Strong second half sees senior hurlers run out 11-point victors

Sat, 15th February 2020

HL DIVISION 1 GROUP B ROUND 3

DUBLIN 0-20 CARLOW 0-9

A purposeful second half display saw Dublin record their second victory of their HL Division 1 Group B campaign at a wet and windy Netwatch Cullen Park on Saturday evening.

The Dubs led 0-6 at 0-4 at the break but spurned several scoring opportunities in very testing conditions before improving in the second half to add another two league points to those secured against Laois in the previous round.

Dublin were closest to scoring a goal with Chris Crummey, operating at full-forward, being adjudged to have overcarried in the 26th minute when a penalty arguably could as easily have been awarded.

Five minutes later the big Lucan Sarsfields man pulled something of a goal chance wide on the opposite side after a quick, inviting handpass into space by John Hetherton.

In the 33^rd minute Donal Burke tried to find the net from a tight angle but his effort was repelled by Carlow netminder Damien Jordan.

But, against the elements, the Dubs restarted with intent.

The energetic Davy Keogh fired over, from a Crummey pass, Daire Gray got an inspiring score following a long run and Chris Crummey pointed to move 0-9 to 0-4 ahead.

Between the 49^th and 55^th minute Dublin knitted five points together with Oisín O’Rorke (free), Rian McBride (who hit four points from play overall), sub Paul Ryan (two frees) and Davy Keogh extending Dublin’s advantage to 0-14 to 0-5.

Dublin continued to hold the upperhand with Seán Moran, a fine strike, and Paul Ryan (one from play, one ‘65’) making it 0-17 to 0-7.

Mattie Kenny's men face Wexford next Saturday in Croke Park (5.0), the game forms part of a double-header with the FL Division 1 meeting of Dublin and Donegal.

SCORERS – Dublin: P Ryan 0-5 (0-3f, 0-1 ‘65’), R McBride 0-4, O O’Rorke 0-3 (0-3f), S Moran (0-1f), D Keogh, C Crummey, D Gray 0-2 each. Carlow: M Kavanagh 0-6 (0-4f), JM Nolan 0-2, D English 0-1 (0-1f).

DUBLIN: A Nolan; P Smyth, E O’Donnell, J Madden; S Barrett, S Moran, D Gray; J Malone, C Crummey; J Hetherton, D Burke, R McBride; R Hayes, M Schutte, O Rorke. Subs: C O’Callaghan for Barrett (ht), D Keogh for Schutte (ht), P Ryan for O’Rorke (51), A O’Neill for McBride (blood 64-71), F Mac Gib for Burke (68), A Dunphy for Madden (69).

CARLOW: D Jordan; R Smithers, P Doyle, M Doyle; R Coady, D English, G Bennett; K McDonald, A Amond; J Kavanagh, P Coady, JM Nolan; C Tracey, M Kavanagh, T Joyce. Subs: S Whelan for R Coady (inj 17), C Abbey for Jordan (inj, 48), Dean Tobin for Smithers (59), Dara Tobin for P Coady (62), T Daly for Amond (71).

REF: T Walsh (Waterford).