For the second week in a row Kilmacud Crokes and Na Fianna tough it out this time for Hurling Silverware
Kilmacud Crokes v Na Fianna
Go Ahead Dublin Senior 1 Hurling Championship Final
Sunday, October 23rd. 2:30pm. Parnell Park
After a pulsating contest between Kimacud Crokes and Na Fianna in last week’s Dublin Senior 1 Football decider, the sides go head to head ocne more with the Senior 1 Hurling honours in the balance. And if this game runs as close as the Football final last week, hurling fans will be in for a real treat.
The men from Glenalbyn and Mobhi Road will lock horns tomorrow with many believing that this could be Na Fianna’s best chance at the top level in the Hurling Championship. They gave the reigning champions a real fright in last year’s decider, and after last week’s Football Final result there’ll be an even more determined attitude from the yellow and blue heading to Parnell Park tomorrow.
Na Fianna were 9 points clear with 10 minutes remaining on the clock in last year’s decider, their first ever Senior 1 final. But Crokes staged an incredible comeback with Ronan Hayes netting an injury time goal to force the fixture to extra time. This swung the momentum in Crokes favour and they ended the additional period 7 points clear to comfortably take the title.
The Path To This Year’s Hurling Final
This year the routes to the decider have been similar. Crokes ran out clear winners in Group 2 with wins over Craobh Chiarain, St. Brigids, Lucan Sarsfields and St. Vincents. That gave them a luxury of avoiding a Quarter Final, moving automatically to a last four clash with rivals Ballyboden St. Endas. And the Dalkey men ran out 9 point winners over the Firhouse Road men to book their place in tomorrow’s final.
Na Fianna won’t have minded putting in some extra game time to prepare for tomorrow’s clash. After an opening round victory over St. Judes, they suffered defeats to both Cuala and Ballyboden St. Endas before securing a final round win over St. Oliver Plunkett Eoghan Ruadh to qualify for a Quarter Final slot against local rivals St. Vincents. The Mobhi Road men brought the colour and the noise to Donnycarney to finish 5 points clear of the Marino outfit. And they outclassed a favoured Cuala side in the Semi Final to win by 2-18 to 0-17.
Craobh Chiarain were the last Northside club to secure the Senior 1 Hurling title back in 2006 since then Ballyboden, Cuala and Kilmacud Crokes have dominated the competition. So the task for Na Fianna tomorrow is monumental and could be historical. By early evening we’ll have a winner. And it should be the showcase everyone is hoping for.