Senior footballers move on to Leinster semi-final

Sun, 4th June 2017

DUBLIN 0-19 CARLOW 0-7

Dublin opened the defence of their Leinster SFC with a clear-cut 12-point victory over Carlow in Saturday night’s provincial quarter-final in O’Moore Park, Portlaoise in front of an attendance of 13,328.

In a fairly tepid affair Carlow put up stern resistance in the first half and by the break the Dubs led 0-8 to 0-5.

The Barrowsiders retreated most of their forwards back into defensive positions once the Dublin kickout was taken and their damage limitation game-plan worked to a point in the opening half.

Brendan Murphy opened the scoring for Carlow in the first minute before Dean Rock followed with two frees but back came Carlow to level it 0-2 each with a brilliantly struck Paul Broderick free from 55 metres.

The Dubs hit the next four points with the impressive Jack McCaffrey on the mark when cutting through a phalanx of defenders before angling over.

Dean Rock from a free, after a foul on Niall Scully, Paul Mannion and McCaffrey off his left following a neat one-two with Scully pushed Dublin 0-6 to 0-2 clear.

The pacey Seán Murphy closed the gap for Carlow with an excellent point from range on the run and by the break Dublin were three clear.

Goal sightings were few.

Three minutes into the second half Kevin McManamon was sent angling through on goal but his shot clipped the outside of the post.

Dublin were 0-10 to 0-6 in front when Carlow’s Brendan Murphy was sent off on a second yellow card.

Jim Gavin’s men used the extra man reasonably well and quickly put further distance between the sides with points from Rock, following a foul on Ciarán Kilkenny, Kilkenny himself, two Con O’Callaghan frees and Bernard Brogan tagged on two, one with either foot to make it 0-15 to 0-6 with five minutes of normal time remaining.

In injury time Dublin added points from sub Conor McHugh, Kilkenny and a Connolly ‘45’.

Dublin play Offaly or Westmeath in the Leinster semi-final Sunday, June 25.

SCORERS – Dublin: D Rock 0-6 (0-6f), C Kilkenny 0-3, C O’Callaghan (0-2f), J McCaffrey, B Brogan 0-2 each, N Scully, P Mannion, C McHugh, D Connolly (‘45’) 0-1 each. Carlow: P Broderick 0-3 (0-3f), D Moran, B Murphy, S Murphy, D Foley (0-1f) 0-1 each.

DUBLIN: S Cluxton; E Lowndes, J Cooper, M Fitzsimons; J McCaffrey, C O’Sullivan, J McCarthy; C Kilkenny, B Fenton; N Scully, C O’Callaghan, D Connolly; P Mannion, D Rock, K McManamon. Subs: B Brogan for McManamon (45), S Carthy for McCaffrey (53), M Schutte for Scully (58), C McHugh for Rock (58), D Byrne for O’Sullivan (63), D Bastick for Fenton (67)

CARLOW: C Kearney; C Crowley, S Redmond, C Lawlor; D Moran, D St. Ledger, G Kelly; B Murphy, S Murphy; E Ruth, A Kelly, S Gannon; J Murphy, D Foley, P Broderick. Subs: M Rennick for Kelly (41), S Clarke for Ruth (53), K Nolan for Crowley (63), BJ Molloy for Moran (67), C Moran for Broderick (69)

REF: S Hurson (Tyrone).