Dublin 3-20; Derry 2-12
Were Dublin that good or were Derry that bad? Scoring 3-20 in football suggests Dublin must have been on fire at Croke Park on Saturday evening but on the other side, you’d raise questions about a defence conceding so much, even if this was a hurling game.
Dubs Manager Dessie Farrell must be the happiest manager in the league at the moment as the Dubs made it back to back wins in Division One. His Derry counterpart Paddy Tally would be forgiven this week for wondering which end is up with his squad at the moment. After a great fight-back against Galway the previous week to force a draw, they didn’t raise a gallop this time around, which would make you wonder about the enduring character of this team which a year ago was tipped to win Sam Maguire.
Be mindful, too, that Dublin were just re-introducing Con O’Callaghan to intercounty fare after his successful All Ireland club win with Cuala. His four points in a cameo appearance shows what he has to offer while there is also the prospect of Cormac Costello and John or Paddy Small adding to the strength of the team further down the line.
Sean Bugler straddles the chasm between new and old blood but he has led like a veteran and his six points, plus his overall play, means he is a man Dublin can scarcely do without. Farrell will be hoping his injury on his right leg is not long term as he is as vital to the Dubs as Ciaran Kilkenny and Brian Howard if they are to continue to challenge and win silverware in the current campaign.
The form of another veteran Niall Scully will also be encouraging to Farrell as the half-forward shot 1-2 and was as industrious as ever around the pitch. At the other end of the scale, Lorcan O’Dell came on as a sub following his two two-points last week to shoot home a corker of a goal which buried the Oak Leaf men on this occasion. Debutant Conor Tyrrell also showed an eye for goal in claiming a green flag.
Luke Breathnach impressed for a second week in a row also and this time he delivered four points.
The only area the Dubs could consider themselves fortunate was with two of their goals, which really were mistakes by converted Derry goalkeeper Neil McNicholl.
From just less than 10 months ago when Derry won the league against the same opposition on penalties after scoring 3-18 over 90 minutes, there has been a series of falls for the Northern side who now have All Ireland champions Armagh and Ulster champions Donegal to face if they are to make a provincial statement after this indifferent league spell.
Before that they have to travel to Donegal for a derby league game in their next game while the Dubin manager will relish a crack at All Ireland champions Armagh to see if his charges have truly taken a leap forward or whether some of what is happening is something of a mirage.
Farrell has said time and again that he is using the league to see what standard of player he has at his disposal given the exodus of All Ireland winners in the last 12 to 18 months.
Experimentation is probably a necessity from Dublin's perspective given that so many household names pulled the plug over winter and retired.
That meant this time around trying out Brian Howard and Tom Lahiff at midfield and giving Peadar Ó Cofaigh-Byrne a chance from the bench to claim his place after an impressive All Ireland club series.
Tyrrell's 54th minute goal, a goalkeeping error, saw the Dub go 11 points clear and O’Dell’s green flag in the 57 minute was the icing on the cake.
Derry kept plugging away to their credit and a late Conor Glass goal and a couple of two-pointers from Paul Cassidy and McGuigan, gave the scoreboard a measure of respectability.
Dublin: E Comerford (0-1); C Tyrrell (1-0), T Clancy, D Byrne; A Gavin, S MacMahon, C Murphy (0-2); B Howard (0-1), T Lahiff; S Bugler (0-6), N Scully (1-2), K Lahiff; N O'Callaghan, E O'Donnell, L Breathnach (0-4) Subs: C O’Callaghan (0-4, 1tp) for N O’Callaghan 45, L O’Dell (1-0) for O'Donnell 45, S Lowry for K Lahiff 52, D Keogh for Bugler 56, P Ó Cofaigh Byrne for Breathnach 56.
Derry: N McNicholl; D Baker, E McEvoy, M Bradley; C Doherty, B Rogers (1-0), D Cassidy (0-1); C Glass (1-0), A Tohill; B McCarron, P Cassidy (0-3, 1 tp), C McMonagle (0-1); E Doherty, S McGuigan (0-7, 2 tpf, 0-3f), N Toner Subs: C McGrogan for Toner 22, L Murray for McGrogan 41, P McGrogan for D Cassidy 44, N Loughlin for McCarron 52, M Doherty for McMonagle 60.
Ref: N Mooney (Cavan).
Armagh 1-17; Mayo 1-17
The weather, and particularly the wind, will be a factor in Irish sport but added to the new rules and in particular the two-pointer introduction under the new rules, means we can get ready to see games of two halves more than ever before.
You just have to look at the results from this weekend and indeed over the past two weeks - think of Dublin’s 11-point comeback in Tralee last Saturday week - to realize that many games won’t be over until the final whistle.
Saturday’s game in the Athletics Grounds was another case in point as Mayo came from eight points down to lead before Kieran McKeeney’s men levelled at the death to earn a share of the spoils.
The home side will be thankful to get something out of a clash which seemed to have delivered the two points to Kevin McStay’s side when goalkeeper Colm Reape, up as an extra man in the forward line, managed to kick a wide when a score was a much easier ask.
Armagh had been eight to the good at the break with Paddy Burns goal after 15 minutes accelerating their advantage which seemed sufficient for whatever the Westerners could throw at them on the changeover.
Mayo threw caution to the wind that was aiding them on the restart and the impressive Paul Towey and midfielder Matthew Ruane got on the scoreboard before Ethan Rafferty’s two-pointer negated their good work.
You never know with Mayo of course and when Stephen Coen landed a glorious two-pointer and Ryan O’Donoghue’ hit a single point, you felt they were back in with a chance.
Armagh weren’t about to lie down and when Rory McQuillan squeezed home a point and Niall Grugan got in for his third point, well the doubts returned over anything but a home win.
The introduction of Mayo icon Aidan O’Shea dovetailed withGrimley getting black carded and this is where the game changed.
Newcomer Davitt Neary showed raw courage to attack the Orchard defense and strike home a great goal - and with O’Donoghue landing a stunning two-pointer, the game was in the melting pot with just a point between the sides and over 20 minutes still to go.
Both teams swapped scores before O’Shea gave his side the lead for the first time. The same big man turned provider as O’Donoghue put the visitors two up.
Veteran sub Stefan Campbell’s point gave the big home following hope of a fight-back and when Turbitt levelled with a free with only two minutes to play, the roar was deafening.
The same supporters’ hearts were in their mouths when Reape picked up O’Donoghue’s defense-splitting pass and seemed certain to pilfer the two points but the unfortunate custodian shot well wide, much to the relief of the large home following.
Armagh: E Rafferty (0-3, 1 tps), T McCormack, B McCambridge; P Burns (1-0), C Mackin, J Duffy (0-1); R McQuillan (0-2); B Crealey, N Grimley; J Hall, R Grugan (0-4, 0-1f), D McMullan; C Turbitt (0-4, 0-1f, 0-1s-l), A Murnin (0-1), O Conaty (0-1) Subs: J Óg Burns for Crealey (18’), S Campbell (0-1) for Hall (45’), P McGrane for Conaty (61’), C McConville for Duffy (62’),
Mayo: C Reape; E O’Donoghue, D McHugh, E Hession; S Coen (0-2, 1tp), D McBrien, E McLaughlin; C Reid, M Ruane (0-3); D Neary (1-1), F Irwin, J Flynn (0-2); P Towie (0-2), D McHale, R O’Donoghue (0-6, 1 tps, 0-1f) Subs: J Carney for Reid (30’), A O’Shea (0-1) for Irwin (42’), S Marahan for E McLaughlin (47’), F Boland for Towie (61), J Coyne for Flynn (65’).
Ref: B Tiernan (Dublin).
HURLING
Offaly 0-27; Dublin 1-23
Not too many saw that coming, did they? If you were to use the Leinster club final between Dublin’s Na Fianna and Offaly’s Kilcormac-Killoughey as a barometer, you’d have said that Dublin were experience wise and physically a few years ahead of the Faithful County.
Through most of the match that Dublin led and seemed to be heading to inevitable victory, you wouldn’t have changed your mind about a surprise. But that is the beauty of sports, it can humble even the most reasoned of opinions.
An opening round draw against Carlow, followed by impressive wins Laois and Antrim saw Offaly sit on five points before this game which was seen as the first of two acid tests for the Midlanders if they were to truly rejoin the big boys at hurling’s top table. After stepping up a level here to steal victory with a massive free from Dan Ravenhill deep into added time, the next test will see if they can beat Waterford, a team that has traditionally had the measure of them in the past quarter century or so.
Dublin Manager Neal Ó Ceallacháin will be bitterly disappointed that his side allowed a four-point lead with 10 minutes left to be overturned, regardless of the red card which his side suffered when Conor Burke was sent off with five minutes of regulation time left.
It will come as an immediate concern that Offaly outscored his charges by 0-11 to 1-3, or 11 shots to 4, from the hour mark until the final whistle.
Free-taker Brian Duignan, son of RTE hurling analyst and former Offaly Co Board Chairman Michael, finished with 13 points, getting better as the game wore on.
Oisin Kelly stood up to hit five points from play over the duration, including two in the second-half as they turned the screw.
However, Ravenhill's score in the 77th minute was the game-breaker as Dublin, who were punished for an apparent thrown pass.
So what can we say about Dublin in mitigation? Well, in fairness, the All-Ireland winning Na Fianna lads are only slowly coming back to activity and only three of them lined out - Donal Burke, Kevin Burke and Colin Currie, although both Sean Currie and Paul ODea were in the match-day squad.
He will tell his players that there is no hiding place from now on - they will have to put their foot to the floor if they are to gain promotion. Should Waterford beat Offaly and Dublin beat the Deise men, there could indeed be an exciting denouement to the 1B series.
The coming weeks will make the promotion stakes much clearer with Offaly facing neighbours Westmeath and then Waterford while Dublin will face Waterford next, followed by encounters against Carlow and Laois.
Offaly: M Troy; S Bourke, C Burke, J Mahon; R Ravenhill, D Shirley, J Sampson; C King, C Spain; O Kelly (0-5), D Bourke (0-2), K Sampson (0-1); D Ravenhill (0-4, 0-2f), C Mitchell (0-1), B Duignan (0-13, 0-10f) Subs: C Kiely (0-1) for S Bourke 25, D Nally for Mitchell 46, T Guinan for Spain 52, D King for Jason Sampson 60, DJ McLoughlin for Kiely 74.
Dublin: E Gibbons; J Bellew, D Lucey, P Smyth (0-2); D Gray, C Crummey, K Burke; C Burke (0-3), B Kenny (0-1); C Donohoe (0-1), D Power, F Whitely (0-3); C Currie (0-3f), D Burke (0-8, 0-5f), D Ó Dulaing (0-1) Subs: D Purcell for C Currie 44, B Hayes (1-0) for Kenny 45, S Currie (0-1) for Donohoe 55, P O'Dea for K Burke 60, J Hetherton for Whitely 69.
Ref: C Cunning (Antrim).
GAA RESULTS
FL Division 1
Dublin 3-20 Derry 2-12
Armagh 1-17 Mayo 1-17
Galway 0-21 Donegal 0-14
Kerry 3-13 Tyrone 2-13
FL Division 2
Monaghan 3-16 Cork 1-15
Meath 2-18 Roscommon 0-17
Louth 2-17 Down 0-22
Cavan 1-22 Westmeath 0-21
FL Division 3
Kildare 0-21 Laois 0-9
Antrim 4-16 Leitrim 1-11
Fermanagh 1-13 Offaly 3-6
Clare v Sligo postponed
FL Division 4
Limerick 1-17 Carlow 0-13
London 2-13 Tipperary 0-17
Longford 2-11 Waterford 1-12
Wexford v Wicklow postponed
HL Division 1A
Tipperary 2-22 Cork 1-21
Wexford 1-23 Clare 1-17
HL Division 1B
Offaly 0-27 Dublin 1-23
Waterford 2-23 Antrim 0-11
HL Division 2
Kildare 2-25 Derry 0-17
Kerry 5-14 Donegal 3-16
HL Division 3
London 2-16 Mayo 1-17
Wicklow 4-19 Roscommon 2-13
HL Division 4
Longford 2-12 Lancashire 2-10
Monaghan 3-19 Warwickshire
Louth 0-13 Leitrim 1-10
