Dublin 3-13
Dubs Stars 4-9
THE LITTLE-KNOWN Ryan Deegan etched his named in Gaelic football history with the first official ‘mark’ as Dublin begun 2017 in typical winning fashion.
The Thomas Davis man claimed a mark in the 23rd minute of the annual Dubs Stars challenge at Parnell Park, the first since the new rule came into full effect from January 1.
Exactly three months on from their All-Ireland final win over Mayo it was an entirely new-look Dublin that lined out.
Shane Clayton, Colm Basquel and Robbie McDaid, all from Ballyboden St Enda’s, were the only three from last summer’s Championship panel to make the team.
Conor McHugh has played for Dublin before and gave a timely reminder of his quality to boss Jim Gavin with 2-4 overall and the match winning goal.
The 2014 All-Ireland U-21 final hero was complimented in Dublin’s greenhorn attack by Paul Hudson and Killian O’Gara who weighed in with 1-5 between them.
Gavin gave his back-to-back All-Ireland winning stars the day off and the likes of All-Star midfielder Brian Fenton was an interested spectator in the main stand.
Dublin are due to jet away on their team holiday tomorrow ahead of their O’Byrne Cup campaign. Tomas Quinn, the evergreen former Dublin attacker, was the star of the show again with 3-5 overall though it still couldn’t prevent a defeat for the Dubs Stars.
Dublin led 2-7 to 1-2 at half-time thanks to 11th and 22nd minute goals from O’Gara and McHugh. Quinn snatched an early goal from a quick free and added two more after the break while Darren Gavin was also on the mark.
That left the Dubs Stars narrowly ahead before McHugh struck for the 59th minute goal that earned victory for Dublin.
Scorers for Dublin: Conor McHugh 2-4, Paul Hudson 0-4 (0-2f), Killian O’Gara 1-1, Niall Walsh 0-3, Ciaran Reddin 0-1.
Scorers for Dubs Stars: Tomas Quinn 3-5 (1-3f), Darren Gavin 1-0, Niall Coakley 0-3 (0-2f), Gerry Seaver 0-1.
DUBLIN
1. Evan Comerford
15. Eoghan O’Brien
3. Shane Clayton
21. Ross McGowan
22. Niall Scully
11. Robbie McDaid
13. Conor Mullally
6. Ryan Deegan
18. Ciaran Reddin
19. Gary Sweeney
2. Colm Basquel
20. Niall Walsh
9. Paul Hudson
17. Killian O’Gara
12. Conor McHugh
SUBS
4. Shane Cunningham for Basquel (32)
8. Ross Hazely for McDaid (32)
5. Michael Deegan for O’Gara (35)
7. Robbie Gaughan for Deegan (40)
10. Gavin Ivory for Scully (40)
14. Sean Newcombe for Hudson (44)
16. John Brian Carthy for Comerford (45)
DUBS STARS
1. Morven Connolly
2. Craig Wilson
3. Graham Hannigan
4. Tom Shiels
5. Ross O’Brien
6. Maitias MacDonncha
7. Brian Howard
8. Darren Gavin
9. Shane Boland
10. Tom Lahiff
11. Gerry Seaver
12. Paddy Small
13. Stephen Smith
14. Niall Coakley
15. Tomas Quinn
SUBS:
20. Gavin Carruth for Gavin (21)
16. Sean Blanchfield for Connolly (40)
19. Eanna O’Toole for Smith (42)
Gavin for Boland (43)
17. Daire Kerr for Seaver (44)
Boland for Coakley (55)
Seaver for Carruth (55)
Referee: Darragh Sheppard (Lusk)
