Dublin senior hurling championship quarter-final

Ballyboden St Enda's 2-21 Lucan Sarsfields 0-23

By Paul Keane at Parnell Park, Dublin

A dream double of Dublin senior hurling and football titles remains on the cards for Ballyboden St Enda's after a battling SHC quarter-final win at Parnell Park.

A day after turning 40, former inter-county star Conal Keaney played a key role with another wholehearted display and point as David Curtin's side became the third team to reach the last four, joining group winners Cuala and Kilmacud Crokes.

Another former Dublin attacker, Paul Ryan, led the line for 'Boden with 1-8 while Niall McMorrow, wearing number eight but operating as a full-forward, contributed 1-3.

There was an important cameo from substitute Niall Ryan also who yielded 0-2, the second of those scores allowing 'Boden to finally breathe out late in stoppage time after being pushed all the way by Lucan.

Both sides struck 23 scores so the goals, drilled by McMorrow in the 21st minute and by Paul Ryan in the 34th, were crucial for 'Boden.

They led 1-10 to 0-11 at half-time and twice opened up six-point leads but were unable to shake off a determined Lucan for whom free-taker Chris O'Leary tallied 0-12.

McMorrow's first-half goal was part of a 1-4 scoring blitz for 'Boden which left them 1-8 to 0-5 clear but, true to the pattern of a highly entertaining and full blooded encounter, Lucan came storming back.

'Boden finished second in Group 1 behind winners Cuala while Lucan came third in Group 2 so Sarsfields came into the contest as underdogs but refused to relent throughout.

They reduced the gap to just a point early in the second-half following a series of points from John Bellew, Ciaran Dowling, John McCaffrey and O'Leary.

Crucially, they couldn't get it back to level terms at any stage and 'Boden typically responded with a couple of points themselves to reassert their authority whenever it was beginning to look dangerous for them.

Lucan were six behind again with seven minutes to go but outscored 'Boden by 0-5 to 0-1 in the next seven minutes or so, O'Leary on the mark three more times, to cut the gap to just two early in stoppage time.

It made for a nail-biting finale but 'Boden points from McMorrow and Ryan got them through with a little to spare.

Scorers for Ballyboden St Enda's: Paul Ryan 1-8 (1-0pen, 0-1f, 0-2 65), Niall McMorrow 1-3, Simon Lambert 0-3 (0-1 s/l), Niall Ryan 0-2, Aidan Mellett 0-2, Conal Keaney 0-1, David O'Connor 0-1, Luke McDwyer 0-1.

Scorers for Lucan Sarsfields: Chris O'Leary 0-12 (0-9f), Colm Walsh 0-3, Ciaran Dowling 0-2, Paul Crummey 0-1, Chris Crummey 0-1, John Bellew 0-1, John McCaffrey 0-1, Liam Garrigan 0-1, Paul Rigney 0-1.

Ballyboden St Enda's: Finn McGarry; Stephen O'Connor, Luke Corcoran, Hugh O'Sullivan; David O'Connor; James Madden, Simon Lambert, Shane Durkin; Pearse Christie, Aidan Mellett; Conor Dooley, Conal Keaney, Luke McDwyer; Niall McMorrow, Paul Ryan.

Subs: Niall Ryan for Christie h/t, Paddy Dunleavy for O'Sullivan 47, Timmy Hammersley for Dooley 54, Kevin Desmond for McDwyer 60, Conor McKeon for Keaney 64.

Lucan Sarsfields: Sean McClelland; Matthew McCaffrey, Paul Claffey; John McCaffrey; Luke Walsh, Paul Rigney, John Bellew; Ronan Smith, Colm Walsh; Ciaran Dowling, Chris Crummey, Paul Crummey; Chris O'Leary, Ciaran Smith, Charlie Keher.

Subs: Alan Murphy for Walsh 34, Liam Garrigan for Keher 43, Cian McHugh for Smith 47, Kevin Fitzgerald for Smith 59.

Referee: Chris Mooney.