Dublin 2-27
Galway 1-24
A STRAIGHT RED card to Galway’s 2017 All-Ireland winning captain David Burke after just 16 minutes proved decisive as Henry Shefflin’s side were sent crashing out of this year’s championship in their own backyard at Pearse Stadium.
Micheal Donoghue, who managed Galway to that All-Ireland success seven years ago, scored the biggest win since he took charge of Dublin last year as they came from five points adrift when Burke was dismissed to take control when they had the strong wind behind them in the second half.
They will now prepare to face Kilkenny in the Leinster final while there will be intense speculation over whether Shefflin will remain with the Tribesmen after three years in charge.
Dublin, forced to start without hamstring victim Cian O’Sullivan, won the toss and opted to play into the strong wind in the opening half, and were in a very strong position when they went in trailing by just two points at the break at 0-19 to 2-11.
Galway shot ten wides with the wind but by the break, 11 different scorers — everyone from the full-back line forward — had hit the target for Shefflin’s men.
But they suffered three big blows in that opening half, with Dublin hitting for goals at the start and towards the end of the half, while the controversial red card dished out to Burke after 16 minutes for a hefty late shoulder charge on Fergal Whitely changed the dimension of the game.
At that stage Galway were leading by 0-9 to 1-2 but in the next eight minutes Dublin outscored them by 0-6 to 0-2, with Donal Burke leading the way for Dublin.
They enjoyed a huge boost after just 40 seconds when Brian Hayes set up Sean Currie for the opening goal when he finished the rebound after Darach Fahy had saved his initial effort.
Burke hit 1-6 for Dublin in the opening half, all but two points of it from play, striking a huge blow three minutes from the break when he finished low to the net after being set up by Dara Purcell.
Dublin took control after the restart and hit Galway for six points without reply in the opening eleven minutes with Chris Crummey, who finished with 0-4 from wing-back, leading the way along with Burke.
Galway were unable to cope with Dublin’s pace and aerial power and the Tribesmen managed only three pointed frees from Evan Niland in the opening 27 minutes of the second half.
Dublin hit 0-11 in that segment and by the end 14 players hit the target as they picked off some great scores.
Galway drafted in Johnny Glynn, who had come back from America for this year’s championship, but he lasted just four minutes before going off with a shoulder injury.
Galway, trailing by 2-22 to 0-22, got a glimmer of hope from another substitute when Declan McLoughlin blasted home a goal after 62 minutes.
But the Dublin response was good. Darragh Power, drafted in when O’Sullivan was ruled out, brought his haul to three points and when Tom Monaghan replied for Galway, Dublin hit the next three points from skipper Paddy Smyth, Conor Donoghue and Colin Currie to kill off any notion of a revival as they ran out deserved winners.
Scorers for Dublin: Donal Burke 1-10 (0-3f, 0-2 ’65), Chris Crummey 0-4, Darragh Power 0-3, Seán Currie 1-0, Fergal Whitely 0-1, Conor Burke 0-1, Brian Hayes 0-1, John Bellew 0-1, Ronan Hayes 0-1, Dara Purcell 0-1, Danny Sutcliffe 0-1, Paddy Smyth 0-1, Conor Donoghue 0-1, Colin Currie 0-1.
Scorers for Galway: Evan Niland 0-8 (0-6f), Conor Cooney 0-3, Declan McLoughlin 1-0, Tom Monaghan 0-2, Joseph Cooney 0-2, Cianan Fahy 0-2, Gavin Lee 0-1, Seán Linnane 0-1, Jason Flynn 0-1, David Burke 0-1, Conor Whelan 0-1, Padraic Mannion 0-1, Adrian Tuohey 0-1.
Dublin
1. Seán Brennan (Cuala)
2. John Bellew (Lucan Sarsfields), 3. Eoghan O’Donnell (Whitehall Colmcille), 4. Paddy Smyth (Clontarf)
5. Chris Crummey (Lucan Sarsfields), 6. Conor Donohoe (Erin’s Isle), 7. Paddy Doyle (Naomh Barróg)
8. Brian Hayes (Kilmacud Crokes), 9. Conor Burke (St Vincent’s)
10. Danny Sutcliffe (St Jude’s), 11. Donal Burke (Na Fianna), 13. Fergal Whiteley (Kilmacud Crokes)
12. Sean Currie (Na Fianna), 20. Darragh Power (Fingallians), 15. Ronan Hayes (Kilmacud Crokes)
Subs
23. Colin Currie (Na Fianna) for Whiteley (17-19)
22. Dara Purcell (Kilmacud Crokes) for Whitely (47)
23. Currie for Purcell (57)
21. Mark Grogan (Kilmacud Crokes) for R Hayes (68)
26. Liam Murphy (Cuala) for B Hayes (73)
Galway
1. Darach Fahy (Ardrahan)
2. Jack Grealish (Gort), 3. Daithí Burke (Turloughmore), 4. Fintan Burke (St Thomas’)
18. Adrian Tuohey (Beagh), 6. Padraic Mannion (Ahascragh/Fohenagh), 7. Cianan Fahy (Ardrahan)
8. David Burke (St Thomas’), 5. Seán Linnane (Turloughmore)
10. Gavin Lee (Clarinbridge), 12. Joseph Cooney (Sarsfields), 13. Conor Whelan (Kinvara)
14. Conor Cooney (St Thomas’), 15. Evan Niland (Clarinbridge), Jason Flynn (Tommy Larkins)
Subs
24. Cathal Mannion (Ahascragh/Fohenagh) for Linnane (44)
23. Johnny Glynn (Ardrahan) for Flynn (44)
11. Tom Monaghan (Craughwell) for Glynn (49)
26. Declan Mc Loughlin (Portumna) for J Cooney (60)
9. Ronan Glennon (Mullagh) for C Fahy (67))
Referee: Colm Lyons (Cork).
