Dioralyte Walsh Cup Group 2
Dublin 2-31 Antrim 1-20
Ring-rusty Antrim were no match for Dublin in Sunday’s Dioralyte Walsh Cup Group 2 game at Parnell Park on Sunday as they were well beaten by a sharper looking Dublin side. While it was the Saffron’s first time together this season, due to the cancellation of last weekend’s scheduled game against Westmeath, the Dubs had the advantage of a game against the same opposition in the opening round.
As well as that the Ulster men are facing into the new season with a third of last years team gone from the panel so nobody was really expecting much from this game, and for a while they stayed with their opponents pretty well, but their inability to win prime possession cost them dearly while Dublin were confident and assure throughout.
The home team got away to a flyer with three quick point, and though Antrim battled well to get the gap back to 0-3 to 0-5, Dublin won six poc-outs in a row and stretched their lead to six. Some good free taking by Rian McMullan and a couple of impressive scores from play by Paul Boyle kept them in touch and as the game entered first half injury time they were just seven behind, but Diarmuid Ó Dúlaing fired in a goal with the last poc of the half to send his team to the dressing rooms with a ten point cushion.
With the breeze behind them in the second half, and playing ‘down the slope’ Rian McMullan’s quick point briefly raised hopes, but two inside a minute from the Dubs had the gap out to eleven. Paul Boyle, who was Antrim’s most effective forward from play, got one back, but three in a row Burke (2) and Ó Dúlaing widened the gap even further. Two points inside a minute from Rian McMullan and substitute Fred McCurry gave the visiting fans a bit of hope, but Ó Dúlaing and Flanagan came back with points before Ó Dúlaing closed the door firmly in Antrim faces with a well taken goal.
To ther credit Antrim kept battling and Rian McMullan showed great accuracy from free and finished with a sweetly struck goal from play, but by that stage Dublin were out the gate and gone, and looking forward to a semi-final during the week.
Scorers – Dublin: D Ó Dúlaing 1-5 (0-2f), P Crummey 1-3, J Flanagan 0-6 (4f), C Burke, D Keogh 0-4 each, P Doyle, E O’Donnell, C Donohoe, M Grogan, L Murphy, D Leavy, C Foley, B Hayes, A Considine 0-1 apiece. Antrim: R McMullan 1-9 (0-8f), P Boyle 0-3, C Boyd, C Bohill, N McKenna, C Cunning (f), F McCurry, J McNaughton, A O’Brien, S McAuley 0-1 apiece.
Dublin: S Brennan; J Bellew, J Madden, P Doyle; E O’Donnell, C Donohoe, M Grogan; C Burke, C Boyle; S Currie, D Keogh, J Flanagan; D Ó Dúlaing, P Crummey, L Murphy. Subs: A Considine for Currie (half-time), B Hayes for Boyle (half-time), J Malone for Flanagan (45), F Whitely for Murphy (45), C Foley for Malone (Blood Sub, 49), D Leavy for Doyle (53), O Gaffney for Crummey (62).
Antrim: T Smyth; C Boyd, R McGarry, P Burke; S Walsh, E Campbell, E Óg McGarry; C Bohill, N O’Connor; E McFerran, N McKenna, P Boyle; C Cunning, C McCann, R McMullan. Subs: S Rooney for Óg McGarry (35+2), S McAuley for Cunning (half-time), F McCurry for O’Connor (half-time), A O’Brien for Walsh (half-time), E Trainor for McCann (47), R McCloskey for Bohill (56), P Duffin for Burke (56), C McGarry for O’Connor (63), J McNaughton for McFerren (63).
Referee: James McGrath (Westmeath).
