Byrne on the double as Dubs hold off Dubs Stars

DUBLIN 2-18 DUBS STARS 2-15

Dublin held off a determined comeback by the Dublin Bus/Herald Dubs Stars in Saturday's annual football challenge in Páirc Naomh Uinsionn.

The youthful Dubs were the better side overall and held a six-point interval advantage courtesy of two well taken goals from Aaron Byrne but going down the home straight the Dubs Stars cut into the lead in an entertaining game.

Byrne was one of several of this year's All-Ireland U21 winning side to shine alongside the likes of Colm Basquel and Brian Howard.

Byrne's first goal came in the 20th minute when he finished clinically to the net following good build-up play from Kevin Callaghan and Killian O'Gara.

Five minutes later the Na Fianna man grabbed his second goal and points from Basquel and Adam Rogers, who clipped four from play overall, had Dublin 2-8 to 0-8 to the good at half-time.

“Aaron (Byrne) is a very fine footballer. It’s again a great plus to have him on board,” says Dublin’s manager for the upcoming O’Byrne Cup, Paul Clarke.

“His skill levels are really high, he’s very comfortable on the ball, he travels at pace.

“He doesn’t look like he’s moving well, but he’s flying by guys.

“Colm (Basquel) is a great footballer. Great to have him around. Killian (O’Gara), we would have looked at him at the latter part of last year’s competition. He even came on in the final.

“It’d be nice to have him around, because he gives you a great dimension. He’s a very physical sort of player with nice skill levels.”

Dublin face Offaly in Parnell Park on Wednesday, January 3 (8.0) in the O’Byrne Cup.

Early second half points from O’Gara, Byrne, Basquel and Ryan Deegan pushed Dublin further clear and with just over ten minutes left were 2-18 to 1-9 up before the Dubs Stars launched their rally.

In the 47th minute Jason Whelan scored a goal and seven minutes later Pat Burke added a second.

The Dubs Stars went close on a couple of other occasions with Mal Tighe, who scored two points from play, hitting the butt of the upright late on.

SCORERS - Dublin: A Byrne 2-1, C Basquel 0-5 (0-1f), A Rogers 0-4, C Doyle 0-2, S Carthy (0-1f), G O’Reilly (0-1f), G Seaver, E O Conghaile, K O’Gara, R Deegan 0-1 each. Dubs Stars: P Burke 1-2 (0-1f), J Whelan 1-1, T Quinn 0-4 (0-3f), N Coakley 0-3 (0-1f), O Kelly, M Tighe 0-2 each, F Duffy 0-1.

DUBLIN: A Bunyan; R McGowan, S McMahon, G Hannigan; D Devereux, B Howard, G Seaver; S Ryan, S Carthy; C Basquel, E O Conghaile, K Callaghan; A Byrne, K O’Gara, A Rogers. Subs: D Downey, R Deegan, C Doyle, E O’Brien, C Sallier, G O’Reilly, C Dixon.

DUBS STARS: M Savage; C Wilson, J Curley, M Fitzsimons; C Keeley, G Brennan, O Kelly; A Elliott, R Downey; M Sweeney, J Whelan, K Doherty; P Burke, N Coakley, T Quinn. Subs: JB Carthy, D Kennedy, M Tighe, F Duffy, E O’Connell, D McGuinness.

REF: D O’Connor (Fingal Ravens).