HURLING: LEINSTER SH ‘A’ CHAMPIONSHIP
North overcome cross-city rivals
Daire Walsh
DUBLIN North will face St Peter’s College, Wexford at the quarter-final stage of the championship, after they finished with six points (0-19 to 1-10) to spare against rivals Dublin South at Parnell Park on Sunday.
This Group Team Section game took place following the conclusion of Dublin’s Walsh Cup win over Galway in the Donnycarney venue, and thanks to the free-taking prowess of Johnny McGuirk Jr and Ardscoil Ris’ Colin Currie, North who were on top of proceedings early on.
Ronan Hayes and Eoin Foley were in fine form for South, but it was North who ultimately held a five-point advantage (0-11 to 0-6) at the interval. South persevered with their challenge when the action resumed, and a goal from a free by Ciaran Dowling meant that they remained within touching distance.
Yet, North were always in control of their own destiny, and in addition to the combined 0-10 salvo of McGuirk and Currie, Cian O’Sullivan, Cillian Costello and Daire Grey contributed two points apiece in a formidable team display.
Their semi-final is at Netwatch Fenagh, Carlow GAA Centre of Excellence at 2.0pm on Saturday.