Schutte leads hurlers to impressive quarter-final victory

Sun, 29th March 2015

DUBLIN 1-25 LIMERICK 0-16

Dublin build on the momentum of their victory over Galway to defeat Limerick in impressive fashion in Saturday's NHL Division 1 quarter-final at Croke Park.

Ger Cunningham's man held the upperhand throughout bar one brief period on the second half when the Shannonsiders began to claw their way back into the game.

For the most part Dublin played the more free-flowing hurling when in attack mode while at the back the Dubs dealt well with all Limerick could muster with Chris Crummey and Peter Kelly providing a strong spine to a very effective defensive showing.

Up front Mark Schutte was the pick of the forwards as his personal tally of 1-5 made the Cuala man the game's top-scorer from play.

Schutte hit three points in the opening half as his ball-winning ability, turn of pace and angled shots off either left or right help to steer Dublin to a 0-14 to 0-8 interval lead.

Dublin restarted well and effectively had victory sealed early in the second half.

Two minutes in David O'Callaghan caught a great ball before finishing over the bar and a minute later Mark Schutte fired to the corner of Nicky Quaid's net to push Dublin into a 1-15 to 0-8 lead.

TJ Ryan's side did briefly threaten to raise a gallop but David Treacy kept the scoreboard ticking from placed balls as the Dubs set up a semi-final encounter against Cork, 0-18 to 0-14 victors over Wexford, on April 19, Tipp and Waterford will meet in the other semi.

SCORERS - Dublin: D Treacy 0-9 (0-7f, 0-1 pen), M Schutte 1-5, J McCaffrey, D O'Callaghan, D Sutcliffe, N McMorrow 0-2 each; C Crummey, C Boland, L Rushe 0-1 each. Limerick: S Dowling 0-8 (0-7f, 0-1 '65'), G Mulcahy 0-4, C Lynch, J Ryan, P O'Brien, T Morrissey 0-1 each.

DUBLIN: G Maguire; C O'Callaghan, P Kelly, P Schutte; S Durkin, C Crummey, C Keaney; J McCaffrey, N McMorrow; R O'Dwyer, L Rushe, D Sutcliffe; D O'Callaghan, M Schutte, D Treacy. Subs: P Ryan for O'Callaghan (45), C Cronin for McCaffrey (56), C Boland for M Schutte (66), D Plunkett for O'Dwyer (67), C McBride for Sutcliffe (71).

LIMERICK: N Quaid; S Walsh, R McCarthy, S Hickey; P O'Brien, W McNamara, D Morrissey; P Browne, J Ryan; D Breen, D Hannon, D O'Grady; G Mulcahy, S Dowling, S Tobin. Subs: C Lynch for O'Grady (11), S O'Brien for Hickey (34), D Reidy for Tobin (54), C King for Ryan (65), T Morrissey for Mulcahy (65).

REF: D Kirwan (Cork).