Dublin SFC: Na Fianna beat last year's beaten finalists St Jude's

Pic: Piaras Ó Mídheach/Sportsfile

Na Fianna secured their second successive victory in Group 3 of the Dublin Senior 1 Football Championship when overcoming St Jude’s by 2-8 to 0-9 at Parnell Park on Friday night.

It was a predictably tight and conservative first-half as St Jude’s, last year’s beaten finalists, opened up an early lead through points from Darragh Rooney and Liam Connerton.

Na Fianna replied with three points on the bounce through Conor McHugh (2) and Brian O’Leary before Rooney ensured parity by the interval with a well-taken score in the 29th minute.

Na Fianna landed a body blow as the impressive James Doran was on hand to poke home after Cillian Barden had spilled Aaron Byrne’s low effort in the 34th minute.

St Jude’s clawed their way back into contention through three points from Pat Spillane of Sligo and another by Leitrim ace Rooney but Doran had the final word in the 56th minute as he eased through for a facile finish as Barden was overturned 35 metres from goal.

The opening match of the Donnycarney double-header saw Templeogue Synge Street produce a stirring comeback as they shared the spoils with Raheny on a final scoreline of 3-7 to 1-13.

Raheny controlled the opening-half with two points apiece from Brian Howard and James O’Kane helping them to a deserved 0-7 to 0-1 interval lead.

When Patrick Reid bundled home within three minutes of the restart, their advantage grew to nine points but goals in quick succession from Lorcan O’Dell and Gerry Canavan offered hope to an improving Synger.

Canavan’s second goal in the 54th minute saw the contest delicately poised entering the final stages and while Seán McCarthy restored Raheny’s lead in the 62nd minute, Killian O’Gara converted a tricky free to ensure parity by the final whistle.

In St Margaret’s, Thomas Davis bounced back from their opening round defeat to Na Fianna as they edged Skerries Harps by 2-17 to 4-9.

SFC1 Group 1: Raheny 1-13 Templeogue Synge Street 3-7.

SFC1 Group 3: Skerries 4-9 Thomas Davis 2-19; Na Fianna 2-8 St Jude’s 0-9.