FLASHBACK: Dublin v Offaly- 2013 Allianz Hurling League

Fri, 21st February 2025

By Conor Martin

Dublin prepare to take on Offaly this weekend and will be hoping to be on the right side of the result- just like they were when the Dubs and the Faithful County played out a classic at Parnell Park back in 2013 with Dublin emerging one-point winners- 1-20 to 2-16.

Dublin had a better first-half than their opponents; they had a 0-11 to 0-6 lead at the break. Paul Ryan was on song for the Boys in Blue with six first-half points before he finished as the top-scorer in a Dublin jersey with seven points. It would be a league campaign for Ryan to remember as he finished as our overall league top-scorer with 2-30.

Danny Sutcliffe, Joey Boland, Conal Keaney and Johnny McCaffrey were those who helped put Dublin in a commanding position at the break; at the other end, Shane Dooley and Joe Bergin had helped keep Offaly in the contest.

When the players had emerged for the second-half, Dublin managed to keep ahead of Offaly but failed to make their dominance count.

Conor McCormack joined in on the scoring to extend our lead, but Offaly would soon turn the screw on Dublin and make the game a real contest when Dooley found the net after a barrage on the Dublin goal and it was a two-point game.

Sutcliffe hit back straight away with a goal for Anthony Daly’s side and soon Dublin would have a lead of six, but the squeeze would be put on Dublin once more when Dooley sent a rocket of a free from 21 metres out past Gary Maguire in the Dublin net.

Dublin managed to hold off a late rally from Offaly to hold for the win.

2013 would go on to be a successful year for our hurlers; we would beat Limerick in the Division 1B final before winning the Leinster Senior Hurling Championship for the first time in 52 years. We also reached the All-Ireland semi-final, losing out to beaten finalists Cork.

Scorers - Dublin: P Ryan 0-07, C Keaney 0-05, D Sutcliffe 1-02, C McCormack 0-03, J Boland, K Byrne, J McCaffrey 0-01 each

Offaly: S Dooley 2-09, J Bergin, C Parlon 0-02 each, R Hanniffy, B Carroll, J Mulrooney 0-01 each

DUBLIN: G Maguire; P Kelly, P Schutte, R Trainor; M Carton, L Rushe, S Durkin; J Boland, K Byrne; C Keaney, J McCaffrey, D Sutcliffe; P Ryan, C McCormack, M Schutte.

Subs used: D Treacy for M Schutte (56 mins), N Corcoran for P Schutte (58), D O'Callaghan for Sutcliffe (65)

OFFALY: J Dempsey; C McDonald, S Gardiner, D King; D Mooney, K Brady, D Morkan; R Hanniffy, S Ryan; B Carroll, J Bergin, C Parlon; S Dooley, J Mulrooney, O Kealey.

Subs used: T Carroll for Ryan (52 mins), D Molloy for Carroll (65).

Referee: James McGrath (Westmeath)