LEINSTER SHC FIRST ROUND Dublin 2-16 Antrim 0-12:TALENT, WE think, is something you're born with. Skill, we know, is something you learn. Mindset we're told is something you change. And still the Dublin hurlers are trying to get the balance right.
On this evidence they have some way to go. The idea that Antrim would defy the odds on their Leinster debut never looked on but this was a nervous enough passage for Dublin nonetheless. In the end the only thing certain was they’ll still need to improve quite a bit, even if they avoided Kilkenny and Galway and drew Wexford in the semi-final in two weeks’ time.
The game itself is easily summarised by the fact the number of scores equalled the wide count. Antrim failed to convert a penalty, a 20-metre free, and 10 scoring chances – and that was in the first half alone.
Neither team were helped by the swirling wind that offered far more resistance than assistance, in both directions, nor was the atmosphere ever allowed build towards championship fervour. The majority of the eventual attendance of 75,250 was still spread around the streets of the capital as the game was played out without a hint of excitement.
As a contest it died a slow death as Dublin overcame an anxious first half to thoroughly outclass Antrim in the second. It was a combination of them doing the simple things better and the second half score – Dublin’s 1-10 to Antrim’s 0-4 – was a fair reflection of the ultimate ability of the teams.
David O’Callaghan could have no complaints with his 1-3, all from play, and Alan McCrabbe underlined his reliability with 1-9, eight from placed-balls, although after that there wasn’t much more to write home about.
The main worry for Dublin manager Anthony Daly was Antrim exposed plenty of weaknesses in the first half – which against a more serious hurling team would surely have proved fatal. If anything, Antrim were the hungrier, more physical team for that opening period as Dublin struggled to settle and then struggled just to survive.
Still, after absorbing enormous pressure early on, Dublin suddenly found themselves with a nice cushion. John McCaffrey found O’Callaghan in open space, and after initially misfiring, he took his goal well. David Treacy popped up with two points soon after and so Dublin went seven points clear after 20 minutes. Looking good for them, or so we thought.
Instead of putting Antrim out of sight, which even Daly must have assumed they would, Dublin backed off and allowed their opposition to thoroughly dominate the remainder of the half. Had Neil McManus buried his penalty on 17 minutes Antrim might well have taken over the lead but even still they hit the last six points of the half without reply to come back to within a single score – and then briefly levelled it up at the start of the second half.
Dublin then had the wind in their backs but that was no guarantee. Antrim’s accuracy even playing with the wind was extremely poor. Dublin didn’t make it easy on their forwards, and Oisín Gough and Niall Corcoran were two of their busier players all afternoon, but with Karl Stewart and McManus finally finding their range, Antrim briefly looked dangerous.
Whatever hope they had of sustaining the challenge disintegrated in the second half. Dublin restored their three-man full forward line by putting Liam Rushe back in position, and with that started running more at Antrim. As expected the free-count rose and so did Dublin’s advantage – and this time Antrim had no reply.
Kevin Flynn came in for Dublin and added another dimension to their attack, while at the other end, Antrim simply ran out of options. None of the forwards could work themselves into decent scoring positions, and two of the four second-half scores came from substitutes Brendan Herron and Joey Scullion.
Daly will definitely need to get more out of his full-forward line, particularly Rushe and Treacy, but the defence held up relatively well, despite the absence of the injured Ronan Fallon – who is still several weeks away from returning.
David Curtin started at midfield alongside McCaffrey, but McCrabbe soon resumed his position. Dublin aren’t the most physical hurling team in the country and for all the hard work they’ve done over the winter that may remain their greatest weakness.
It must have been unnerving for Daly to see Antrim brush them aside so easily when they did manage to get some momentum late in the first half, particularly with the more hardened teams to come.
Dublin clearly have plenty to work on and will be pleased to have avoided Kilkenny and Galway – which in ways is what the Leinster hurling championship is now all about.
DUBLIN: 1 G Maguire; 2 N Corcoran, 3 T Brady, 4 O Gough; 5 S Hiney, 7 J Boland, 6 M Carton; 8 J McCaffrey, 12 D Curtin (0-1, free); 10 S Durkan, 11 L Ryan, 9 A McCrabbe (1-9, seven frees, 65); 13 D O'Callaghan (1-3), 14 L Rushe, 15 D Treacy (0-2). Subs: 21 K Flynn (0-1)for Ryan (half time); 23 S Lambert for Curtin (46 mins), 22 P Carton for Durkan (54 mins), 24 D Sweeney for McCrabbe (66 mins). Yellow cards: M Carton (17 mins), J McCaffrey (29 mins), L Rushe (39 mins), T Brady (49 mins).
ANTRIM: 1 R McGarry; 2 K McGourty, 3 N McGarry, 4 A Griffin; 5 J Campbell, 6 C Donnelly, 7 N McAuley; 8 P Richmond, 9 K McKeegan (0-1); 10 S Delargy (0-1), 11 N McManus (0-1), 12 M Herron (0-1); 13 CJ McGourty (0-1), 14 K Stewart (0-5, four frees), 15 PJ O'Connell. Subs: 25 B Herron (0-1)for O'Connell (32 mins); 18 J Scullion (0-1)for M Herron (50 mins), P McGill for Delargy (61 mins). Yellow card: N McGarry (39 mins).
Referee: J McGrath(Westmeath).
