GAELIC GAMES: LEINSTER SCHOOLS SENIOR ‘A’ HURLING CHAMPIONSHIP ROUND-UP
Dublin North come good at Hawkfield for final-quarter Birr push
Daire Walsh
A STRONG final quarter paid dividends for Dublin North on Tuesday at Hawkfield, where the defending champions recorded a 1-14 to 2-9 opening round victory over St Brendan’s, Birr in the Leinster Schools Senior ‘A’ Hurling Championship.
Trailing by three points with 12 minutes remaining on the clock, the Metropolitan outfit subsequently posted 0-5 without reply to book their place in the winners section of tomorrow’s second round draw. After they overcame the challenge of county rivals Dublin South in the closing round of the ‘Group Teams’ preliminary phase just five days earlier, North were hoping to maintain their push for back-to-back titles.
Despite being reduced to 14 men on the stroke of 25 minutes, a goal from impressive Castleknock star Luke Swan (a key performer for the Dublin minor hurlers throughout 2018) offered Paul O’Brien’s side a 1-6 to 0-6 lead at the break.
Their midlands counterparts came to life on the restart with a brace of goals, but thanks to powerful displays by Conor Scully, Kevin Byrne and Liam Dunne, Dublin North ultimately progressed.
Meanwhile, at the National Games Development Centre in Abbotstown on Monday afternoon, Castleknock Community College had two points to spare (2-12 to 3-7) against Terenure College in the Dublin Schools Juvenile ‘B’ Football Championship decider.