Dublin's Na Fianna show their class to end Clough-Ballacolla's dream of Leinster Club glory

Clough-Ballacolla have been knocked out of the AIB Leinster Club Senior Hurling Championship at the first hurdle by Dublin side Na Fianna in Parnell Park on Sunday afternoon.

The Dublin champions were by far the better side from start to finish and took control of the game from the 13th minute onwards.

Na Fianna 3-20

Clough-Ballacolla 1-15

It didn't take long for Clough-Ballacolla to get off the mark as a well-worked score which saw Aidan Corby and Stephen Bergin combine to set up Cillian Dunne for the game's first point after 30 seconds. Na Fianna responded with a point from play courtesy of Colin Currie. Stephen 'Picky' Maher got the next two scores, one from play and one from a free after Dunne was fouled. Colin Currie got his second score of the contest, this time from a free.

Another score landed over the bar from Picky Maher as he intercepted a Na Fianna pass out of defence to split the posts. Brian Ryan got a point back for the Dublin side to make it 0-4 to 0-3 in favour of Clough-Ballacolla after eight minutes. Picky Maher having already scored three points added a goal to his name. A diagonal ball across the field from Willie Dunphy found Picky Maher and his marker Sean Burke slipped which gave the Clough-Ballacolla man the easy task of finding the back of the net.

Donal Burke and Jack Maher raised a white flag each for Na Fianna with Stephen Bergin replying for Willie Hyland's side. Na Fianna took control of the game for the next nine minutes as they raised five white flags without reply. AJ Murphy (two), Paul O'Dea, Ciaran Stacey and a Colin Currie pushed the Dublin side three points ahead having been three points down themselves.

Kevin Mulhall pointed a great score from midfield for Clough-Ballacolla. Cathal Dunne made a great save from Stacey as he bore down on goal. Then came the turning point of the contest, Picky Maher hit a free wide before Na Fianna came up the other end and rattled the back of the net as Stacey went on a great run before unleashing an unstoppable effort past Cathal Dunne. Jack Maher pointed for a second time while Picky Maher pointed a free to end the first-half. Na Fianna led 1-12 to 1-7 at the break.

Just like Clough-Ballacolla had done in the first-half, Na Fianna had a score on the board within 30 seconds of the restart. Donal Burke split the posts for the second time. Clough-Ballacolla captain Aidan Corby popped up with a great score from midfield. Colin Currie added two more points to his tally with a free and a 65'. Robbie Phelan got a score back for Willie Hyland's side. Clough-Ballacolla were the architects of their own downfall as they hit three soft wides which would have reduced the game to three points but Na Fianna just kept adding scores as Colin Currie pointed another free.

Picky Maher and Murphy traded points before Cillian Dunne scored after a Corby sideline found the hand of Willie Dunphy, who slipped it to Dunne. There was still a quarter of an hour to play and six points separated the sides. Cathal Dunne was having a great game in the Clough-Ballacolla net as he got down low to deny Brian Ryan, Colin Currie slotted over the resulting 65'.

Clough-Ballacolla's number 14 Picky Maher added two more frees to his name but his side needed goals to have any chance of getting back into this Leinster quarter-final. Na Fianna put the game to bed in the next six minutes as they racked up 2-1. AJ Murphy split the posts before blasting the ball past Cathal Dunne after a great run from Stacey. Na Fianna's third goal came from the penalty spot after Joe Corby committed a foul in the square. Jonathan Tracey come forward from the goals to smash the ball beyond the hurl of Cathal Dunne. 

Picky Maher got two late frees for the Laois champions but Na Fianna got the game's final score as Diarmuid Clerkin split the posts to record an 11-point victory to end Clough-Ballacolla's season.