Dublin 4-15
UCD 3-12
Fintan O’Toole reports from Belfield
TWO GOALS APIECE from Paul Ryan and Eamon Dillon helped Dublin get off to a successful start for 2016 as they claimed victory in their Bord Na Móna Walsh Cup tie against UCD at Belfield tonight.
Dublin needed to haul themselves back from an interval deficit as UCD had forged a five-point lead at the midway mark.
Manager Ger Cunningham won’t have been too unhappy to see that the architects of his team’s downfall were Dublin panellists. Oisin O’Rorke struck a hat-trick of goals, reflective of his lively showing, while Colm Cronin chipped in with 0-3 and Cian O’Callaghan stood out in defence.
Ryan and Dillon had both crashed home terrific goals to leave Dublin ahead 2-4 to 1-2 by the 15th minute but UCD finished the opening period stronger. They stitched together 1-5 without reply between the 23rd and 31st minute, and were ahead 3-8 to 2-6 at the break.
But Dublin quickly wiped out that lead after the break with Ryan firing 1-2 in quick succession. The teams were locked together at 3-9 apiece midway through the second-half before Dublin stamped their authority on the game.
They reeled off five points without reply as Fiontan McGibb and Niall McMorrow both showed up well. Then Dillon pounced for their fourth goal in the 63rd minute as they ran out five-point victors.
Scorers for Dublin: Paul Ryan 2-7 (0-5f), Eamon Dillon 2-1, Niall McMorrow 0-3, Fiontan McGibb 0-2, Cian Mac Giolla Bhríde, Rian McBride 0-1 each.
Scorers for UCD: Oisin O’Rorke 3-2 (1-1f), Colm Cronin 0-3, Jack O’Connor 0-2 (0-1f), Padraic Guinan, Cian O’Callaghan, Jake Malone, Jack Griffin, James Maher 0-1 each.
Dublin
1. Conor Dooley (Ballyboden St Enda’s)
2. Joey Boland (Na Fianna)
3. Chris Crummey (Lucan Sarsfields)
4. Oisín Gough (Cuala)
5. Ben Quinn (Crumlin)
6. Liam Rushe (St Pat’s, Palmerstown)
7. Shane Durkin (Ballyboden St Enda’s)
8. Cian Mac Giolla Bhríde (St Vincent’s)
9. Darragh O’Connell (Cuala)
10. Rian McBride (St Vincent’s)
11. Niall McMorrow (Ballyboden St Enda’s)
12.. Eamonn Dillon (Nh Fionnbarra)
13. Paul Ryan (Ballyboden St Enda’s)
14. Fíontán Mac Gibb (Setanta)
15. Chris Bennett (Faughs)
Subs
22. Rob Hardy (St Judes) for O’Connell h/t
18. David Treacy (Cuala) for Bennett (46)
21. Sean O’Reilly (Thomas Davis) for McBride (61)
20. Fionn O’Riain-Broinn (St Judes) for Durkin (61)
UCD
1. Darragh Holohan (Dicksboro, Kilkenny)
2. Pat Hannon (Athenry, Galway)
3. Sean Murphy (Buffers Alley, Wexford)
4. James Madden (Ballyboden St-Enda’s, Dublin)
5. Conor Devitt (Ballyfad, Wexford)
6. Cian O’Callaghan (Cuala, Dublin)
7. Jack O’Connor (St Martin’s, Wexford)
8. Jake Malone (Cuala, Dublin)
9. Jack Mullaney (Stradbally, Waterford)
10. James Maher (St Lachtain’s, Kilkenny)
12. Colm Cronin (Cuala, Dublin)
11. Padraic Guinan (Drumcullen, Offaly)
15. Tom Phelan (Conahy Shamrocks, Kilkenny)
14. Oisin O’Rorke (Kilmacud Crokes, Dublin)
13. Cathal Keane (Athenry, Galway)
Subs
18. Cian MacGabhann (Kilmacud Crokes, Dublin) for O’Connor (40)
28. Sean Moran (Cuala, Dublin) for Devitt (48)
17. Eoin Conroy (Naomh Eanna, Wexford) for Madden (52)
21. JJ Ryan (Clonakenny, Wexford) for Mullaney (52)
23. Jack Griffin (Dungourney, Cork) for Maher (60)
Referee: Michael Murtagh (Westmeath)
They obviously have to big up their own man but that’s nonsense talk from the Clare boys there. Conlon hasn’t even won a Munster title, as decent as he has been. Tommy Walsh, Brian Whelehan and Ken McGrath all well ahead of him in this particular debate, and there’s probably many more.
@Aidan Farrell: Is a Munster title the reason you’re excluding Conlon…sure neither did Tommy Walsh or Brian Whelehan? does that mean they’re out of the reckoning…? And on the off chance All Irelands come into you’re thinking…how many did Ken McGrath win in the end? 2 less than Conlon I believe.
All great players by the way but with John Conlon’s overall honours in the game over a 12-13 year career he has to be in the discussion.
@Niall F: I’m saying John Conlon has never won a Munster title in all the years he has played for Clare. He has won a couple of back door All-Irelands and all credit to him for that. Saying he’s a better, more versatile hurler than the likes of Tommy Walsh is ludicrous. Look at what Walsh has won in the game. Provincial medals, front door All-Irelands and All Stars in multiple lines of the field.
@Aidan Farrell: players win all irelands because essentially they have great players around them. Ken mc grath and john conlon may not have had that luxury in comparison to tommy walsh say. John conlon hugely influenced clare in every position he played in and dominated huge games whether at centre forward, full forward or centre back. Definitely one of the greatest versatile players in the last 12 years. Many of the greats in that period were in a specialist position so for me, the view of john conlans greatness in terms of versatility is a valid one. To come back the way he did after a serious knee injury after 10 years of inter County hurling in his 30s was extraordinary.
All these clare lads havent pucked a ball against Limerick in last 3 munster finals.
@Sean: there was hardly a puck of a ball between them on most occasions during Limerick s success over the last 6 years.two great teams. Clare had chances to beat Limerick on three occasions since 2019 having beaten them in 2018 and 2023……Limerick looked buried with 20 minutes to go in ennis this year. Bar the munster final this year, all other games in the championship could have been won by either side….again, 2 incredible teams
@Seamus kelly: This Limerick team have won 5 All-Irelands and 6 Munster titles. This Clare team has a solitary All-Ireland. Wouldn’t describe both as incredible. One is, the other most certainly is not.
That’s Tommy Walsh, next!
@colmkearney39@hotmail.com: Tommy played the majority of his career at wing back.
Surely, it’s Ken McGrath. Played everywhere from full forward to full back for Waterford
@John Fitz: hard to look beyond Ken McGrath…Declan Hannon definitely worth a mention as well!!
Brian Corcoran end of discussion
Willie John Daly comparable to John Conlon in that he also played right half forward
and centre back in All Ireland finals.
What about Tony Brennan Tipp ( full forward and full back in All Ireland winning teams) and Jerry O Riordan Cork ( full forward in 1946&1947 and right full back in Cork’s 3 in a row 1952-1954). Too màny views from people who were not born when versatile players of the past such as Jackie Power ( Limerick) and Tommy Doyle ( Tipp) were starring. Of course John Conlon is a great and versatile player.
There weren’t any question marks over him. Anyone could see that he’s a quality elite-level hurler. Why do the GAA crowd always need to pretend that everybody’s writing them off?