Dublin 4-6
Derry 0-11
AS THE GOALS flew in throughout the ‘championship quarter’ and Dublin resembled something of their old selves, the patrons of Hill 16 found their voice again.
The section open to the partisan crowd had been subdued right up to the point that Ciaran Kilkenny had won an Odhran Lynch kickout, it slipped through the hands of Lorcan O’Dell and Tom Lahiff on the way to John Small.
He let fly and got a fair portion of bodyweight behind an unimpeded kick. It flew into the proverbial top bins and the game was sealed, 3-5 to 0-7 with 20 minutes left to coast.
At times it felt like the spirit of the Dublin team of old came to play at Croke Park. There was another O’Gara – Killian recreating the wrecking ball talents of his brother Eoghan – beating Derry goalkeeper Lynch to nudge a fisted effort to the net.
Three minutes after he arrived on, Paul Mannion was crashing a penalty to the net after Conor McCluskey barrelled into Con O’Callaghan.
In the aesthete sense, Small’s goal was the most satisfying. At that point Derry knew the game was up and eased off the throttle.
Conor Glass had already left the field gingerly and they didn’t need any more impact injuries for a trip to Brewster Park to face Fermanagh in their Ulster championship opener, just 13 days away.
Thereafter, the likes of James McCarthy and in particular, Brian Fenton had a little more leeway to get on the ball, undisturbed and relaxed. A bit like your typical Leinster championship match really.
Of the imponderables that hung over this fixture, one was if Dublin were sufficiently tested in Division 2, to, well, do what exactly? Leinster is going to be the same as it always is and we will only get a proper gauge of their condition when it comes to All-Ireland quarter-final stage.
No sense kidding ourselves.
Derry travelled light on support. No change there. It’s one thing filling the bogside venue of Celtic Park on a fine Saturday night but another thing getting them on the road.
If there is a whiff of Donegal 2012 around Derry this year, then manager Rory Gallagher will reach into that big football hard-drive brain of his to retrieve a result when they came to Croke Park in round six. Dublin 2-16, Donegal 0-13.
Back then, they were saying that Donegal hadn’t the type of game to win in Croke Park. The same people might say the same of Derry now.
Prior to this game, they conceded three goals in seven league games. It took only the third quarter here to equal that figure, with a further major from Lorcan O’Dell to leave an ugly look on the scoreboard.
When the game was a going concern though, they looked clever and innovative. In one passage of play in the 20th minute in front of the Hogan Stand there were the big bodies of Gareth McKinless, Conor Glass bumping and thumping into Tom Lahiff and James McCarthy. There was an appetite.
Just on the half hour, Derry goalkeeper Lynch found himself on Dublin’s 45 for their kickout. He actually snaffled up the breaking ball and the move ended with Niall Loughlin passed up a glorious goal chance for the Oak Leafers.
The stiff wind that held up shots from Kilkenny and O’Callaghan was difficult going for Derry. They grabbed only two scores from play in the second half through solo efforts from Paul Cassidy.
Having played in Division 4 so recently, their achievement in getting back up to the top tier is overlooked because of their pirate ransacking of the Ulster championship last year. It’s not a title they want to give up soon and they will find a flinty Fermanagh set to host them on Saturday week.
For a crew that have won all they have, you suspect the Dublin players’ medals for winning a Division 2 league might be heading straight for a biscuit tin somewhere. Last year showed them they weren’t far away.
Some smart persuasion work later among the Invincibles generation, they are in better shape. A series of challenge matches masquerading as the Leinster series awaits.
Scorers for Dublin: Killian O’Gara 1-1, John Small 1-1, Paul Mannion 1-0 (1-0 pen), Lorcan O’Dell 1-0, Lee Gannon 0-1, Brian Fenton 0-1, Ciaran Kilkenny 0-1, Tom Lahiff 0-1.
Scorers for Derry: Shane McGuigan 0-6 (0-3f), Paul Cassidy 0-2, Conor Glass 0-1, Padraig McGrogan 0-1 (0-1 ’45′), Niall Toner 0-1 (0-1f).
Dublin
1. David O’Hanlon (Na Fianna)
2. Michael Fitzsimons (Cuala), 6. John Small (Ballymun Kickhams), 4. Daire Newcombe (Lucan Sarsfields)
22. Cian Murphy (Thomas Davis), 3. David Byrne (Naomh Olaf), 7. Lee Gannon (Whitehall Colmcille)
8. Brian Fenton (Raheny), 9. James McCarthy (Ballymun Kickhams)
19. Tom Lahiff (St Jude’s), 13. Colm Basquel (Ballyboden St Enda’s), 12. Seán Bugler (St Oliver Plunkett Eoghan Ruadh)
24. Killian O’Gara (Templeogue Synge Street), 14. Dean Rock (Ballymun Kickhams), 11. Con O’Callaghan (Cuala)
Subs
10. Ciaran Kilkenny (Castleknock) for Rock (9)
23. Lorcan O’Dell (Templeogue Synge Street) for Basquel (45)
21. Paul Mannion (Kilmacud Crokes) for O’Gara (45)
25. Niall Scully (Templeogue Synge Street) for Lahiff (55)
15. Ross McGarry (Ballyboden St Enda’s) for Bugler (68)
Derry
1. Odhran Lynch (Magherafelt)
2. Padraig McGrogan (Newbridge), 7. Conor Doherty (Newbridge), 4. Conor McCluskey (Magherafelt)
5. Pádraig Cassidy (Slaughtneil), 6. Gareth McKinless (Ballinderry), 7. Ethan Doherty (Glen)
8. Conor Glass (Glen), 9. Brendan Rogers (Slaughtneil)
10. Niall Toner (Lavey), 11. Paul Cassidy (Bellaghy), 15. Niall Loughlin (Greenlough)
24. Benny Heron (Ballinascreen), 14. Shane McGuigan (Slaughtneil), 18. Ben McCarron (Steelstown)
Subs
13. Lachlan Murray (Desertmartin) for McCarron (35)
19. Shea Downey (Lavey) for Glass (39)
26. Niall O’Donnell (Ballinderry) for Doherty (47 – 52 temp)
20. Matthew Downey (Lavey) for Heron (57)
3. Eoin McEvoy (Magherafelt) for McGrogan (68)
26. Niall O’Donnell for Rogers (74)
Referee: Liam Devenney (Mayo)
Get instant updates on the Allianz Football and Hurling Leagues on The42 app. Brought to you by Allianz Insurance, proud sponsors of the Allianz Leagues for over 30 years.
