Dublin SHC final: Na Fianna 1-20 Lucan Sarsfields 0-22
Great teams thrive in chaos and these Na Fianna players give the impression that they enjoy a little madness.
Not for the first time in this season’s Dublin senior hurling championship, the reigning county, Leinster and All-Ireland champions looked in real trouble.
But they always seem to find a way, coming from two points down with almost 60 minutes on the clock to mine out another precious Dublin SHC final win.
That’s three-in-a-row now for the Mobhi Road men and they have Sean Currie in particular to thank this time.
RM Block
Brian Ryan’s fifth point of the evening may have ignited their late comeback, and free-taker Colin Currie played a key role too, levelling it up in the 62nd minute with his ninth score, but it was Sean Currie’s 64th-minute intervention that will be remembered when they recall just how the Glasnevin side claimed only a third ever title.
The decision to award Na Fianna a 39th-minute penalty for a foul on Donal Burke, which Burke then converted, will be remembered too.
Referee Rory Hanley was sure that Lucan defender Ronan Smith fouled Burke, but on closer inspection it may have been a perfectly executed flick on the sliotar.
Either way, the goal flew in and while there was still time for Lucan to win it they will probably look back in anger on the decision.
Charlie Keher and Ben Coffey were terrific for Charlie Carter’s west Dublin side, scoring 14 points between them.
Chris Crummey came alive as the game developed too, and they really will feel that they let slip a maiden title in what was their first appearance in the decider since 2013.
Na Fianna led by just 0-11 to 0-10 at half-time despite playing with the wind and the sides were level eight times throughout the second-half.
Lucan then surged clear, with goalkeeper Seanie McClelland even adding to their tally, but Na Fianna’s experience and quality ultimately told.
They’ll return to action on November 9th to play the Wexford winners in a Leinster club quarter-final.
NA FIANNA: J Tracey; S Burke, C McHugh, D Clerkin; P O’Dea (0-1), L Rushe, P Feeney; B Ryan (0-5), J Meagher; M Murphy, D Burke (1-0pen), S Currie (0-2); C Currie (0-9, 7f), AJ Murphy (0-2), T Brennan.
Subs: J Kavanagh for Clerkin (45 mins), C McCarthy (0-1) for Brennan (52), L Stacey for Meagher (57), T Gleeson for Murphy (62).
LUCAN SSARSFIELDS: S McClelland (0-1f); M Pappalardo, C Crummey (0-1), J Bellew; M McCaffrey, P Rigney, R Smith; C Walsh (0-1), L Garrigan; C Keher (0-4), D Flannery (0-1), B Coffey (0-10, 8f); D Mulqueen, P Crummey (0-2), C Kennedy (0-1).
Subs: C Dowling for Mulqueen (43 mins), K Costelloe (0-1) for Garrigan (50), M Coogan for Flannery (53).
