Dublin 1-18
Galway 1-14
DUBLIN PULLED OFF the first big upset of the hurling summer, sending shockwaves through the country with a deserved four-point win over Galway in the Leinster semi-final.
Two years after they ended Galway’s summer in Parnell Park, Mattie Kenny won his second successive championship game against his native county to lead his side into their first Leinster final since 2014.
It was a dominant performance by Dublin and undoubtedly among the best of Kenny’s tenure. Galway were off colour but credit must go to the Sky Blues.
They didn’t give the Tribesmen an inch up front. Defensively it was a top class performance on an afternoon when too many of Galway’s big hitters underperformed. Outside of Conor Whelan, the rest of Galway’s front six lost their individual battles.
For a side that posted 3-25 on their final league outing against Cork, Galway’s tally of 1-14 here was paltry in comparison. They had a poor day in front of the posts, hitting 15 wides in contrast with just six from Dublin.
Cian O’Callaghan, Paddy Smyth and Eoghan O’Donnell were excellent in the full-back line, although the latter was forced off with a hamstring injury after 58 minutes. Alan Nolan gave a masterclass between the posts and wing-back James Madden did himself proud after burying his father Noel yesterday.
Despite Dublin’s strong showing against Antrim in the opening round, few gave them a chance against a Galway side viewed as the biggest challengers to Limerick’s throne.
Galway were far below their best here. Their struggles in front of goal were summed up Joe Canning’s nine misses. The Portumna man arrived into the game requiring 13 points to become the championship’s all-time leading scorer but he was well short of his best here.
He suffered a thumb injury at the end of the league that may have hampered his striking today.
It was a highly unusual start to the game. Canning missed five shots before his first score of the day – sending two wide from 65s, another one from play and he saw two strikes on goal saved by Nolan. It was just one of those days.
Dublin looked sharper from the off and they surged into a 0-4 to 0-1 lead by the first water break. The swirling Croke Park breeze affected Galway’s shooting. The Tribesmen shot 12 first half wides with Canning guilty of seven while he dropped another short.
It took them 15 minutes to get their first score. Whelan and Conor Cooney were the only forwards outside Canning to trouble the scoreboard in the first period. While they had plenty of possession in the middle third, the quality of ball into the full-forward line was poor.
Daire Gray launched over two fine scores from distance but Dublin’s scores dried up in the second quarter as Galway’s dominance in defence began to tell. Kenny’s side led by 0-8 to 0-6 at half-time.
O’Neill introduced Evan Niland for Sean Loftus at the interval and he took over the free-taking duties from Canning, who spent the second period on the edge of the square.
By the 43rd minute that lead was extended to five. Alan Nolan drilled over a free from inside the Dublin 45, while Ronan Hayes, Burke (twice) and Sutcliffe added scores.
Galway were in need of a spark when Cathal Mannion produced a glorious reverse stick pass to send Whelan through for the opening goal of the game. Dublin might have responded with a goal of their own almost immediately, but Rian McBride failed to give a pass to the unmarked Hayes, instead shooting wide.
Hayes forced an excellent save from Eanna Murphy minutes later before Dublin finally rattled the net. It arrived after a stunning cross-field ball from sub Oisin O’Rorke into the path of Chris Crummey, who dispatched past the onrushing Murphy.
Galway were four behind heading into the final quarter and yet they cut a relaxed team during the second water break. Padraic Mannion sent over a big score but Dublin responded with two from Burke.
Galway chipped away at the lead through Whelan and Aidan Harte, but when Sutcliffe stroked over his third of the day the Dublin support sensed it was their day.
And so it transpired.
Scorers for Dublin: Donal Burke 0-6 (0-4f), Danny Sutcliffe 0-3, Chris Crummey 1-0, Daire Gray and Ronan Hayes 0-2 each, Cian O’Sullivan, Cian Boland, Rian McBride, Conor Burke and Alan Nolan (0-1f) 0-1 each.
Scorers for Galway: Joe Canning 0-6 (0-4f, 0-1 65), Conor Whelan 1-2, Evan Niland (0-1f) 0-2, Cathal Mannion, Conor Cooney, Padraic Mannion and Aidan Harte 0-1 each.
Dublin
1. Alan Nolan (St Brigid’s)
2. Paddy Smyth (Clontarf), 3. Eoghan O’Donnell (Whitehall Colmcille), 4. Cian O’Callaghan (Cuala).
18. James Madden Ballyboden St Enda’s), 6. Liam Rushe (Na Fianna), 5. Daire Gray (Whitehall Colmcille)
8. Rian McBride (St Vincent’s), 9. Conor Burke (St Vincent’s)
10. Danny Sutcliffe (St Judes), 12. Chris Crummey (Lucan Sarsfields), 11. Donal Burke (Na Fianna)
13. Cian Boland (St Oliver Plunketts ER), 14. Ronan Hayes (Kilmacud Crokes), 15. Cian O’Sullivan (St Brigid’s).
Subs:
23. Mark Schutte (Cuala) for Boland (31, inj)
24. Oisin O’Rorke for O’Sullivan (51)
17. Andrew Dunphy (St Brigid’s) for O’Donnell (58, inj)
20. Jake Malone (Cuala) for Madden (67)
25. Paul Crummey (Lucan Sarsfields) for Smyth (72)
21. Fergal Whitely (Kilmacud Crokes) for Hayes (74)
Galway
1. Eanna Murphy (Tommie Larkins)
2. Shane Cooney (St Thomas), 6. Gearoid McInerney (Oranmore-Maree), 4. Darren Morrissey (Sarsfields).
5. Padraic Mannion (Ahascragh-Fohenagh), 3. Daithi Burke (Turloughmore) 7. Fintan Burke (St Thomas).
8. Sean Loftus (Turloughmore), 9. Joe Canning (Portumna)
11. Cathal Mannion (Ahascragh-Fohenagh), 12. Adrian Tuohey (Beagh), 10. Joseph Cooney (Sarsfields)
13. Conor Whelan (Kinvara), 14. Conor Cooney (St Thomas), 15. Brian Concannon (Killimordaly).
Subs:
21. David Burke (St Thomas’) for Tuohey (34)
22. Evan Niland (Clarinbridge) for Loftus (ht)
19. Aidan Harte (Gort) for Shane Cooney (56 – 58, blood sub)
18. TJ Brennan (Clarinbridge) for Fintan Burke (57)
19. Harte for Joseph Cooney (61)
23. Jason Flynn (Tommy Larkins) for Conor Cooney (67)
Referee: Johnny Murphy (Limerick)
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