Defending All-Ireland champs Na Fianna survive massive Dublin scare against Cuala
ALL-IRELAND CLUB SHC title holders Na Fianna are through to the last four of the Dublin championship but just about after edging a marathon quarter-final encounter.
Ahead by six points with just 11 minutes of normal time remaining, the Glasnevin side looked to have dealt with the considerable challenge of 2017 and 2018 All-Ireland winners Cuala.
But the combined efforts of Cuala subs Conall and George O’Toole, who reeled off 1-3 between them late on, left favourites Na Fianna two points behind with as many minutes remaining.
A Cuala win would have been a giant surprise considering the Dalkey outfit lost their first three group games before coming good with a surprise round-robin win over Kilmacud Crokes.
They almost pulled it off too but Na Fianna pushed the game to extra-time and eventually prevailed by three points to secure their own clash with Crokes at the semi-final stage.
This evening’s draw for the second semi-final has pitted Ballyboden St Enda’s against Lucan Sarsfields.
Ballyboden beat St Vincent’s by 1-31 to 2-27 in a quarter-final tie yesterday that also went to extra-time while Crokes had it easier against Naomh Barrog, beating the northsiders by 3-27 to 0-18.
In the first of today’s quarter-finals, Lucan defeated St Brigid’s by 2-22 to 1-16.
Na Fianna are chasing a Dublin three-in-a-row and are aiming to qualify for a fifth county final in a row but picked up three fresh injuries this afternoon.
Talisman and county star Donal Burke, who sniped 1-4, left the field clutching his hamstring before applying an ice-pack to it, a big concern considering his history of hamstring problems.
Boss Aidan Downes, who took over from Niall O Ceallachain for 2025, also had to replace Ciaran Stacey and Tom Brennan with knocks.
Na Fianna topped Group 1 with five wins from five and carved Cuala open at times in the first half of normal time, hitting the interval with a 2-15 to 1-14 advantage.
Burke and Sean Currie sniped the goals though Cuala and Dublin goalkeeper Sean Brennan denied Na Fianna further goals with a series of top notch saves.
Brennan pulled off around eight saves throughout the game while, at the other end of the field, dual star Con O’Callaghan was influential for Cuala too, moving between centre and full-forward over the course of the game.
Galway’s Donal O’Shea finished with a dozen points, mainly from frees, for Cuala who fell into Na Fianna’s slipstream in the third quarter before coming roaring back between the 49th and 57th minutes.
In that brief period, Cuala outscored Na Fianna by 1-6 to 0-1, thanks in the main to the two O’Toole subs, to lead by 2-26 to 2-24.
It was tense and thrilling stuff and while Na Fianna got back on top again, Cuala’s George O’Toole eventually tied it up at 2-28 apiece to send it to extra-time.
Na Fianna subs Tom Gleeson and Charlie McCarthy chipped in with important extra-time scores while four more points from free-taker Colin Currie, who finished with 0-13, proved significant too.
In Kilkenny, Ballyhale Shamrocks dethroned holders with a 1-22 to 0-16 win in Sunday’s quarter-final in Nowlan Park.
Ballyhale were already eight points ahead and firmly in control when Niall Shorthall rifled home the game’s only goal in the 43rd minute.
Ballyhale — chasing their first county title since 2022 — will face Dicksboro in the semi-finals, while Mullinavat take on 2024′s beaten county finalists O’Loughlin Gaels.
43 Nóim@ThomastownGAA 0-11 (11)@BallyhaleGAA 1-19 (21)Niall Shorthall leis an gcúl !!Tj pulling the strings !
BEO/LIVE AR @TG4TV #GAABEO pic.twitter.com/8KC2B63gDN
— Spórt TG4 (@SportTG4) September 28, 2025
Na Fianna scorers: Colin Currie 0-13 (0-10f, 0-1 65), Donal Burke 1-4, Sean Currie 1-2, Jack Meagher 0-5, Brian Ryan 0-4, AJ Murphy 0-4, Charlie McCarthy 0-2, Ciaran Stacey 0-1, Peter Feeney 0-1, Tom Gleeson 0-1.
Cuala scorers: Donal O’Shea 0-12 (0-8f, 0-1 65), Conall O’Toole 1-3, David Treacy 0-4, Sean Moran 0-4 (0-2f), Jamie Conroy 0-4, Dara Twomey 1-0, George O’Toole 0-3, Con O’Callaghan 0-2, Jack Twomey 0-1, Cillian Sheanon 0-1.
NA FIANNA
1. Jonathan Tracey
2. Diarmuid Clerkin 3. Conor McHugh
4. Sean Burke
5. Paul O’Dea 6. Liam Rushe
7. Peter Feeney
8. Brian Ryan 9. Jack Meagher
13. Colin Currie 10. Sean Currie
12. Ciaran Stacey
14. AJ Murphy 11. Donal Burke
15. Tom Brennan
Substitutes: 24. Micheal Murphy for Ciaran Stacey (14); 20. Liam Stacey for Clerkin (20); 17. Shane Barrett for Brennan (35); 25. Charlie McCarthy for AJ Murphy (51); 30. Tom Gleeson for Burke (55); AJ Murphy for Barrett (ET); 23. Sean Baxter for O’Dea (ET); 22. Gerry Spollen for Meagher (68); 26. Joe Kavanagh for Murphy (74); Barrett for Gleeson (80).
CUALA
1. Sean Brennan
2. Michael Conroy 3. Eoghan O’Callaghan
4. Conor Groarke
5. Sean Moran 6. Diarmaid O Floinn
7. Stephen Roche
10. Jamie Conroy 8. Jake Malone
9. Jack Twomey 14. Con O’Callaghan
15. David Treacy
24. Kevin Kirwan 22. Dara Twomey
12. Donal O’Shea
Substitutes: 26. George O’Toole for Malone (38); 11. Cillian Sheanon for Dara Twomey (43); 23. Conall O’Toole for Kirwan (46); Twomey for Treacy (77)
Referee: Thomas Gleeson.
The 42
