09/10/2022
Go Ahead Dublin Senior Two Hurling Championship
Parnell Park
FT: Castleknock 1-09 v Faughs 1-18
Photos: Niall O’Connell & Shay Hogan

Dublin GAA report By Daire Walsh – Report click here >>>

Faughs and Whitehall Colmcille will face each other in the Go Ahead Dublin Senior Two Hurling Championship decider following their respective semi-final wins over Castleknock and Ballinteer St John’s in Parnell Park at the weekend.

Far out in front of the top-tier competition with 31 titles – the last of those coming in 1999 – the Templeogue-based Faughs will be back in the hunt for Senior One glory in 2023 as a result of their flawless march to the Senior Two decider.

After topping Group Two with four consecutive victories, Faughs automatically progressed to the penultimate phase of this competition. Castleknock’s status as the second-placed team in Group One put them on a collision course with Ballyboden St Enda’s ‘B’ in a quarter-final just over a fortnight ago, but the Somerton Park outfit triumphed in that game on a scoreline of 1-18 to 1-15.

Faughs displayed no ill-effects from being idle since August 27, however, as Carl O’Mahony (free) and Liam Mostyn posted unanswered points during the early exchanges. Castleknock responded through a Cian Boyle free, before their southside opponents reinforced their authority with further scores from O’Mahony and Fergal Heavey.

Emmet McKenna and O’Mahony (with his third successful free) kept the scoreboard ticking over for Faughs, but Castleknock were starting to take shape in attack. Featuring Dublin senior footballer Ciaran Kilkenny in their ranks, ‘Knock reduced the deficit to the bare minimum with fine contributions by Conal Purcell and Boyle (two).

Nevertheless, Faughs were determined to leave their imprint on the game and found themselves six clear by the 29th minute. Squeezed in between points from O’Mahony and Eamon Hennessy, Ciaran Brennan rattled the net in superb fashion.

Although this was a set-back for Castleknock, they were offered renewed hope at the end of the opening period. Boyle was a leading light throughout for his side and he produced a 1-1 salvo to leave the 2015 intermediate champions just two behind (1-8 to 1-6) heading into the dressing rooms.

Buoyed by this powerful finish to the first half, ‘Knock subsequently levelled matters with points from Purcell and Eoin Sawyer on the restart. There were all of 12 minutes gone in the second period before Faughs finally added to their account – O’Mahony bagging his first point from play.

This proved to be the catalyst for an impressive purple patch that effectively placed Johnny Greville’s men into an unassailable position. Single scores from David Croke and James O’Brien supplemented a three-point salvo by the dependable O’Mahony to leave Faughs six points in front with seven minutes of normal time to play.

While a Boyle point at the opposite end (bringing his personal tally to 1-6) interrupted this scoring sequence, Faughs were determined to finish the game on a high. Centre half-back Conor O’Shea, Niall Fitzgibbon, Jake Moore and Jamie Maloney all added their names to the scoresheet as the Tymon Park side claimed a deserved 1-18 to 1-9 victory.