Gaelic Games

Dublin do enough to get past UCD

Anthony Daly’s men reach Walsh Cup semi-final

Dublin’s Colm Cronin tussles with William Egan of UCD. Photograph: Donall Farmer/Inpho
Dublin’s Colm Cronin tussles with William Egan of UCD. Photograph: Donall Farmer/Inpho
Wed Jan 22 2014 - 01:00

Dublin 2-20 UCD 2-15
Dublin produced a sporadically impressive display when eventually accounting for UCD by five points in their rescheduled Walsh Cup quarter-final encounter at Parnell Park last night.

The Dubs made the brighter start through early scores from Conal Keaney and Paul Ryan but the students restored parity through a brace of fine scores by Wexford senior Jack Guiney.

The half remained equally tight with Keaney adding two further points from play in an impressive outing on the edge of the square while Guiney and Domhnal Fox responded.

Despite the students remaining in contention through a brace of Guiney frees, their defence became increasingly ill-disciplined with Ryan the main beneficiary as he amassed three frees in quick succession.

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Ryan’s prowess from placed balls proved UCD’s undoing in the 32nd minute when Ryan fired to the net from 20 metres despite the best efforts of Billy Leydon.

Despite trailing by five points at the interval, the visitors were handed a gift within a minute of the restart as Alan Nolan stepped over his line when gathering a point attempt by Cillian Buckley.

However, any momentum was immediately stalled as William Egan received a second booking after a crude challenge on Keaney.

Dublin initially took advantage of that numerical supremacy through points by Colm Cronin, Ryan O’Dwyer and Keaney but UCD responded in a brace of excellent points from Patrick Murphy.

Ryan's clinical finish in the 51st minute handed the Dubs sufficient breathing space despite conceding a late goal to substitute David Higgins.

DUBLIN: A Nolan; C O'Callaghan, P Kelly, J Doughan; S Hiney, C McCormack, C Crummey; J Boland (0-1), J McCaffrey; C Cronin (0-2), R O'Dwyer (0-2), B Connolly; P Ryan (2-9, 1-7 frees, 0-1, 6 5), C Keaney (0-4), D O'Callaghan (0-1). Subs: M Schutte for D O'Callaghan and G Whelan for Crummey (half-time), P Winters 0-1 for Connolly (51), R Mahon for Keaney (66), M Quilty for McCaffrey (68).
UCD: B Leydon; J McDowell, B O'Carroll, J Gannon; B Coughlan, M O'Hanlon, W Egan; Conor O'Shea (0-1), C Buckley (1-0); G Sinnott (0-1), D Fox (0-1), P Murphy (0-4); W Walsh, J Guiney (0-7, five frees), C Keane. Subs: Con O'Shea (0-1) for Fox (half-time), W Phelan for O'Carroll (44), D Higgins (1-0) for Keane (56), J Power for Conor O'Shea (60), M Brennan for Sinnott (65).
Referee: T Carroll (Offaly).