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NA FIANNA HAVE held onto their Dublin SHC title but just about after mining out a precious Parnell Park win with their bare hands.
The Leinster and All-Ireland holders were in real danger of relinquishing all three of their titles when they trailed by two points with 60 minutes almost played.
But three scores on the trot climaxed with the winning point from Sean Currie in the 64th minute to secure a three-in-a-row of county titles.
The first of those scores came from Man of the Match Brian Ryan, his fifth of the night.
Colin Currie then levelled the game with a trademark free, bringing his tally to nine points.
Currie then turned provider, gathering up a long free in by goalkeeper Jonathan Tracey and feeding it to his brother, Sean, who tapped over.
Full-time: Na Fianna 1-20 Lucan Sarsfields 0-22
— The Sunday Game (@TheSundayGame) October 25, 2025
The All-Ireland champions survive and retain their title as Sean Currie's injury-time point wins it as Lucan Sarsfields are denied at the death pic.twitter.com/h64ILIrW3H
But Lucan will look back in anger at the concession of a 39th minute penalty which county star Donal Burke converted.
Referee Rory Hanley judged that Burke was initially fouled by Ronan Smith, despite the Lucan defender arguing that he pulled off a perfectly timed interception.
It was desperately tough on a Lucan side managed by Charlie Carter and chasing their maiden title.
Donal Burke of @clgnafianna dispatches a penalty and the reigning All Ireland champions lead @gaalucan by 1-12 to 0-14 in the @DubGAAOfficial SHC Final
— The Sunday Game (@TheSundayGame) October 25, 2025
Watch live on @RTE2 and @RTEPlayer 📺 https://t.co/ZfZ9mA9XTY pic.twitter.com/4B4gTWRISo
It was only their second final, and their first since 2013, and they were superbly led by Ben Coffey who struck 10 points, eight from frees.
Coffey’s 10th of the game in the 59th minute left them with that two-point lead having bounced back impressively from the goal concession.
But county, provincial and All-Ireland winners Na Fianna showed all their mettle to claim the New Ireland Assurance Cup – securing a Leinster club SHC quarter-final clash with the Wexford champions on 9 November.
Na Fianna put their unbeaten record on the line when they took to the field, reaching the final with seven wins from seven.
They overcame Lucan along the way in mid-September though their last defeat in championship fare, back in a 2024 group game, was also to Lucan.
Wides cost Na Fianna this time as they hit the interval with a narrow 0-11 to 0-10 lead despite creating enough chances to be further clear.
They had the stiff wind and continuously shot from distance, with mixed results as their first-half wides tally of 11 indicated.
Former Limerick senior Ryan drilled three first-half points but struck two wides, as did Jack Meagher and Burke.
They were costly errors which allowed the more efficient Lucan to open up a 0-6 to 0-3 lead after 12 minutes.
All six of Lucan’s scores came from different players as the seemingly perennial semi-finalists displayed the depth of their quality.
Na Fianna took over for a period then, reeling off, firstly, three and then five points without response to take a 0-11 to 0-07 lead and, apparently, control of the game.
But three Lucan points to close out the half left Na Fianna with just a one-point interval lead.
The sides were level eight times in the second-half and while Na Fianna benefited from that penalty call, Lucan responded with a series of scores to leave themselves in pole position.
Goalkeeper Seanie McClelland boomed over a long-range free and teenager Killian Costelloe even grabbed a crucial score after coming on.
But the west Dublin side couldn’t hold out for a landmark win as Na Fianna made their own piece of history with a memorable three-in-a-row.
Na Fianna scorers: Colin Currie 0-9 (7f), Brian Ryan 0-5, Donal Burke 1-0 (pen), Sean Currie 0-2, AJ Murphy 0-2, Paul O’Dea 0-1, Charlie McCarthy 0-1
Lucan Sarsfields scorers: Ben Coffey 0-10 (8f), Charlie Keher 0-4, Paul Crummey 0-2, Colm Walsh 0-1, Cathal Kennedy 0-1, Donal Flannery 0-1, Chris Crummey 0-1, Killian Costelloe 0-1, Seanie McClelland 0-1 (0-1f)
1. Jonathan Tracey
4. Sean Burke
3. Conor McHugh
19. Diarmuid Clerkin
5. Paul O’Dea
6. Liam Rushe
7. Peter Feeney
9. Jack Meagher
10. Micheal Murphy
8. Brian Ryan
11. Donal Burke
12. Sean Currie
13. Colin Currie
14. AJ Murphy
15. Tom Brennan
Substitutes: 23. Joe Kavanagh for Clerkin (45); 24. Charlie McCarthy for Brennan (52); 18. Liam Stacey for Meagher (57)
1. Seanie McClelland
2. Massimo Pappalardo
6. Chris Crummey
4. John Bellew
5. Matt McCaffrey
3. Paul Rigney
7. Ronan Smith
8. Colm Walsh
9. Liam Garrigan
10. Charlie Keher
11. Donal Flannery
12. Ben Coffey
13. Dave Mulqueen
14. Paul Crummey
15. Cathal Kennedy
Substitutes: 23. Ciaran Dowling for Mulqueen (43); 21. Killian Costelloe for Garrigan (50); 25. Matt Coogan for Flannery (53)
Referee: Rory Hanley (St Brigid’s).
Written by Paul Keane and originally published on The 42 whose award-winning team produces original content that you won’t find anywhere else: on GAA, League of Ireland, women’s sport and boxing, as well as our game-changing rugby coverage, all with an Irish eye. Subscribe here.
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