The Minor A Hurling Championships 2025 have reached the Quarter-Final stage.
Two of the Quarter-Finals were played on October 19th, with the other two on this weekend, presumably due to unplayable pitches over the last few weeks.
Thats a good win for Lucan as both teams were 2-1 in the group stage, Lucan have been producing strong teams underage for the last few years and this would appear to be no different.
Big win for Crokes over the arch Southside rivals Boden, Crokes had a very strong group stage finished 3-0, whereas Boden were 2-1 in the group with first round loss to Clontarf who narrowly lost out on the knockout stages.
-------
Na Fianna on 3-0 in the group, come into this in good form; they have been running up 18+ scores per game, including 8 goals in the three group games.
Castleknock were 2-1 in the group stage with a good win over Vincents and Faughs, running up good scores until their loss to BSJ in the last round.
Verdict - Based on form alone, Na Fianna seem to be strong
BSJ topped their group on 2-1, but with a points difference of +19, they lost the second game by 1 to Vincents but had big wins v Castleknock and Faughs, so seem to be able to get a scoring purple patch on.
Judes also finished their group on 2-1 and with a huge points difference of +43 -although a lot of that was down to scoring 12 goals in the last round v Luck team, who should have been playing MHC B. Outside that they had a big win over Cuala in R1 - lost to NAF in R2 but scored 18 goals in the three games.
Verdict - Hard to call, but both teams seem to score well, so it could be a great game.
For the latest updates on scores that we can find - see the Minor Championship thread on the forum
Judes goal scoring continues and gets them over BSJ on the tightest of margins.
Na Fianna also continues their high scoring (18 scores per game usually) and they overcome a good Castleknock side by 6.
Semi-Final draws are
Two huge rivals over the last few years at underage. Crokes have come through the group unbeaten and then beat a strong Boden team in the 1/4 final. Lucan had a 6-point win over Raheny in the 1/4 finals after a 2-1 group stage.
Verdict: Hard to tell really, but if Crokes are to win this out, they'll have done it the hard way, beating Boden, Lucan and/or Na Fianna / Judes. Crokes to edge it for me, only based on their good win over Ballyboden and playing this game in Silver Park
Na Fianna come into this after a good 6-point win over Castleknock and after scoring another 3 goals to add to their 8 goals in the group stage and seem to be scoring freely for this time of year at this grade with 18+ scores per game.
Here they meet a Jude's team, who scraped through the 1/4 final by the narrowest of margins, but as we know, a tight win can bring a team along; they're mad for goals, having scored 21 goals in their 4 games to date, which is unreal.
Verdict: The only thing i would confidently predict is goals - both these teams seem to score loads of them. Although it'd be typical now if they cancelled each other out somehow. I think, as this is in Mobhi Road and Na Fianna also scored a good few points, I'll give them a tentative advantage - but if Judes can get a couple more goals than they concede, who knows.
-----
Best of luck to everyone involved! 💪
-----
Na Fianna 2-8 - Judes 1-25
Some scoring by Judes to beat Na Fianna, who i thought would have the edge in this one, albeit not by much. Apparently Judes went 11 points up and never looked back.
Dublin county board match reports says:
It proved far more straightforward for St Jude’s across on the all-weather pitch in DCU as they eased past Na Fianna by 1-25 to 2-8.
The result was never really in doubt as the visitors seized control from the first whistle and their all-round excellence was reflected in a wide range of scorers over the hour.
Cathal Martin was a regular contributor for St Jude’s, who built up an unassailable lead thanks to further scores from Oisin Gough, James Frisby, Adam Morris, Joe Plunkett, Ross Harlow, Billy Shouldice, Reuben McCormick, Ciaran Fitzgerald and Oisín Costello.
Crokes 2-09 - Lucan 0-16
The other semi-final sounds like a cracker. Great result for Lucan as well over their big rivals underage the last few years, they get a bit of revenge on Crokes for the U21 result yesterday.
The Dublin County Board match reports says
In Silver Park, Jack Mills scored ten points, including eight from placed balls, as Lucan pipped Kilmacud by 0-16 to 2-9.
1-4 from play by the lively Conall Criostóir and a Dara Crean goal ensured the hosts remained in the hunt throughout while Rory Flannery, Conal O’Sullivan, Andy Blanker and Finnian Donohoe also added to the Crokes tally.
However, the visitors just about deserved their win with Killian Costello, Mills, Michael O’Brien and Charlie Mooney all to the fore while Oscar Brennan also caught the eye with three crucial points.
The Lucan scoring was completed by Henry Greene, Mooney and Derry Ware as Crokes fell short at the final whistle despite the efforts of goalkeeper Conor Coogan, full-back Rian Robertson, Blanker and Criostóir.
Seperate to that i had heard that Killian Costello & Michael O'Brien had very good games as well as the Lucan 11 with some great fetches over a very strong marker. in addition to that Conall Criostóir has bagged a load of scores throughout the championship.
The minor A hurling Final is on this Sunday Nov 30th at 11.00 - O Toole Park
Judes came through their group with a +45 points difference and 18 goals in 3 games, they then scored another 3 in a narrow quarter-final win over Balinteer. That close game seems to have stood them in good stead as they raced into a big lead against Na Fianna in the Semi-Final and by all account they never looked back. Running out comfortable winners over a good Na Fianna team who had been in really good form up till then.
Lucan lost a game in the group stages, then beat Raheny, but that semi-final win over a 3-0 group stage Crokes who had a very tight win over Boden will really stand to them you'd imagine, a narrow win but they scored 16 times to Crokes 11 scores, so will get a lot of confidence from that.
Verdict - Again really hard one to call. You could make a strong case for either team really. Judes were scoring goals for fun, but then flipped that into a big points total against a strong Na Fianna side. Lucan were going nicely but beating a strong Crokes team wull give them huge confidence. If i had to pick a winner, i'd say Judes goal threat might give them the edge, if Lucan hold them? all bets are off.
Should be a really good game.
Score:
Congratulations to Lucan on winning the Minor ! Hurling championship helped by a flurry of goals. Hard luck to Judes but good going to get to the final.
--
Don't agree with our comments or predictions? Then join in the conversation below! 😃
----
Don't agree with our comments or predictions? Then join in the conversation on the ResDubs Forum here 😃
