Cuala 1-26
St Brigid’s 2-14
CUALA MOVED A step closer to a fifth Dublin senior hurling title in six years after a straightforward quarter-final victory over St Brigid’s behind closed doors in Parnell Park.
They were without Dublin football star Con O’Callaghan but still possessed enough attacking talent to claim a nine-point win over the side they also defeated in last year’s county final.
It was the sort of game Cuala never looked like losing. They were slick from early on and led by 0-19 to 0-8 at half-time. By the time Diarmuid O’Floinn broke through for a 51st minute goal they were 12 points ahead and cruising.
O’Callaghan was a notable absentee for the 2017 and 2018 All-Ireland champions, reportedly with a knee injury. He also sat out Cuala’s Dublin SFC 2 clash against Parnells last weekend.
Despite his absence up front, Cuala looked extremely dangerous. They left two men in the full-forward line and played David Treacy in a floating role around the middle.
It suited Treacy, who looked sharp and drifted around the field causing St Brigid’s major headaches. He had 0-9 to his name at half-time and finished with 14 points (0-4 from play).
Cuala led by 10-4 at the first water break and were finding scores that bit easier to come by. Mark Schutte and Diarmuid O’Floinn were tidy in attack while Treacy was a constant menace.
The wind behind them was a factor as was their better ability to find a free man around the middle and pick off scores from distance in the opening period.
They had 19 points on the board from 24 shots by the interval where they led by 11 points. St Brigid’s improved after the break as the wind picked up. Dublin panellist Cian O’Sullivan slammed in a brilliant goal shortly after the restart and add a quickfire brace of points to fill his side with belief.
O’Sullivan finished with 1-9, doing a good deal of damage from play as well as his accurate free-taking.
Entering the final quarter, O’Floinn struck for a goal that pretty much put the game beyond St Brigid’s. A stunning catch from Sean Moran, who also contributed 0-2, that led to a Treacy crossfield ball for Schutte to fire over was the highlight of the closing stages.
Ruairi Convery flicked a long delivery into the net for St Brigid’s before time ran out on their campaign.
Scorers for Cuala: David Treacy 0-14 (0-10f). Diarmuid O’Floinn 1-1, Niall Carthy, Sean Moran and Liam Murphy (0-1f) 0-2 each, Colm Cronin, Jake Malone and Darragh O’Connell 0-1 each.
Scorers for St Brigid’s: Cian O’Sullivan 1-9 (0-5f, 0-1 65), Ruairi Convery 1-0, Paul Winters and Ciaran Kellett 0-2 each, Diarmuid Breslin 0-1.
Cuala
1. Sean Brennan
2. Oisin Gough
5. John Sheanon
3. Cian O’Callaghan
7. Jake Malone
6. Darragh O’Connell
4. Michael Conroy
29. Niall Carthy
9. Sean Treacy
12. Diarmuid O’Floinn
8. Sean Moran
10. Conor Cronin
11. David Treacy
14. Mark Schutte
15. Liam Murphy
Subs
18. Emmet Murphy for Carthy (39)
29. Colum Sheanon for Cronin (50)
17. Simon Timlin for Conroy (53)
22. Kevin Kirwan for John Sheanon (56)
19. Micky Kenny for Treacy (58)
St Brigid’s
1. Alan Nolan
5. Andrew Dunphy
6. Daire Plunkett
4. Jack O’Neill
3. Donnacha Ryan
2. Cathal Doyle
7. Mark Kavanagh
8. Luke Purtill
10. Ciaran Kellett
9. Keith Mullaly
13. Paul Winters
11. Eoghan Dunne
12. Kevin Callaghan
14. Conor O’Brien
15. Cian O’Sullivan
Subs
21. Diarmuid Breslin for Callaghan (22)
17. Eoghan McKaigue for Mullally (29)
23. Ruairi Convery for O’Brien (52)
19. Conal Burke for Kellett (55)
Referee: Dave Aston (Naomh Mearnóg).
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