bond at midfield, while Daniel Culligan, Ben Jones and Conall Barnes blossomed in attack.
In fact, it was a goal from Culligan that was the catalyst for Anne’s to secure a final berth. St James Gaels/An Caislean will provide the opposition in that game, after the Crumlin-based side recorded a 6-11 to 1-10 win against St Finian’s, Swords at Bunting Park.
At Broomfield on Saturday, the Ballyboden St Enda’s third-string outfit suffered a 3-19 to 1-13 reversal to St Sylvester’s in an Intermediate Hurling Championship semi-final.