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"Tom Was Playing Football During The Dublin Championship" - Dual Star Lights It Up For Na Fianna

"Tom Was Playing Football During The Dublin Championship" - Dual Star Lights It Up For Na Fianna
Niall McIntyre
By Niall McIntyre Updated
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Na Fianna 2-23 Sarsfields 0-20

Na Fianna are All-Ireland senior club hurling champions for the first time after an outstanding display, defeating Sarsfields by nine points.

An outstading start put Niall Ó Ceallacháin's side in the driving seat, helping them to a twelve point lead at half-time and they finished strongly to win out by nine.

AJ Murphy was the man-of-the-match while Tom Brennan, a dual player starting his first game of the year, hit 2-1 in the debut of dreams.

Tom Brennan - Dream debut. Sportsfile.

"Believe it or not, Tom was playing football during the Dublin championship," man-of-the-match AJ Murphy said of Brennan after the game.

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"He only came back to us after that. He's only held a hurl in his hand about ten times, so what an impact he made. He's so direct, got 2-1, he was unbelievable today."

Na Fianna made a blistering start, racing into a 0-9 0-1 lead after seventeen minutes. Their forwards were humming in the early stages, ripping Sarsfields open with their pace.

Their unselfishness ensured the man in the best position got the ball every time, setting up easy scoring opportunities. Colin Currie and Aaron Myers exhanged frees in the game's first couple of minutes before Na Fianna took over with eight in a row.

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Wing back Paul O'Dea scored an inspirational one from distance having been set up by the influential Brian Ryan before AJ Murphy and Ciaran Stacey raised further white flags.

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The pace of Murphy, Stacey, Jack Meagher and debutante Tom Brennan had the Sars defenders living on their nerves. The Dublin men ran at them every chance they got with Donal Burke (two), Brian Ryan and Colin Currie scoring further points.

A goal was coming with Murphy having had a sighter, and Na Fianna took their second chance when Jack Meagher laid off to Brennan who finished low and hard.

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Dual player Brennan was only called in to replace Gavin King but he made an instant impact with 1-1 in the first half, helping them into a 1-16 to 0-7 lead at half-time. The Na Fianna forwards destroyed the Sarsfield backs with Sean Currie hitting their final point of the half.

Sarsfields needed a miracle to turn things around in the second half but instead it was Na Fianna, picking up where they left off with a Brian Ryan point almost straight from the throw-in.

Johnny Crowley's team rallied with scores from Jack O'Connor and Aaron Myers but Tom Brennan banished any ideas of a comeback with a second goal.

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Stacey was again at the heart of it, running straight at them before laying off to Brennan who finished sublimely to round off his brilliant performance. Jack O'Connor fought hard for Sarsfields, scoring a few consolation points towards the finish but the damage was done.

Na Fianna saw it out to win by nine to lift the Tommy Moore Cup for the first time ever.

Read More: The Men Who Saved Hurling In Na Fianna And How They Did It

 

 

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