AHL DIV. 1 ROUNDUP – 7TH JULY
DUBLIN ADULT HURLING LEAGUE DIVISION ONE ROUND-UP: JULY 7
By Daire Walsh
St Jude’s moved back up to third in the Adult Hurling Division One table with a comprehensive 3-21 to 0-15 success over Cuala at Shanganagh Park on Saturday evening.
Following a five-point triumph (3-15 to 1-16) for St Vincent’s against St Brigid’s last Thursday at Russell Park, the pressure was on the Wellington Lane outfit to return to winning ways. After four wins on the bounce has helped to earmark their title credentials, Jude’s were narrowly defeated by Lucan Sarsfields – 1-13 to 0-15 – in Tymon North on June 16.
Cuala were also seeking a return to form in the top-flight, with recent reversals to Lucan and Craobh Chiarain leaving them just two points in front of basement side O’Toole’s.
There was little to separate the two sides during the opening moments of the action, as early Jude’s points from Mark Maguire and Joe McManus were quickly cancelled out by the All-Ireland champions.
Fionn Ó Riain Broin kick-started his account with an eighth-minute pointed free, before McManus added a brace for the Templeogue men. The Sky Blues attacker proved to be a reliable source of scores throughout the first half, but McManus was equally adept at finding the target.
Though Cuala remained in touch, a penalty on 21 minutes provided Jude’s with an ideal opportunity to create daylight between the sides. Ó Riain Broin’s subsequent effort floated over the crossbar, however, much to the relief of their Dalkey counterparts.
Ó Riain Broin kept the opposition rearguard on their toes with a two-point salvo, though, and McManus ensured it was a productive end to the opening period for Jude’s. Courtesy of the ace marksman’s well-taken goal in the 28th-minute, the visitors held a 1-12 to 0-8 interval cushion.
Jude’s kept the scoreboard ticking over on the resumption through Ó Riain Broin and Galway native Donie Fox, keeping them on course for a fifth league win in the calendar year. Mark Maguire split the posts on the stroke of 40 minutes and 2013 All-Star Danny Sutcliffe also added a point at the end of a subsequent attack.
Just when Jude’s appeared odds-on for a commanding success, Cuala registered five points in as many minutes to keep themselves firmly in the reckoning. Yet, this was as close as they came to snatching victory from the jaws of defeat.
Ó Riain Broin and Maguire (two) raised white flags, before Ó Riain Broin brought his personal haul up to 1-7 with a clinical major. Indeed, there was enough time for Sutcliffe to add a third goal in stoppage-time, placing Jude’s in a perfect frame of mind ahead of a crunch encounter against Na Fianna on Saturday week (July 21).
Despite being two points adrift as a result of Ballyboden’s victory over Crumlin on Saturday, Na Fianna will have a chance to go joint-top when they host Craobh Chiarain at St Mobhi Road on Monday.
Meanwhile, Peter Kelly’s second half goal propelled Lucan Sarsfields to a 3-20 to 1-22 triumph at the expense of Kilmacud Crokes at 12th Lock. Anthony Daly’s visiting team looked to be the most likely winners when they led 1-13 to 1-5 at the midway stage.
However, after a superb goal from ex-county star Kelly brought them level on the third-quarter mark, Lucan pushed on for a third successive victory.