Leinster SHC: Antrim 0-19 Dublin 3-25
Dublin cantered to a third-straight win in the Leinster Senior Hurling Championship as they took care of business against Antrim at a sunny Corrigan Park on Saturday.
Niall Ó Ceallacháin’s men took a grip early and did not let go as they were virtually out of sight by the break as, wind-assisted, they opened a 12-point gap and extended that by three before the final whistle.
Antrim were without the services of Keelan Molloy and Conor Johnston to add to their injury woes in attack and that told as there was a blunt edge to what they did. They could not get anything going for a sustained period and there was a sense of inevitability about this game from early on.
Centre backs Chris Crummey and Conor Boyd swapped early scores before points from Sean Currie and John Heatherton gave the Dubs a lead they would hold until the end.
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James McNaughton pointed a free in reply, but the Dubs rattled off the next three through Currie and Cian O’Sullivan.
A McNaughton free would prove to be Antrim’s last score for 14 minutes, by which time the Dubs had rattled off 2-3, the first of those goals coming as goalkeeper Eddie Gibbons picked out O’Sullivan to fetch and bury.
The second goal was not dissimilar as another long ball was grabbed by Ronan Hayed, who gave Ryan Elliott no chance.
Antrim rallied briefly with two McNaughton frees after Ryan McCambridge ended their dry spell, but they could not sustain it with Currie extending his first-half tally to eight and O’Sullivan knocking over another score, with a sole Joseph McLaughlin point in response. Dublin headed into the break with a 2-14 to 0-7 advantage, which could have been greater but for a fine save by Elliott on Paddy Doyle.
A hat-trick of McNaughton points straight after the restart gave the hosts some hope, but Dublin replied through Brian Hayes and O’Sullivan.
After McNaughton and Currie swapped frees, Crummey landed a beauty from deep and then former Dublin footballer Conor McHugh thumped over after another McNaughton free.
It was clear the Dubs were managing their lead as Antrim just did not have enough support for McNaughton in attack, as the goal they required to get back into contention was not looking likely.
The gap was at 11 points going into the final quarter but that was pushed out thanks to Currie and Crummey before Dublin grabbed a third goal in the 64th minute as substitute Fergal Whitely showed fantastic control to get away and blast home.
It would go from bad to worse for Antrim with McNaughton shown a straight red late on for lashing out on McHugh as Dublin coasted home to maintain their perfect start to the campaign.
ANTRIM: R Elliott; S Rooney, N O’Connor, P Burke; J Maskey, C Boyd (0-1), C Bohill; E Campbell (0-1), G Walsh (0-1, 0-1f); J McLaughlin (0-2, 0-1f), R McCambridge (0-2), S Walsh; E O’Neill, J McNaughton (0-10, 0-8f, 0-1 65), N Elliott (0-1).
Subs: S McKay for S Walsh (HT); C McKeown (0-1) for E O’Neill (51 mins).
DUBLIN: E Gibbons; J Bellew, P Smyth, C McHugh (0-1); P Doyle (0-1), C Crummey (0-3), A Dunphy; C Burke (0-1), C Donohue; B Hayes (0-1), C O’Sullivan (1-3), D Power; S Currie (0-12, 0-7f, 0-2 65), J Hetherton (0-1), R Hayes (1-0).
Subs: P Dunleavy for A Dunphy (26 mins); D Burke for J Hetherton (49 mins); C Currie (0-1) for C Burke (53 mins); F Whitely (1-1) for R Hayes (59 mins); J Madden for C Crummey (66 mins).
Referee: L Gordon (Galway).
