The St Brendan’s Hurlers, Sponsored by Bodibro, were the first of the six St Brendan’s Adult Teams to go into Championship action for 2026, with a Round 1 PTSB Junior C Championship fixture against Fingallians in Longmeadows.
Just for the record, the other 5 St Brendan’s Adult teams opening Championship fixtures are:
Ladies Football 2nd XV: July 27th at home to Beann Eidair in PTSB LGFA Junior J.
Mens Football 1st XV: August 9th away to Geraldine P Morans in PTSB Junior 1 Club.
Camogie team: August 18th away to Whitehall Colmcille in PTSB Camogie Junior 2.
Ladies Football 1st XV: August 19th away to St Finians Swords in PTSB LGFA Junior B.
Mens Football 2nd XV: August 23rd away to Trinity Gaels in PTSB Junior 5 All County.
While those five teams have three Championship group matches, the Hurlers have five and as previously mentioned, the opening fixture was in Longmeadows against Fingallians.
And whatever troubles the Hurlers had in the League, one can safely say they were chucked into the nearby River Liffey as the Dark Force rescued a priceless Championship point against the Swords outfit on a 2-17 to 3-14 scoreline.
Liam Kennedy and Dan Cronin got the goals. Amongst the point scorers were Liam Nagle, Pa O’Dowd, Michael Harte, Eoin Fallon and Leon Broderick.
Round 2 took place seven days later in Rathcoole and a fixture against Commericals. As this writer made my way to Rathcoole, a sign at the gate made things crystal clear. Hurling and Camogie only played here, both in English and Irish, a clear indication that this is probably the only GAA pitch in Dublin that has never staged the big ball code.
Indeed, Commercials showed their intent by racing into a four point to no score lead after four minutes. Michael ‘Bruno Fernandes’ Harte had a shot that went wide in between the first and second points. Eoin ‘Quinn Roux’ Fallon opened The Dark Forces scoring account with a long range point after collecting Joseph O’Connor’s long puck out.
A long morning awaited when Commercials scored a goal after making the fluffed sideline cut, it wasn't cleared correctly by the Brendan’s Defence and the slioter hit the net. Commercials had 1-9 on the board when after 15 minutes, with Ireland experiencing a heatwave, the referee called for a Hydration....
No. I’m not using the World Cup term ‘Hydration Break’. I’m going to use the term I used when there were such breaks during the Covid Pandemic seasons of 2020 and 2021. The Swig of the Magic Bottle.
And whatever magic was in those bottles worked the oracle when Liam ‘The Sweeney’ Nagle pointed St Brendan’s 2nd point of the morning after Pa O’Dowd won possession. But Commercials scored a brace of points in front of a large appreciative crowd from Limerick and Galway who wanted to have a bit of an appetiser ahead of the All-Ireland Hurling Final later in the afternoon.
St Brendan’s hit a brace of points of their own from free in’s, both from Pa Carey, the first after Fallon was high tackled and the second, Carey drew the foul himself. However, Commericals hit a second goal before large cheers from the large crowd.
But St Brendan’s replied back with a Carey point from play after Harte emerged with possession after a scramble. After a 13th Commercials point, Liam ‘Vit Hit’ Kennedy got St Brendan’s 6th point of the morning following a clearance from Mark ‘The Edge’ Kinsella. Two more points from the home side followed and such was the free flowing nature of the first half, the referee blew for half time 30 minutes on the dot.
Half time score Commercials 2-15 St Brendan’s 0-6.
Now, did St Brendan’s whither in the second half?
Yeah right!
With Michael Harte going full Mike Bassett at half time, St Brendan’s started the second half with their fingers out and Carey was extremely unlucky not to get a goal 15 seconds into the second half when his shot hit the side netting.
A Commercials shot fell short and batted down by O’Connor, but their full forward was too slow to pounce and The Dream Maker Sean Dardis cleared. Carey did make amends to convert a free in after the home side once again fell foul of the hand pass rule.
Carey got the goal he craved when a Tom ‘Cian Lynch’ Kiely shot was blocked down and Carey, rather obnoxiously, pucked between his legs and into the net, to make it 2-18 to 1-7. That became 1-9 with a Liam Kennedy brace, pointing the first after a jersey tug and the second following a throw ball.
Pa Carey made it 1-10 with a point from play from 55 meters out. Nagle made it four points on the spin with a point following an Eoin Fallon turnover, Another Commercials point followed before the second half swig of the magic bottle.
Taking in a bottle of Vit Hit rather than H2O, Kennedy made it 1-12, after collecting a pass from Rob ‘Shane Lowry’ O’Hanrahan, with his father making the journey from Thomastown Co. Kilkenny to see his son in action. Then Kennedy made it 1-13 with a free in after Commercials again throwing the ball. Kennedy kept his cool taking the free in after kids tried to run onto the field of play with the mammies trying to catch them.
Fallon made it 1-14 with a point from play after collecting a one-handed bat down from McGlynn. But the home side essentially put the contest to bed with a goal, followed by their best point of the morning, their 22nd.
But St Brendan’s kept going to the end and the two Liam’s, Kennedy and Nagle, both scored long distance points from play. Nagle then assisted fellow Cork man Eoin Fallon with the 17th St Brendan’s point.
Whilst disappointed with the loss, there was some great passages of play in the second half and hopefully this will bring the Hurlers forward for the rest of the Junior C Championship, next up is an away fixture against Pobal Parnell next Sunday.
Final score from Rathcoole, Commercials 3-23 St Brendan’s 1-17 .
Just for the record, the other 5 St Brendan’s Adult teams opening Championship fixtures are:
Ladies Football 2nd XV: July 27th at home to Beann Eidair in PTSB LGFA Junior J.
Mens Football 1st XV: August 9th away to Geraldine P Morans in PTSB Junior 1 Club.
Camogie team: August 18th away to Whitehall Colmcille in PTSB Camogie Junior 2.
Ladies Football 1st XV: August 19th away to St Finians Swords in PTSB LGFA Junior B.
Mens Football 2nd XV: August 23rd away to Trinity Gaels in PTSB Junior 5 All County.
While those five teams have three Championship group matches, the Hurlers have five and as previously mentioned, the opening fixture was in Longmeadows against Fingallians.
And whatever troubles the Hurlers had in the League, one can safely say they were chucked into the nearby River Liffey as the Dark Force rescued a priceless Championship point against the Swords outfit on a 2-17 to 3-14 scoreline.
Liam Kennedy and Dan Cronin got the goals. Amongst the point scorers were Liam Nagle, Pa O’Dowd, Michael Harte, Eoin Fallon and Leon Broderick.
Round 2 took place seven days later in Rathcoole and a fixture against Commericals. As this writer made my way to Rathcoole, a sign at the gate made things crystal clear. Hurling and Camogie only played here, both in English and Irish, a clear indication that this is probably the only GAA pitch in Dublin that has never staged the big ball code.
Indeed, Commercials showed their intent by racing into a four point to no score lead after four minutes. Michael ‘Bruno Fernandes’ Harte had a shot that went wide in between the first and second points. Eoin ‘Quinn Roux’ Fallon opened The Dark Forces scoring account with a long range point after collecting Joseph O’Connor’s long puck out.
A long morning awaited when Commercials scored a goal after making the fluffed sideline cut, it wasn't cleared correctly by the Brendan’s Defence and the slioter hit the net. Commercials had 1-9 on the board when after 15 minutes, with Ireland experiencing a heatwave, the referee called for a Hydration....
No. I’m not using the World Cup term ‘Hydration Break’. I’m going to use the term I used when there were such breaks during the Covid Pandemic seasons of 2020 and 2021. The Swig of the Magic Bottle.
And whatever magic was in those bottles worked the oracle when Liam ‘The Sweeney’ Nagle pointed St Brendan’s 2nd point of the morning after Pa O’Dowd won possession. But Commercials scored a brace of points in front of a large appreciative crowd from Limerick and Galway who wanted to have a bit of an appetiser ahead of the All-Ireland Hurling Final later in the afternoon.
St Brendan’s hit a brace of points of their own from free in’s, both from Pa Carey, the first after Fallon was high tackled and the second, Carey drew the foul himself. However, Commericals hit a second goal before large cheers from the large crowd.
But St Brendan’s replied back with a Carey point from play after Harte emerged with possession after a scramble. After a 13th Commercials point, Liam ‘Vit Hit’ Kennedy got St Brendan’s 6th point of the morning following a clearance from Mark ‘The Edge’ Kinsella. Two more points from the home side followed and such was the free flowing nature of the first half, the referee blew for half time 30 minutes on the dot.
Half time score Commercials 2-15 St Brendan’s 0-6.
Now, did St Brendan’s whither in the second half?
Yeah right!
With Michael Harte going full Mike Bassett at half time, St Brendan’s started the second half with their fingers out and Carey was extremely unlucky not to get a goal 15 seconds into the second half when his shot hit the side netting.
A Commercials shot fell short and batted down by O’Connor, but their full forward was too slow to pounce and The Dream Maker Sean Dardis cleared. Carey did make amends to convert a free in after the home side once again fell foul of the hand pass rule.
Carey got the goal he craved when a Tom ‘Cian Lynch’ Kiely shot was blocked down and Carey, rather obnoxiously, pucked between his legs and into the net, to make it 2-18 to 1-7. That became 1-9 with a Liam Kennedy brace, pointing the first after a jersey tug and the second following a throw ball.
Pa Carey made it 1-10 with a point from play from 55 meters out. Nagle made it four points on the spin with a point following an Eoin Fallon turnover, Another Commercials point followed before the second half swig of the magic bottle.
Taking in a bottle of Vit Hit rather than H2O, Kennedy made it 1-12, after collecting a pass from Rob ‘Shane Lowry’ O’Hanrahan, with his father making the journey from Thomastown Co. Kilkenny to see his son in action. Then Kennedy made it 1-13 with a free in after Commercials again throwing the ball. Kennedy kept his cool taking the free in after kids tried to run onto the field of play with the mammies trying to catch them.
Fallon made it 1-14 with a point from play after collecting a one-handed bat down from McGlynn. But the home side essentially put the contest to bed with a goal, followed by their best point of the morning, their 22nd.
But St Brendan’s kept going to the end and the two Liam’s, Kennedy and Nagle, both scored long distance points from play. Nagle then assisted fellow Cork man Eoin Fallon with the 17th St Brendan’s point.
Whilst disappointed with the loss, there was some great passages of play in the second half and hopefully this will bring the Hurlers forward for the rest of the Junior C Championship, next up is an away fixture against Pobal Parnell next Sunday.
Final score from Rathcoole, Commercials 3-23 St Brendan’s 1-17 .
