Dublin cannot feel too confident going into the semi-finals of the All-Ireland championship via the back-door route following an unimpressive win over an even less impressive Antrim at Croke Park yesterday.
As a crowd-warmer leading up to the senior games the tie proved quite laborious to watch and Dublin had to eventually depend on two blunders in the Antrim defence to secure their semi-final place with lucky goals.
Before these defensive errors which allowed David O'Callaghan and Stephen Fee in for the simplest of goals, the Leinster runners-up were extremely vulnerable, a situation that was largely of their own making. They shot 15 wides in total, nine in the first half, with wind advantage, coming from opportunities that if taken would have sunk Antrim's challenge without trace.
Dublin had only two points to spare at half-time, 0-8 to 0-6, and then faced a more confident display from Antrim in the second half. But the stick-work and general poor first touches, mis-hits and mis-passing spoiled the match and, while it was suggested that Antrim had dragged the Dubliners down to their own level, the poverty of play was difficult to explain.
With only four points between the teams entering the final 10 minutes, Antrim's Ciaran O'Grady was denied a goal following a great run. His bullet-like shot was parried over for a point by Gary Maguire.
Dublin's lucky breaks arrived just in time to snuff out any remaining chance Antrim had of a shock win. Fee rattled the ball to the net following a terrible defensive mistake. Moments later Dublin top-scorer David O'Callaghan got the chance he needed when Antrim goalkeeper Garret Magee missed the first touch on his goalline for Dublin's third goal.
Dublin - G Maguire; J Byrne, C Casserly, N O'Driscoll (0- 1); P Brennan, L Og Oheineachain, D O'Reilly; K Elliot, C Keaney (0-2, one free); G Joyce (0-3), S McCann (0-1), C O'Driscoll; D O'Callaghan (1-4), D Flanagan, C Ryan (1- 2). Subs: S Hyland for J Byrne (half-time); B Meade for Ryan (52 mins); S Fee (1-0) for Flanagan (53 mins); J Byrne for Casserly (53 mins); D Baker for O'Reilly (56 mins).
Antrim - G Magee; B McAuley, B Herron, T McMullan; E Toner, J Campbell, G Cunningham (0-1); C O'Grady (0- 3), B Dillon; S Delargy (0-5, three frees), K McGourty, E McIlroy; S Og McFadden (0-1), M McMahon, C Hunter. Subs: B Quinn (0-1) for McMahon; D McKiernan for Hunter (half-time); R Kearney for Magee (58 mins). Referee: S Roche (Tipperary)
