Allianz National Hurling League – Division 1B
Antrim 0-14 Dublin 1-25
Saturday 25 January
Brendan McTaggart reports from Croke Park, Dublin
If Davy Fitzgerald was under any illusions as to the task he has on his hands, he would have had his eyes opened in Croke Park on Saturday evening. A 14 point defeat that, if we’re honest, probably flattered the Saffrons as Dublin cruised to an opening weekend win in the Division 1b of the Allianz National hurling league.
Since taking up the reins, Fitzy has told us on more than one occasion that it was going to take time to implement the plans he has. At times, scarce as they might have been, you could see what the plans might be. It’s not dramatic or drastic changes but it’s taking a bit of getting used to. Davy has called for patience and time. There’ll be no major or harsh judgements made on the opening day of the league as the size of the job has been outlined further after this 70 minutes of hurling.
Deploying Niall O’Connor as the extra man in defence, Antrim looked to nullify the threat from the home team and in the opening quarter they looked to have that home sides attacking talents under control. In attack, James McNaughton was the pick of the bunch and the Loughgiel man excelled in that opening 35 minutes. He had plenty of support from Nigel Elliott and Niall McKenna as Antrim made a bright start to the game.
Two points separated the sides in the 10th minute when the only goal of the contest came. It was a quite brilliant piece of hurling that had the Dublin support purring. Daire Gray with the cross field ball into the corner for Iain Ó hEithir to gather. The Dublin defender surveyed his options and picked the run of Conal Ó Riain who didn’t have to break stride as he bore towards Ryan Elliott’s goal. The pass was sublime and the finish was emphatic, Ó Riain put daylight between the sides but Antrim responded well to hit four of the next five scored before the 21st minute. All from the hurl of McNaughton (three frees) while Dublin sharpshooter Cian O’Sullivan provided the response the home side.
With just two between the sides going into the final quarter of the half, Dublin clicked through the gears. In the time that remained before half time, the Saffrons managed two white flags – both from McNaughton (one free) while Dublin split the uprights a further eight times. Five from O’Sullivan and placed balls while a brace from Dara Purcell and Ó Riain had eight between the sides at the short whistle.
Any hopes of a dramatic Antrim comeback were soon extinguished in the opening exchanges of the second half with O’Sullivan, Conor Burke and Ó Riain splitting the posts to extend Dublin’s lead.
McKenna added points either side of a brace from O’Sullivan but the Dubs were purring through the gears with some precise passages of play that Antrim simply had no answer to.
Antrim’s inability to win possession from either attacking or defensive puck-outs where killing their chances of building any sort of attacking or score board momentum and while the Dubs were far from efficient in that second half, totalling 10 wides after the interval, they never looked like wavering.
The Saffrons continued to look for ways through the Dublin defence, Keelan Molloy playing in a much deeper role at times as they looked to alternate their point of attack but a number of wides, albeit from distance and shots dropping short ensured the Dubs could play without any semblance of a major threat coming their way.
Both sides emptied their benches, Antrim in an attempt to breathe impetus into their attack while the home side had thoughts on saving legs and getting game time into their panel.
Antrim looked to drop deeper and starve the Dublin attack of any meaningful space but the home side were more than happy try and take scores from distance. Conor Burke’s score that saw him run fully 50 yards unopposed before splitting the uprights from half way one that left some scratching their head.
O’Sullivan would finish with 13 points beside his name in a man of the match display while Ó Riain’s 1-3 was eye catching and his overall performance was certainly top drawer. Paddy Burke, Declan McCloskey and Nigel Elliott all performed well for the Saffrons but there’s work to be done ahead of their next outing when they welcome Westmeath to Corrigan Park next Sunday.
TEAMS
Dublin: Eddie Gibbons; John Bellew, David Lucey, Iain Ó hEithir; Paddy Dunleavy, Chris Crummey, Daire Gray; Brian Hayes, Conor Burke; Conal Ó Riain, Cian O’Sullivan, Darragh Power; Fergal Whitely, John Hetherton, Dara Purcell
Subs: Diarmuid Ó Dúlaing for F Whitely (43); Sean Gallagher for D Gray (46); Cillian Hayes for B Hayes (57); David Purcell for J Hetherton (59); Jack Lambert for P Dunleavy (63)
Scorers: C O’Sullivan 0-13 (10fs 1’65); C Ó Riain 1-3; D Purcell 0-3; C Crummey 0-2; C Burke 0-2; J Hetherton 0-1; C Hayes 0-1
Antrim: Ryan Elliott; Conor Boyd, Ryan McGarry, Paddy Burke; Declan McCloskey, Eoghan Campbell, Conall Bohill; Scott Walsh, Paul Boyle; Niall McKenna, Nigel Elliott, James McNaughton; Keelan Molloy, Eoin O’Neill, Niall O’Connor
Subs: Eoin McFerran for C Boyd (HT); Gerard Walsh for R McGarry (HT); Seaan Elliott for N O’Connor (47); Joe Maskey for C Bohill (54); Joseph McLaughlin for E O’Neill (66)
Scorers: J McNaughton 0-10 (8fs); N McKenna 0-2; N O’Connor 0-1; N Elliott 0-1
Referee: James Owens (Wexford)
TO SEE MORE PICS FROM THE GAME CLICK ON THE LINK BELOW