St Brigid’s 1-18 Cuala 0-18
AODHáN McINERNEY turned in a terrific display last night at Tom Russell Park as the hosts, St Brigid’s, turned home advantage in their favour to open their Dublin SHC ‘A’ Group A account with a three-point win over the Dalkey men.
Early on McInerney was detailed to mark Dublin forward David Treacy and turned in a colossal display.
Cuala, playing with a strong first-half breeze, had posted four points through Treacy, Mark Schutte (2) and free-taker Eoghan Dunne before Paddy McAvinue landed a 65 to open the St Brigid’s scoring on 10 minutes.
BUOYED
But Cuala, buoyed on by a terrific long distance score from wing-back Conor Gough, forged ahead once more, while only two Brigid’s players managed to score during the opening 30 minutes.
Nonetheless, a point from midfielder Eoghan Kellett was to see them trail by just four at the break, 0-11 to 0-7.
Cuala marksman Dunne landed another free for Cuala shortly after the restart.
Brigid’s, however, were right back in business on 32 minutes when Cian O’Mahony, who lined out for Fingal in this year’s league, cut in from the endline before clinically shooting low into the net.
And, although Treacy, who was now operating on the 40, was to send over a number of good scores, Brigid’s were to pull away in the concluding 10 minutes of the tie, with Brendan McInerney, brother of Aodhán, sending over two crucial scores for the Dublin 15 men.
SCORERS – St Brigid’s: P McAvinue 0-11 (6f, 2 ’65’, 1 sideline), C O’Mahony 1-2, B McInerney 0-2, C Kellett, C Woodgate, D Plunkett 0-1 each. Cuala: D Treacy (2f, 1 ’65’), E Dunne (4f) 0-6 each, C O’Farrell, M Schutte 0-2 each, C Gough, C Sheanon 0-1 each.
ST BRIGID’S: A Nolan; C Doyle, T O’Donnell, J Jordan; A O’Leary, A McInerney, M Cussen; C Kellett, C Woodgate; C O’Mahony, P McAvinue, D Plunkett; J Winters, R O’Keefe, B McInerney.
CUALA: F O’Brien; S Holden, O Gough, R Reid; C Gough, S Kelly, B Browne; J Sheanon, S O’Brien; C Sheanon, C O’Farrell, M Schutte, E Dunne, D Treacy, C Waldron. Subs: D Holden for Reid (16 mins), Reid for Waldron (46), R Cole for Sheanon (55).
REF: S McGill (Naomh Fionnbarra).
p THE 2009 Dublin U21 hurling championship ‘A’ final between Cuala and Craobh Chiaráin has been fixed for Saturday, May 8 at O’Toole Park with a 6pm throw-in.
Cuala will be attempting to add the hurling title to the football title they won last December when they defeated southside rivals Kilmacud Crokes in the final.
– Rory Kerr, Evening Herald
