Senior hurlers cruise to comprehensive victory

DUBLIN 4-20 DIT 1-12

Dublin's senior hurlers opened their Bord na Móna Walsh Cup Group 2 account with a comprehensive 17-point victory over DIT in Parnell Park on Tuesday night.

As a result Ger Cunningham's men jump to the top of their group on scoring difference as Antrim had defeated the students by seven points in their opening round tie.

The Dubs face the Glensmen in Parnell Park this Sunday (2.0) with the winner advancing to the semi-finals, a draw and the Dubs will progress on scoring difference.

Dublin led 1-11 to 0-7 at the interval with the impressive Eamon Dillon grabbing the only goal of the first half with a great finish in the 28th minute.

The Dubs had led 0-7 to 0-1 inside the opening ten minutes but DIT reeled off five unanswered points to reduce the margin to the minimum by the 23rd minute before Liam Rushe broken their chain of scores.

In the opening minutes points from Conal Keaney, Paul Ryan and Eamon Dillon saw Dublin under new boss Ger Cunningham immediately settle into their task.

While Dublin held the upperhand in the second half to lead 1-18 to 1-8 by the 43rd minute it was not until the last quarter when they really moved out of sight.

Goals in the 52nd minute from Rushe and 13 minutes later from Niall McMorrow had made it 3-19 to 1-11 before sub David Treacy hit 1-1 in the final two minutes to see Dublin cruise to their commanding victory.

“It will take a while for our ideas to bed in. These games are great, to see lads in a game situation rather than training,” said Dublin manager Ger Cunningham.

“They are in Division 1A – that is the highest standard they can be,” he added.

“Once you start, it’s full-on for six or seven weeks. They are great games to be looking forward to and that brings its own bit of pressure, trying to get to a level of performance.”

SCORERS – Dublin: E Dillon 1-6 (0-1 ’65’), L Rushe 1-3, P Ryan 0-5 (0-2 ‘65’, 0-1 f), N McMorrow, D Treacy 1-1 each, C Keaney 0-3, C Boland 0-1. Dublin IT: D McNicholas 0-8 (0-6f), M Lee 1-2, W McGrath, J Cahill 0-1 each.

DUBLIN: A Nolan, J McCaffrey, M Carton, S Barrett; B Quinn, P Kelly, S Lambert; K Byrne, D Plunkett; C Keaney, E Dillon, C Boland; N McMorrow, L Rushe, P Ryan. Subs: E O’Donnell for Plunkett (50), R O’Carroll for Byrne (54), D Treacy for Ryan (57), J Hetherton for Boland (62), F Mac Gibb for Quinn (66).

DIT: P McKenna; S Barron, B Carey, S McClelland; C Robinson, K Bergin, G Whelan; C Sheehan, J Cahill; J Sweeney, D McNicholas, A Nugent; M Lee, D Roberts, W McGrath. Subs: P Naughton for Cahill (ht), J McManus for Robinson (50), P O’Reilly for Barron (58), T Storey for Carey (60), E Hayes for Whelan (65).

REF: T Carroll (Offaly).