Leinster Colleges/Dublin Colleges 2-15 Good Counsel 3-8:DUBLIN COLLEGES marched into the Leinster Colleges senior hurling A final after a four-point win over Good Counsel at Dr Cullen Park on Saturday.
Good Counsel went into the game with hopes of a possible Leinster double in hurling and football. But the Dublin side doused those aspirations in a game where they held an edge in skill, teamwork and finish over their Wexford opponents.
When Counsel's full forward Michael Moloney hammered home a goal from a 10th-minute free they led 1-1 to 0-2. But Dublin remained unflustered and picked off points with forwards Conor Clinton, Niall McMorrow and the classy team captain David Treacy showing great accuracy.
On 28 minutes, Cuala clubman Treacy set up Aodhan McEneney for a goal as Dublin established a 1-9 to 1-3 interval lead.
Good Counsel substitute Ger Aylward, a player with a knack for scoring vital goals in both codes, was on the mark with a 34th-minute goal.
The game's best score arrived in the 39th minute when wonderful individual play from Dublin midfielder Ronan Walsh saw the Kilmacud Crokes man solo 60 yards before finishing to the net.
Dublin Colleges had a 2-13 to 2-7 lead by the 50th minute and had enough in reserve even when Counsel's Pádraig Whelan scored a goal and a point from play.
In the Leinster final Dublin Colleges will meet Kilkenny CBS or Castlecomer CS, who meet in the second semi-final at Freshford on Wednesday (2pm).
Counsel's emphasis will now turn to a Leinster Colleges senior football A semi-final against Gormanston College.
St Patrick's, Dungannon, qualified for the MacRory Cup final with a 1-10 to 0-6 win over St Patrick's, Armagh, at Killeeshil.
A superb midfield performance from Niall McKenna inspired the Tyrone students to a seven-point success.
Ciaran Gervin's 14th-minute goal helped Dungannon to a 1-4 to 0-3 lead at the break, and three points from McKenna saw them pull clear in the second half.
DUBLIN COLLEGES: F McGarry, D Ó Maileidigh, R O'Carroll, D Curran, R O'Loughlin. L Rushe, M Quilty, R Walsh (1-0), J O'Callaghan, J Winters (0-1), P Buckeridge (0-1), C Clinton (0-4), D Treacy (0-5, four frees), A McEneney (1-0), N McMorrow (0-4). Subs: C O'Farrell for Rushe (35 mins), C Brennan for O'Callaghan (42 mins), N Ó Muineachain for McEneney (47 mins), S Timon for Ó Maileidigh (60 mins).
GOOD COUNSEL: N Breen, T Grace, J Breen, P O'Gorman, C Kent, M O'Hanlon, P Whelan (1-1), H. Kehoe (0-1), D Murphy, E Kent, W Walsh, J O'Hanrahan (0-1), P Kehoe (0-1, sideline), M Moloney (1-4, 1-3 frees), J Cassin. Subs: G Aylward (1-0) for Kent (inj, (20 mins), C Doherty for Grace (half-time), D Bridges for Walsh (half-time), K Kehoe for O'Hanrahan (49 mins).
Referee: P Kehoe (Carlow).
