AHL DIV. 2 ROUND-UP: FEBRUARY 24
ADULT HURLING LEAGUE DIVISION TWO ROUND-UP: FEBRUARY 24
By Daire Walsh
Faughs’ quest for an automatic return to the top-flight of adult hurling began in positive fashion at Tymon North on Sunday morning.
Even though they didn’t have it all their own way on home soil, the southsiders eventually recorded a 3-12 to 3-7 win at the expense of St Oliver Plunkett’s/Eoghan Ruadh in an entertaining clash.
Plunkett’s came into 2019 on the back of a productive Division Two campaign and will take plenty of encouragement into their home meeting with Erin’s Isle on Sunday week (March 10). On the same day, Faughs will make the short journey to Sandyford for a meeting with Naomh Olaf – whose opening round encounter against O’Toole’s was postponed due to a bereavement in the latter club.
After narrowly missing out on securing Division One in 2018 – they lost out to Whitehall Colmcille in an end-of-season play-off – Naomh Fionnbarra were determined to hit the ground running against Raheny at St Anne’s Park.
Despite fielding without a number of first-choice players, the Cabra side eventually came away with a 2-15 to 2-11 victory. Centre half-back Adam Milne provided the foundations for much of their attacking play, while Glen Dodrill and Dylan Owens dovetailed superbly at midfield.
They had to call upon several members of their junior side for this fixture, but each of them stepped up to the mark in a tricky away assignment. In addition to Glen Dodrill displaying his unerring accuracy off placed-balls, he also chipped in with a brace of points from play.
His brother Ger was a lively presence in the forward line, where Ryan Curley and Anthony Costello also made telling impacts throughout. Nevertheless, a stubborn Raheny (who finished last year’s campaign in seventh) picked off some eye-catching scores to ensure this game went down to the wire.
Yet, when Ger Dodrill and Curley combined to set-up a superb Lorcan Stone goal, it placed the final outcome beyond doubt.
At Kiltipper Road, Thomas Davis squeezed past the challenge of St Sylvester’s with a single point to spare (1-18 to 3-11). Playing on their pristine all-weather surface, Davis’ were three in front as the half-time whistle sounded.
They were facing into a strong breeze on the restart, which in turn offered Syls a fighting chance. Following their successful campaigns in Division Three last year, both sides were attempting to find their feet in the second-tier.
A draw looked a distinct possibility for large stretches of the action. However, with Rian Lynch, Jack Landers and Jacques Dalton impressing on their senior debuts, it was the Tallaght men who edged through in the end.
Having cemented their own Division Two status with six wins out of 11 outings in the previous term, Naomh Barrog has the measure of Scoil Ui Chonaill in Kilbarrack. Niall Ring, Donnacha Butler and Cillian Costello all played starring roles in a 2-14 to 3-4 triumph.
Meanwhile, the ever-reliable Fiontan McGibb inspired Setanta to a 1-16 to 1-12 victory over Erin’s Isle at Finglas.