Dublin SHC Final: Na Fianna strike late to make it three-in-a-row

​Dublin senior hurling championship final

NA FIANNA 1-20 LUCAN SARSFIELDS 0-22

By Paul Keane at Parnell Park, Dublin

It will hopefully come as some consolation to Lucan Sarsfields that five years ago, Na Fianna had never even contested a Dublin SHC final.

Fast forward back to the present and the Glasnevin outfit are this evening celebrating a third county title success in a row having pipped Lucan in a thriller.

Who knows, perhaps in five years we'll be celebrating Lucan's similar rise to title success having contested just their second ever final, coming up agonisingly short.

But for now it's all about Na Fianna who impressively found a way to hold onto the New Ireland Assurance Cup and to claim that Dublin SHC three-in-a-row.

Charlie Carter's Lucan led by three points with 60 minutes almost on the clock.

But three Na Fianna scores on the trot climaxed with the winning point from Sean Currie in the 64th minute.

The first of those scores came from Man of the Match Brian Ryan, his fifth of the night.

Colin Currie then levelled the game with a trademark free, bringing his tally to nine points.

Shortly after, Currie turned provider, gathering up a long free in by goalkeeper Jonathan Tracey and feeding it to his brother, Sean, who tapped over.

Lucan's concession of a 39th minute penalty, which Donal Burke converted for Na Fianna, was also hugely significant.

Lucan bounced back from that and were level terms no less than eight times in the second-half.

Ben Coffey's 10th point of the game for them in the 59th minute left them with that two-point lead.

But county, provincial and All-Ireland winners Na Fianna showed all their mettle to hold on, securing them a Leinster club SHC quarter-final clash with the Wexford champions on November 9.

Na Fianna put their unbeaten record on the line when they took to the field, reaching the final with seven wins from seven.

They overcame Lucan along the way in mid-September though their last defeat in championship fare, back in a 2024 group game, was also to Lucan.

Wides cost Na Fianna this time as they hit the interval with a narrow 0-11 to 0-10 lead despite creating enough chances to be further clear.

They had the stiff wind and continuously shot from distance, with mixed results as their first-half wides tally of 11 indicated.

Former Limerick senior Ryan drilled three first-half points but struck two wides, as did Jack Meagher and Burke.

They were costly errors which allowed the more efficient Lucan to open up a 0-6 to 0-3 lead after 12 minutes.

All six of Lucan's scores came from different players as the seemingly perennial semi-finalists displayed the depth of their quality.

Na Fianna took over for a period then, reeling off, firstly, three and then five points without response to take a 0-11 to 0-07 lead and, apparently, control of the game.

But three Lucan points to close out the half left Na Fiann with just a one-point interval lead.

The sides were level 11 times in the game, and eight in the second-half, and while Na Fianna benefited from that penalty call, Lucan responded with a series of scores to leave themselves in pole position late on.

Goalkeeper Seanie McClelland boomed over a long-range free and teenager Killian Costelloe even grabbed a crucial score after coming on.

But the west Dublin side couldn't hold out for a landmark win as Na Fianna made their own piece of history with a memorable three-in-a-row.

Na Fianna scorers: Colin Currie 0-9 (7f), Brian Ryan 0-5, Donal Burke 1-0 (pen), Sean Currie 0-2, AJ Murphy 0-2, Paul O'Dea 0-1, Charlie McCarthy 0-1

Lucan Sarsfields scorers: Ben Coffey 0-10 (8f), Charlie Keher 0-4, Paul Crummey 0-2, Colm Walsh 0-1, Cathal Kennedy 0-1, Donal Flannery 0-1, Chris Crummey 0-1, Killian Costelloe 0-1, Seanie McClelland 0-1 (0-1f)

Na Fianna: Jonathan Tracey; Sean Burke, Conor McHugh, Diarmuid Clerkin; Paul O'Dea, Liam Rushe, Peter Feeney; Brian Ryan, Jack Meagher; Micheal Murphy, Donal Burke, Sean Currie; Colin Currie, AJ Murphy, Tom Brennan.

Subs: Joe Kavanagh for Clerkin 45, Charlie McCarthy for Brennan 52, Liam Stacey for Meagher 57, T Gleeson for Murphy 62.

Lucan Sarsfields: Seanie McClelland; Massimo Pappalardo, Chris Crummey, John Bellew; Matt McCaffrey, Paul Rigney, Ronan Smith; Colm Walsh, Liam Garrigan; Charlie Keher, Donal Flannery, Ben Coffey; Dave Mulqueen, Paul Crummey, Cathal Kennedy.

Subs: Ciaran Dowling for Mulqueen 43, Killian Costelloe for Garrigan 50, Matt Coogan for Flannery 53.

Referee: Rory Hanley (St Brigid's).