MATCH REPORT: Minor Hurlers Open Leinster Campaign With Hard Fought Win Over Offaly

DUBLIN 4-18 

OFFALY 0-19 

A strong start and an even stronger finish proved pivotal as Dublin got their Electric Ireland Leinster Minor Hurling Championship Group 1 Tier 1 campaign off on a winning note when overcoming a brave Offaly by eleven points at Parnell Park on Saturday afternoon.

The Dubs cruised into the break with a healthy and well-deserved twelve-point lead but their opponents showed their customary battling qualities to dominate possession in the second-half, reducing their arrears to just three points by the 53^rd minute. 

Crucially, Dublin didn’t concede a goal during Offaly’s supremacy and had enough in the tank to finish the game on a high, courtesy of two well-taken goals in injury time from Darragh Kilduff and Conor Newton.

There were few signs in the opening-half that we’d witness such a thrilling conclusion as Dublin raced from the traps, leading by 1-3 to 0-1 by the 7^th minute with full-forward David Purcell accounting for the goal.

Purcell was a constant thorn in the Offaly side, both from open play and placed balls, and he received strong support in the scoring stakes from the likes of Daniel O’Kelly, Mícheál Ó Tighearnaigh and Ryan Murphy as the hosts pushed further clear.

The visitors kept in distant touch through two superb points from play from midfielder Gearoid Maher and further points from Niall Kelly and Cillian Burke left the Faithful just seven points down by the 27^th minute.

However, Dublin closed out the half in impressive fashion and a pinpoint pass from O’Kelly was seized upon by the predatory Purcell, who showed great composure to fire home another clinical finish from eight yards. 

Offaly were a transformed proposition in the second-half as they showed greater intensity and application and Maher’s excellence from placed balls ensured Dublin’s lead eroded as the half progressed.

In contrast, Dublin only managed a solitary point in the first twenty minutes after the break, a cracking effort from Newton, as they came under increasing pressure.

Their indiscretions at the back were punished at every opportunity by Maher before Purcell finally eased some of that pressure with a glorious point in the 50^th minute that just cleared the crossbar.

Maher added two further frees to leave a goal between the sides by the 59^th minute but a Purcell free once again handed Dublin some breathing space before they kicked into gear in added time.

There was a degree of fortune to their third goal as Purcell’s ‘65’ dropped short but there was nothing lucky about the reactions that Kilduff showed, as he gathered possession before firing home off his left side.

The subsequent puck-out was misplaced, allowing Newton the time and space to drive an unerring finish into the top corner off the net, with Dublin’s flurry of scores at the death completed by substitute Fiach Lupton with the final play of the game.

Dublin make the trip to Chadwicks Wexford Park to face Wexford in Round 2 of the Leinster Minor Championship next Saturday, April 1st (2pm). 

Scorers – Dublin: D Purcell 2-9 (0-6f, 0-2 ‘65’), C Newton 1-2, D Kilduff 1-1, M Ó Tighearnaigh 0-2, C Graham, D O’Kelly, R Murphy, F Lupton 0-1 each. Offaly: G Maher 0-12 (8f, 2 ‘65’), F Carney (2f), C Burke 0-2 each, N Kelly, N Flannery, L Morkan 0-1 each. 

Dublin: J Mooney; M Pappalardo, L Dargan, L Mooney; F Murphy, W Wheatley, J Sheppard; T Costello, R Murphy; D O’Kelly, D Kilduff, M Ó Tighearnaigh; C Newton, D Purcell, C graham. Subs: R O’Neill for Pappalardo (43), F Lupton for R Murphy (47), G Flannery for Graham (52). 

Offaly: K Spain; C Larkin, D Daly, J McLoughney; R Bracken, A Cleary, M Mulrooney; G Maher, J Ryan; N Flannery, R Carney, N Kelly; A Molloy, C Burke, F Carney. Subs: L Bracken for Daly (23), L O’Riordan for Molloy (half-time), H Sweeney for Ryan (half-time), J Morkan for Carney (39), D Hollywood for Kelly (58).

Referee: Owen Behan (Kilkenny).