"I'll be happy to tell Tommy Lyons that we won the match," said caretaker manager Dave Billings after watching Dublin - fielding a side that included nine debutants to senior football - outclass Wicklow in the O'Byrne Cup in cold and blustery conditions at the Thomas Davis club in Tallaght yesterday.
While Billings was pleased that nine of the under-21 team in the absence of the holidaying first string "put it all in", Wicklow's manager John O'Leary was disappointed with his team's approach to the game in the second half.
"They didn't compete," he claimed. The former Dublin All Star goalkeeper added: "We were in it at half-time, trailing by only a point (0-5 to 0-4)."
Watched by a crowd of 1,000, Wicklow's forwards didn't see much of the ball in the second half, denied mainly by Dublin's experienced midfield pairing of Ciarán Whelan and Darren Homan along with the alert covering of Shane Ryan (who retired towards the end) and Keith Kavanagh.
Dublin's physically stronger team combined far better against opponents who could not sustain their infrequent periods of ascendancy as effectively.
O'Leary said: "We must make a big step up if we are to stand much chance against Westmeath in our opening league match next month."
Dublin take on Kildare in the semi-final of the competition in Portmarnock next Sunday and Paddy Christie, for one, would expect to see some of the nine debutants get another chance.
"The established players cannot sit back and feel confident of keeping their places.
"New players such as Tomás Quinn and Declan O'Mahoney will push us and bring the best out in us," he said.
Wicklow could have been in a better position at half-time but Wayne O'Gorman's attempt with a penalty was wide of the mark and the best was brought out in Dublin goalkeeper Stephen Cluxton before he was forced to retire at half-time with a foot injury.
Dublin's superiority in the second half was never in doubt but 10 wides during the period when they had the Wicklow defence stretched to the limit did them no credit.
Whelan's inspirational point just after the restart, following a determined run, lifted Dublin's second-half performance and the goal by O'Mahoney, after combining with David O'Callaghan and Brian Cullen, more or less sealed Wicklow's fate eight minutes into the second half.
DUBLIN: S Cluxton; D Corcoran, P Christie, N Kane; P Casey, S Ryan, K Kavanagh; C Whelan (0-1), D Homan (0-1), L Óg Ó hEineachain (0-1), B Cullen, K Holden; D O'Callaghan (0-1), D O'Mahoney (1-0), T Quinn (0-5 four frees). Subs: A Durnan for Cluxton (half-time); M Fitzpatrick for Corcoran (29 mins); J Noonan for Holden (60); K Kehilly for (Ryan 61); J Nolan for O'Callaghan (71).WICKLOW: R Hollingsworth; A Byrne, B O'hAnnaidh, C Davis; V Quigley, A Foley, S Cush; D Dillon, G Duffy; B Mernagh, P Dalton, M Kelly; T Gill (0-2 frees), A Nolan (0-1), W O'Gorman (0-1). Subs: T McKeown for Kelly (40); B Flynn (0-1) for Quigley (45); B Sheehan for O'Gorman (58); E O'Neill for B Flynn (64); B Canavan for Dalton (70).
Referee: D McColdrick (Meath)
