Hurling & Camogie

Cuala back in Leinster senior club hurling final after victory over St Mullin's

Mark Schutte is a tireless worker for the Cuala cause  
Mark Schutte is a tireless worker for the Cuala cause   Mark Schutte is a tireless worker for the Cuala cause  

AIB Leinster Club Senior Hurling Championship semi-final:


Cuala (Dublin) 1-19 St Mullin's (Carlow) 1-7

MANAGER Mattie Kenny hailed the "warrior" spirit of his Cuala players who have bounced back from last year's AIB Leinster club hurling final heartache to reach the decider again.

Another Con O'Callaghan goal and 1-3 in total from the dual-star proved significant at Netwatch Cullen Park where the Dublin champions demolished Carlow's finest. O'Callaghan has now nailed 5-6 in two provincial games and the Dublin footballer will be a marked man when they play O'Loughlin Gaels in the December 4 final.

That will be an opportunity for the back to back Dublin winners to atone for last year's provincial final defeat to Oulart-The Ballagh. Kenny insisted the panel aren't looking back to what happened last year but admitted the experience they're gaining is standing to them and pointed to the tireless work rate of forwards like O'Callaghan, Mark Schutte and the Treacy brothers.

"That's what you expect in the modern game," said Kenny.

"Whether it was the rugby between Ireland and New Zealand or it's the Gaelic football teams, all teams are bringing that massive work rate to it. To survive you've got to be able to compete at that level. The day for fancy little hurlers I think is well gone. Everyone has to be able to hook, block, tackle, to try to win their own ball. That's the way the modern game has gone. It's more a of warrior sport than it has been in the past."

Cuala weren't found wanting in that regard. Free-taker and county man David Treacy top scored again with 0-7 but sibling Sean was the key performer. He nailed three points from play and was constantly hassling and foraging for possession, feeding his team-mates for several scores.

Paul Schutte was the lynch pin of a dominant defence while his brother Mark put in the hard yards at full-forward. And when a touch of genius was needed it was O'Callaghan that delivered again. This year's Dublin U-21 football star didn't even start the county hurling final but has been terrific since.

Aside from his 1-3 haul, he drew fouls that led to bookings for two St Mullins players and set up a number of points including the last of the game from Mark Schutte. The only downside is that he's confirmed he doesn't wish to join the county hurling panel, preferring to bide his time with the footballers.

"The young lad is going well," said Kenny, the former Galway coach.

"The last day Con ended up on the end of some nice moves and got some nice goals. Today, I thought it was a good all round performance by himself, and all the forwards. He's contributing well to the team but that's why he's in there."

St Mullin's got a good start and led 1-2 to 0-3 after 15 minutes thanks mainly to John Murphy's well taken goal. He fell to his knees after a great catch above Sean Moran, but still got a shot away to the net. Cuala cleaned up from then on though, and outscored the three in-a-row Carlow champions 0-6 to 0-1 before half-time.

O'Callaghan threaded through a sumptuous pass for a Jake Malone score. Sean Treacy also kick-passed cleverly to begin a move that ended in a point for his brother. It was all starting to happen for Cuala, who led 0-9 to 1-3 at the break and added 1-3 without reply in the third-quarter to put daylight between them. O'Callaghan's 39th minute goal was a beauty as he ran onto Mark Schutte's sideways pass, let it bounce and then volleyed to the net.

Cuala added bursts of three and four points without reply to open up a dozen-point lead by full-time. Jack Kavanagh scored two of St Mullin's four second-half points, but was sent-off late on for his second booking.

MATCH STATS


Cuala: S Brennan; S Timlin, Cian O'Callaghan, O Gough; S Moran, J Sheanon, P Schutte; J Malone (0-1), D O'Connell (0-1); C Waldron, C Cronin (0-1), D Treacy (0-7, 0-5 frees); S Treacy (0-3), M Schutte (0-2), Con O'Callaghan (1-3); Subs: S Stapleton for Timlin (28-30, blood), Colum Sheanon (0-1) for Waldron (40), Stapleton for John Sheanon (57), R Tierney for S Treacy (57), B Fitzgerald for Cronin (59), N Carty for D Treacy (59).


St Mullin's: K Kehoe; G Bennett, J Doran, P Doyle; D Whelan, P Kehoe, G Coady; J Kavanagh (0-2), M Walsh; John 'Minor' Murphy, M Kavanagh (0-2, 0-1 free), John Murphy (1-0); J Doyle (0-3, 0-1 free), S Murphy, J Walsh; Subs: C Kavanagh for John 'Minor' Murphy (h/t), P Connors for Murphy (51).


Referee: P Burke (Kilkenny).