LEINSTER SHC ‘A’ QUALIFIER: DUBLIN NORTH 1-15 DUBLIN SOUTH 1-10
CURRIE FLAVOUR OF NORTH
Centre-forward’s scoring prowess proves crucial in earning a slot in quarter-finals
Daire Walsh
DUBLIN North will face Kilkenny CBS in the quarter-final of the Leinster Schools’ Senior Hurling ‘A’ Championship after they claimed a hard-earned victory over Dublin South at Parnell Park last Sunday afternoon.
Following a slow start to this ‘Group Team’ Section encounter, South edged their way back into the frame – and found themselves on level terms with 15 minutes remaining. Clonkeen College’s Liam Murphy was in superb form for Cronan Dooley’s side, but thanks to the scoring prowess of Sean Currie, Micheál Murphy and Billy Ryan, it was North who ultimately advanced.
Both sides entered the contest with two wins apiece under their belt, but after St David’s corner-forward Ryan broke the deadlock for North from the opening attack, a successful Currie free swiftly followed. Currie was subsequently joined on the scoresheet by his Ardscoil Ris team-mate Micheál Murphy, and courtesy of additional scores by Ryan, captain Eoghan O’Neill and Murphy, Mike O’Dwyer’s charges opened up a six-point advantage.
South eventually opened their account with back-to-back scores from Liam Murphy, and although Currie responded with his second, the South attacker contributed his third point in the 21st minute.
Points from Murphy and Currie helped North to remain in control, before a 0-3 haul by Liam Murphy was supplemented by a coolly dispatched penalty from goalkeeper Conor O’Donoghue in stoppage time at the end of the opening period.
This remarkably meant that the sides were inseparable (1-6 to 0-9) when the action resumed, and it wasn’t until Ryan split the posts on 40 minutes that the scoreboard was altered. South responded with a superb point from substitute Davy Keogh, though, and the ever-dependable Liam Murphy was later on hand to cancel out a free by his namesake.
However, North regained the lead with unanswered scores from Ryan and Currie, and when the latter broke on to a loose ball 12 minutes from the end, he secured a well-timed goal for his side.
Ryan and Currie proceeded to swap scores, but South suffered a massive set-back when Keogh received his marching orders for a high tackle. Liam Murphy’s ninth point slightly narrowed the gap, but after Currie found the target from a distance of 40 metres, North ensured their progression to this Saturday’s showdown with CBS.
Scorers – Dublin North: S Currie 1-6 (0-1f), M Murphy (4f), B Ryan 0-4 each, E O’Neill 0-1. Dublin South: L Murphy 0-9 (7f), C O’Donoghue 1-0 (pen), D Keogh 0-1.
DUBLIN NORTH: J Rooney; A Dunphy, D Bergin, B McHugh; S Kavanagh, K Burke, D Levins; R O’Sullivan, M Murphy; E O’Neill, S Currie, C Derwin; B Ryan, L Gannon, J Byrne. Subs: S Clerkin for Gannon (40), S Lambe for Byrne (48), L Hughes for O’Sullivan (55).
DUBLIN SOUTH: C O’Donoghue; L Walsh, J Mowlds, T Glynn; R Ward, B Coffey, M Tracey; D O Floinn, T Kehoe; E Allen, K Kirwan, C Quinn; L Murphy, K Desmond, A Carroll.
Subs: D Keogh for Quinn (22), B Smith for Tracey (35), F O Ceallaigh for Allen (39), S Kennedy for Kehoe (45).
Referee: F McGreevy (St Oliver Plunkett’s/Eoghan Ruadh).