All-Ireland Hurling Qualifiers Round One: Offaly 1-20 Dublin 1-14 All empires end, all superpowers crumble and one supposes that Kilkenny's rule in Leinster hurling will be subject to the same forces. Yesterday's curtain-raiser at Croke Park was an early look at a couple of the pretenders.
Two counties not born of the aristocracy but believers in progress through merit. And hopefully patience.
It will be some time before either Offaly or Dublin are ready but they are on the right track.
A couple of young teams made plenty of mistakes yesterday as they enjoyed the Croke Park space and noise. The novelty was heightened by the fact that for much of the game it looked as if Dublin could pull off an upset.
In the end Offaly pulled away and the manner in which they did so underlined the difference between the two sides. When the need was greatest Offaly could pull out scores in the prescribed fashion. Push the ball wide, find the space, raise it and pop it over the bar from 40 yards. Dublin always needed more touches, more time, more steps.
For Offaly the good news is less that they beat Dublin than that the transition between eras seems to be proceeding well. Unlucky to have succumbed to Wexford in the championship proper, they showed yesterday that there will be life when the last of the old Birr heroes go.
Brian Whelahan wore the number six shirt yesterday and for his touch and presence alone he is still worth his place but his pace is gone and he is no longer the pivot of the team. Up front Joe Errity had a quiet day and when he was substituted his replacement, Neville Coughlan, underlined his claims with a goal.
Otherwise Offaly are getting there. Michael Cordial in midfield looks like a fine player and Barry Whelahan beside him struggled to shade the title of senior midfielder.
Offaly started with an all Birr half-forward line of Stephen Browne and the two Hanniffys, Rory and Gary, and generally they pulled their weight but manager Mike McNamara will worry about how little ball got into the full-forward line. By comparison Dublin had a lot of ball in around the Offaly square but nobody capable of jabbing a ball home.
At half-time the game was even. Offaly had made efforts to pull away but Dublin had resisted stubbornly, hauling back three-point leads on a couple of occasions and scoring the last three points of the half.
The point which made it level at the break was the best of the game and offered the promise of much better things for Dublin in years to come.
Mikey Carton, scion of a hurling dynasty, took the ball in traffic about 70 metres out. Shaking himself free with a confidence not right in a fellow just doing his Leaving Cert, he took a glance up and landed a score from 70 metres.
During the league when Dublin manager Marty Morris saw young Carton breeze past Frank Lohan three times at Parnell Park he said to himself that he would use him sparingly and wisely from then on. The secret is out now. Carton grew into this game as if it were a 70- minute rite of passage.
After the break Dublin stirred up the crowd by taking the lead for the first time. Inevitably it was Conal Keaney who took the score, a fine moment clutched from a game in which he looked a little jaded.
Barry Whelahan equalised and minutes later there was a fine chance for Dublin to put some space between the teams. Mossy McGrane squirmed into space in front of the Offaly goal and with only Brian Mullins to beat (not a sentence that people with long memories ever thought would get written) he opted to flick the ball with his hurl rather than kick to the net. It skittled wide.
That let-off hit Offaly like a dose of snuff. Suddenly they were clear-headed and revived and about their business. Damien Murray converted a free. McGrane had another goal chance which this time was well saved and then Offaly took the next four points.
It looked over by then but this has been an encouraging summer for the Dubs and they stuck with the task and when Carton danced through the Offaly defence for a goal with 15 minutes left he reduced the margin to two and got the crowd going again.
Not to be. Rory Hanniffy and Carton swapped points and then seven minutes after Dublin's goal Neville Coughlan soloed through Dublin's defence and scored one for Offaly.
There were moments of excitement between then and the end, not least Conal Keaney's 21-yard free which drew a good block on the line before Shane Martin drove it wide. Barry Whelahan wrapped up the scoring and neither team left the field truly unhappy.
For Offaly the summer rolls on. Not as good as the heavyweights yet but punchy just the same. Dublin's year finishes in June which isn't unusual but they have five championship games under their belts this time and the prospect of having a good tilt at the under-21 championship. Next winter they hurl in Division One again and a few more prospects should be on show.
Things have been worse.
OFFALY: B Mullins; B Teehan, G Oakley, D Franks; J Brady, Brian Whelahan (0-1), C Cassidy; M Cordial (0-2), Barry Whelahan (0-4); S Brown (0-1), G Hannify (capt), R Hanniffy (0-3); B Carroll (0-4); J Errity, D Murray (0-4, three frees). Subs: N Coughlan (1-0) for Errity (45 mins); S Whelahan (0-1) for J Brady (52 mins); N Claffey for C Cassidy (60 mins); C Gath for M Cordial (64 mins).
DUBLIN: B McLoughin; P Brennan, S Perkins, D Spain; S Hiney, K Ryan, C Meehan; C Keaney (0-1), R Fallon; M Carton (1-3), K O'Donoghue, S Martin; T McGrane (0-8, seven frees), K Flynn (0-2, capt), S McDonnell Subs: C Wilson for O'Donoghue (27 mins); G Ennis for S McDonnell (41 mins).
Referee: G Harrington (Cork).
