GAA: LEINSTER UNDER-21 HC SEMI-FINAL: Dublin 0-21 Offaly 0-8:DEFENDING CHAMPIONS Dublin qualified for the Leinster under-21 hurling championship final following a facile 13-point victory over a limited Offaly in their provincial semi-final at Parnell Park last night.
The holders will now defend their crown on Wednesday week against Wexford and will need to improve on what was an unconvincing performance given the relative poverty of the opposition.
Offaly’s struggles were reflected in their failure to score between the 14th and 42nd minutes and their challenge petered out after an encouraging opening.
Dublin opted to play against the breeze in the opening half but were soon two points to the good following a Kevin O’Loughlin free and an excellent fifth minute point by Eamon Dillon.
However, the ensuing 10 minutes belonged entirely to the visitors who showed greater touch and cohesion and they deservedly restored parity by the eighth minute with points from Shane Kinsella and Gary Conneely.
Four consecutive points followed for Offaly from Adrian Hynes, Kinsella, Conneely and Hynes’ second free of the evening but it proved the visitors’ final score of the half as Dublin assumed control of proceedings following the redeployment of Danny Sutcliffe to midfield at the end of the first quarter.
Dublin were in the driving seat from that point and were ahead by half-time, with O’Loughlin, Dillon and Robbie Mahon helping the hosts to a 0-7 to 0-6 interval lead.
The match was effectively settled as a contest by the 40th minute with Dublin stretching their advantage through O’Loughlin, Mahon and the increasingly dominant Sutcliffe, with a Hynes free on 42 minutes Offaly’s sole reply.
The remainder of the game was played with little intensity, with O’Loughlin bringing his personal tally for the night to 0-11 and Sutcliffe registering the score of the game 10 minutes from time as the Dubs cruised home without further difficulty.
DUBLIN:G McManus; B O'Carroll, D Kelly, J Doughan; D Curran, L Rushe, M Quilty; C Gough, D Plunkett; D Sutcliffe (0-2), M Schutte, R Mahon (0-2); C Brennan (0-1), E Dillon (0-3), K O'Loughlin (0-11, 0-7 frees, 0-1 65). Subs:S McGrath (0-1) for Brennan (34 mins), N McMorrow (0-1) for Mahon (50 mins), F Clabby for Rushe (52 mins), T Connolly for Plunkett (55 mins), C Murphy for O'Carroll (56 mins).
OFFALY:S Corcoran; D Magner, S Coughlan, C McDonald; D Shortt, E Murphy, B Mulrooney; M Ryan, T Spain; S Cleary, G Conneely (0-2), S Kinsella (0-2); S Gardiner, A Hynes (0-3, frees), T Carroll (0-1). Subs:D King for Ryan (24 mins) J Sampson for Kinsella (27 mins), G Spollen for Shortt (41 mins), A Kelly for Conneely (45 mins), J Geraghty for Spain (52 mins).
Referee:D Hughes (Carlow).
