DUBLIN U21 HURLING ‘A’ CHAMPIONSHIP SEMI-FINAL
NA FIANNA…………………………… 2-23
ST BRIGID’S………………………….. 1-15
Daire Walsh
Earlier in the week, Donal Burke produced an inspired display at Russell Park, when Na Fianna booked their place in the Dublin U21 Hurling ‘A’ Championship decider with a 2-23 to 1-15 victory over St Brigid’s.
With 2016 Dublin minor star Johnny McGuirk leading their charge, Brigid’s were on level terms at the midway point in the action. However, with Burke, Sean Ryan and Gavin King registering a combined total of 2-17, Na Fianna ultimately advanced to the decider.
Inside the opening 60 seconds of the play, the onrushing King claimed the first goal of the game by firing past helpless opposition netminder Tadhg Brannigan.
FINE POINT
This was supplemented by a fine point from play by full-forward Sean Murphy, but from the subsequent attack, the hosts claimed a three-pointer of their own. Midfielder Donnacha Ryan broke at pace into the ’45’, and after receiving a pass from his inter-county team-mate, Cian O’Sullivan found the bottom left-hand corner of the Na Fianna net.
However, Murphy and King were on target either side of a Luke Purcell score for Brigid’s, and even though McGuirk was successful with three long-range frees, the towering Ryan equalled this scoring feat at the opposite end of the field.
Yet, Brigid’s gathered momentum towards the end of the half, and another 0-3 haul by McGuirk restored parity.
Na Fianna eventually responded with another point courtesy of Murphy, but even though Burke opened his account in first-half stoppage-time, McGuirk and O’Sullivan ensured that the sides were tied at 1-9 apiece during the interval.
When Burke and McGuirk swapped scores after the restart, it looked like this encounter was set to go down to the wire. Yet, six unanswered points in as many minutes – three from Burke, as well as one each from Seamie O’Sullivan, King and Eoghan McHugh – left Brigid’s with a mountain to climb.
The increasingly-influential Burke brilliantly found his range from the left-wing on 43 minutes, but thanks to back-to-back scores by McGuirk, Brigid’s had reduced the gap to four points moving into the final-quarter.
THREATENED
Na Fianna once again threatened to pull away with points from Ryan and Burke (two), before McGuirk brought his personal tally up to 0-13 to offer a glimmer of hope to Donal O’Doherty’s side. Burke stepped up to the mark with another 0-2 salvo, though, and when Ryan was on hand to secure Na Fianna’s second goal of the night, the outcome had been placed beyond doubt.
Na Fianna didn’t allow their standards to drop in the closing moments, however, and with Burke bringing his final haul up to 0-11 from an injury-time free, Na Fianna advanced in ruthless style.
MATCH FILE
Scorers – Na Fianna: D Burke 0-11 (5f), S Ryan 1-4, G King 1-2, S Murphy 0-4 (2f), S O’Sullivan, E McHugh 0-1 each. St Brigid’s: J McGuirk 0-13 (11f), C O’Sullivan 1-1, L Purcell 0-1.
NA FIANNA: J Tracey; D McHugh, H Fenlon, L Carey; S Barrett, P Buggy, P O’Dea; C Doran, AJ Murphy; S O’Sullivan, E McHugh, D Burke; S Ryan, S Murphy, G King.
SUBS: C Currie for King (48), C Heaney for Fenlon, A Fitzgerald for Buggy (both 57), L Stacey for S Murphy (62).
ST BRIGID’S: T Brannigan; S O’Neill, D Frayne, C Breslin; D McKenna, M Kavanagh, T O’Shea; D Ryan, D McGowan; L Purcell, J McGuirk, C O’Doherty; C O’Sullivan, F O’Meara, C Burke.
SUBS: J Connolly for Kavanagh (36-38, blood sub), Connolly for Burke (51), D Cullinane for O’Shea (57), M Freyne for Ryan, T McFlynn for O’Doherty (both 58).
MENTORS – ST BRIGID’S: Donal O’Doherty, Sean Frayne, Johnny McGuirk Sr. NA FIANNA: Declan Feeney, Billy Fenlon, Paddy Oliver.
REFEREE: Jason O Buachalla (Setanta).
WIDES – Na Fianna: 8 (4+4). St Brigid’s: 6 (3+3).
CONDITIONS: Dry with just a slight breeze.
PLAYER OF THE MATCH: Donal Burke (Na Fianna).