Action from St Jude’s clash with All-Ireland Club champions Na Fianna in Parnell Park on Saturday.
Photo by Rory Barker
St Jude’s downed by All-Ireland champs in opener
St Jude’s took on All-Ireland Champions Na Fianna in Parnell Park this past Saturday in their first game in Group 2 of the Dublin Senior 1 Hurling Championship.
Jude’s would put up a fight against the reigning provincial and All-Ireland champions but would ultimately come up short, being on the wrong end of a 2-26 to 1-19 scoreline.
They initially started the game very well and were the first team to see a green flag raised in their favour after a goal from Dublin Under 20 attacker Callum Graham.
Na Fianna would respond emphatically however with inter-county star Sean Currie netting a goal allowing them to build up a three point lead at half time with the score reading 1-14 to 1-11.
Jude’s performed well throughout the half however.
Scores from the likes of Declan O’Connor, Conor Nolan, Diarmaid McLoughlin and Joe McManus were all pivotal along with the aforementioned display from Callum Graham, in keeping Judes in the game and going head to head with Na Fianna.
McManus’s three points in the second half of the match brought his side well within striking distance of the All-Ireland Champions.
Despite the likes of Colin Currie and Jack Meagher having decent preformances, Na Fianna never seemed to reach the state of fluidity that one would expect from an All-Ireland wining side throughout the first half.
Normally so lethal in attack the side appeared to take their foot off the gas for periods of the match, allowing Judes to work their way into the game and keep things competitive.
It would ultimately be the final few minutes of the half which would see Na Fianna kick into gear and establish a three point lead with the change in play perhaps being an indicator of how the rest of the game was going to pan out.
The holders put further distance between the teams in the early stages of the second-half with Meagher and Colin Currie adding to their individual tallies.
While Nolan replied with two frees for St Jude’s, their task became trickier as they conceded a second goal in the 37th minute as Liam Stacey burst through, possibly overcarrying in the process, and finished impeccably past O’Reilly.
While they had established themselves in a very strong position, Na Fianna still did not look like their usual selves as Jude’s continued to get forward and threaten up the pitch with midfielders Diarmaid McLoughlin and Eoin Dolan both firing over the bar.
However, St Jude’s were unable to generate many chances in the final quarter as Colin Currie continued to make hay from placed balls with the late dismissal of Jude’s substitute Oisín Costello a disappointing footnote on which to end proceedings.
Judes would falter in the final quarter of the game unfortunately, going a man down after the dismissal of Oisin Costello certainly did not help matters and Na Fianna would continue to add to their lead through frees before securing the victory.
Judes will be back in action this weekend against Craobh Ciaran who they will take on at O’Toole Park this Saturday at 3.30pm
