Dublin 2-17
Kildare 2-10
Kevin O’Brien reports from Croke Park
DUBLIN SHOOK OFF some early signs of rust to blow Kildare away in their Division 1 opener tonight.
The All-Ireland champions are back in training just two weeks after their team holiday in South Africa, but once they got the opening 35 minutes out of their system they looked back to their brilliant best in Croke Park.
Dublin trailed by two after a sloppy first-half, but blitzed their opponents with an unanswered 2-5 in the 13 minutes after the restart, with goals arriving from Dean Rock and Brian Fenton.
Man-of-the-match Fenton was masterful at midfield, bombing forward to score 1-3 on a night where Kildare couldn’t live with his pace and energy.
The Raheny star caught a mark in the first-half with an outstanding fetch, and scored his first point with a fine curling effort off his weaker left foot.
Dublin scored 2-10 in total after half-time, all of it from play, and still left two goal chances behind them.
Jim Gavin’s side started with eight of their All-Ireland winning team for this league opener, but it was veteran Bernard Brogan who impressed with some brilliant link-up play in attack.
The St Oliver Plunketts man put goals on a plate for Rock and Fenton shortly after half-time, kicked a point of his own and had another narrowly ruled out by Hawkeye in a productive 60 minutes before he was replaced.
Of the newcomers, Colm Basquel clipped over three points, while half-forward Brian Howard added a brace in a good display on the half-forward line. All-Ireland U21 winning defender Cillian O’Shea arrived on in the 54th minute to make his senior debut for the Dubs.
James McCarthy, their All-Star midfielder, returned to his old role at right-half back while Jonny Cooper – a late edition to the team – held the centre of defence.
The game’s opening goal arrived after a shot at the posts from Paul Cribbin landed at an unmarked Luke Flynn at the back post, and he finished low past Cluxton.
Dublin clicked through the gears in the opening 35 minutes without ever really hitting their stride. Ciaran Kilkenny kicked two decent scores, while Fenton and Brogan each curled over fine efforts in the first-half.
Kildare led by two at half-time but left were wasteful too after kicking six wides and dropping a couple short.
Dublin turned the screw after the restart, posting 2-5 without reply to stun Kildare. Brogan was heavily involved in both, scooping up a pass for Rock’s opening goal and palming a ball into the path of Fenton for the second.
Kildare’s spirit was shot for a spell as Basquel, Niall Scully and John Small all added scores to stretch the lead.
The Lilywhites did have a strong finish to their credit, and Eamonn Callaghan arrived off the bench to kick three frees in the last 10 minutes. Daniel Flynn drove in a stunning late goal to put some respectability on the scoreboard, but this was Dublin’s night.
Scorers for Kildare: Daniel Flynn 1-2, Luke Flynn 1-0, Eamonn Calllaghan 0-3 (0-3f), Kevin Feely 0-2 (0-2f), Neil Flynn 0-1 (0-1f), Paul Cribbin 0-1, Mark Donnellan 0-1 (0-1f),
Scorers for Dublin: Brian Fenton 1-3, Dean Rock 1-2 (0-2f), Colm Basquel 0-3, Ciaran Kilkenny 0-2, Niall Scully 0-2, Brian Howard 0-2, John Small 0-1, Kevin McManamon 0-1, Bernard Brogan 0-1,
Dublin
1. Stephen Cluxton (Parnell’s)
2. David Byrne (Naomh Olaf)
3. Michael Fitzsimons (Cuala)
4 Darren Daly (Fingal Ravens)
6. James McCarthy (Ballymun Kickhams)
19. Jonny Cooper (Na Fianna)
7. John Small (Ballymun Kickhams)
8. Brian Fenton (Raheny)
9. Michael Darragh Macauley (Ballyboden St Enda’s)
12. Niall Scully (Templeogue Synge St)
11. Ciarán Kilkenny (Castleknock)
10. Brian Howard (Raheny)
13. Colm Basquel (Ballyboden St Enda’s)
14. Dean Rock (Ballymun Kickhams)
15. Bernard Brogan (St Oliver Plunkett’s/Eoghan Ruadh)
Subs
24. Kevin McManamon (St Jude’s) for Macauley (45)
5. Eric Lowndes (St Pelegrine’s) for Cooper (50)
20. Paul Mannion (Kilmacud Crokes) for Rock (54)
21. Philly McMahon (Ballymun Kickhams) for Fitzsimons (54)
26. Cillian O’Shea (Kilmacud Crokes) for Daly (59)
17. Paddy Andrews (St Brigid’s) for Brogan (60)
Kildare
1. Mark Donnellan (Maynooth)
3. David Hyland (Athy)
4. Mick O’Grady (Celbridge)
2. Peter Kelly (Two Mile House)
5. Johnny Byrne (Allenwood)
6. Eoin Doyle (Naas)
7. Cian O’Donoghue
8. Kevin Feely (Athy)
9. Luke Flynn (Johnstownbridge)
10. Fergal Conway (Celbrige)
11. Chris Healy (Two Mile House)
12. Paul Cribbin (Johnstownbridge)
13. Neil Flynn (Maynooth)
14. Daniel Flynn (Johnstownbridge)
15. Cathal McNally (Johnstownbridge)
Subs
17. David Slattery (Confey) for Neil Flynn (2)
20. Niall Kelly (Athy) for Chris Healy (20, black-card)
18. Tommy Moolick (Leixlip) for Conway (50)
21. Ben McCormack (Sarsfields) for Luke Flynn (56)
19. Mark Hyland (Athy) for Kelly (61)
22. Eamonn Callaghan (Naas) for Feely (61)
Referee: Conor Lane (Cork)
The42 has just published its first book, Behind The Lines, a collection of some of the year’s best sports stories. Pick up your copy in Eason’s, or order it here today (€10):
Masterful and irresistible might be a bit of an exaggeration in fairness…….
@Sean Lawlor: all the superlatives in the world wouldn’t do justice to this incredible team, especially after such an awe-inspiring, breathtaking home victory over a newly promoted team. Immense.
@Goose Gosling: how do they do it?
@Sean Lawlor: Id say you’re a Culchie.
@Sean Lawlor: I’d say you’re spot on.
@Ciarán: yep, its great down here. No gang wars or housing crisis to worry about
@Sean Lawlor: just your brother shagging your sister.
@Sean Lawlor: No Sam Maguires though.
@Ciarán: a liam McCarthy every few years makes up for it. We could probably win more in Tipperary alright, but then again we don’t get to play all our matches at home……..
@buntys dubs: have no idea why incest is the first thing you think of, you should probably get that checked out…..
@Sean Lawlor: no jobs either thus why half of you are up here
@John drennan: dowes culchies commin up to dublin and takin jobs from honest dubs! Dey should feck off back to farmville .
@Anto Whelan: I’m glad we agree :)
@John drennan: yep, all the beggars and homeless in the big smoke are rolling in job opportunities.
Some team up the dubs
@shane campion: Mad how the Leinster club champions are from Newbridge, Kildare and they don’t have one player on the County team???
@Sledro: club championship is still on, players with the club
@Sledro: Vincent’s have dominated in Dublin in recent years and only Connolly and Shane Carthy are anywhere near the Dublin team. Always a bit of local politics involved
Dubs fantastic in the 2nd half, some of the points and build up play was a joy to watch. Big test next game in Omagh
@John Boyle: does mayo fellas dont stand a chance lol
Dublin. The greatest. According to Dublin-controlled media that is.
@James Keating: They are though. They play anytime team from any era and they’d come out victors. Most wouldn’t argue.
@James Keating: that’s a strange comment James. The last All Ireland Final is not that long gone and your memory is short. After Dublin beat Mayo it was like a death in the family. Journalists up and down the country lamented about the moral victory of Mayo against the cheating Dubs. I felt for Mayo that day but All Ireland’s are hard earned and every serious punter will understand deep down. This is a team with skill but also know-how. Like all the great Kerry teams.
@James Keating: well they are the greatest these days . Others will get there day .
@James Keating: da culchie media is up for everyone but da dubz
@Callum: Correct 100%
@James: Wouldn’t see Spillane throw a gadget at Dean Rock back in the day for a championship kick. Only the jealous COYBIB.
@England’s Envy: class is permanent.
@James Keating: the Dublin controlled media? How many ex Dublin players have national columns? How many ex Kerry players do? The national radio station with the biggest sports show in the country is full of Kildare and Mayo lads who have a funeral show every year the Dubs win. David Brady is everywhere (except the week after the All Ireland) The Sunday Game is full of Kerrymen. Dublin controlled indeed
@Conor Pocock: dey hate da dubs dey do
@Anto Whelan: enjoying the turnip sambos for brekkie Anto?
@James Keating: Pat Spillane, Colm o Rourke, Kevin Mcstay, Martin Cairney, Bernard Flynn, James Horan, Darragh o Se and pretty much everyone at the indo all have a pro Dublin agenda? If so they’re disguising it very well because they all seem more than a little anti Dublin to me!
When’s the last time a Dub commented on the All Ireland final on RTE?
Pre 2017 when’s the last time a mayo man didn’t?
God bless jim and the boys there the hardest working team in the country.
@shane campion: yeah always travellin up and dowen da country.
@Anto Whelan: I did’nt realise all their league games were played in Croker ye clown!! Tell me again where Mayo, Tyrone and Galway are located? Kildare were the home team tonight but chose to play in Croke Park. What ye make of that Dopey?
@Barry Tallon: Let him off, his Mammy sent him out for a bucket of water. Again he get’s home from the well it be Monday. Jealous sod. COYBIB
@Barry Tallon: no they weren’t the home team. The fixture was always Dublin in Croke Park. Do you really think Kildare GAA would give up the chance to play Dublin In Newbridge?
@Barry Tallon: no they werent u tool
@Seamus Ryan: they have done before. The last time they were in Division 1 Kildare v Dublin in Croker was a Kildare home game.
Only 2 weeks back from their holiday. Can’t wait to see what they can do when they’re properly back training and fit again ;)
Great to see Andy Moran get man if the match again.
@Dubloyal: yeah bleedin mayo wha…
@Dubloyal: Shove that flag up your a### ye Brit!!
@Ciarán: angry man.
Dublin very average, scoreline flattered them. The final sting of a dying wasp was all that was.
@Michael Donnelly: Yeah cos the first league game is the benchmark for how good a team will be come Championship time
@Michael Donnelly: yawn
@Michael Donnelly: Of course it was Michael… just like last year and the year before. Let me know if your boys win the race for second place. Best of luck
Liam McGrath scored 2-5 for Tipp tonight in a 6 point win away to Cork in a super game and Cork had a decent win away to Kilkenny in the hurling and no mention of any of this on the Journal. Typical Dublin media ignoring everybody else. RTE news also giving over almost their entire sports slot to Dublin footballers.
@TractorPat: Dubs are box office. Arguably the greatest team to ever play the sport. 3 AIs in a row and primed for a fourth. Why wouldn’t there be an article on the champs’ first league outing of the season? Sounds like you have a chip on your shoulder bud. I’m sure the ‘Cork media’ will report on the Tipp game tomorrow.
@Sean @114: I’m not doubting they’re a good team. There should be an article on the game. Just there should be on all the other games. I mean there was only 7 games on tonight. The whole country isn’t from Dublin. Problem is the majority of the media is.
Disappointing overall from Dublin. They’ll win the league but Mayo will take them handy this year.
@Escay: Oh Dear.. and so the cabbages are out early.
@Dubloyal: you heard it here first but it’ll come back to haunt him in a few months
@Dubloyal: mayo wouldnt beat de dubs . Dublin destroyed dem in da final last year
@Escay: mayo the champions of big talk
@John drennan: dublin battered dem in da final aswell
No mention of the Dublin loss in the hurling ??
@Briain O’Dochartaigh: there is a previous article about this.
@Briain O’Dochartaigh: Howaya Chippy. Your shoulders ok??
Dubs are best team in country by a mile. Kildare lacking in a lot of key areas. But as some commentators say, if you run at us you can make problems. Kildare did it for a while in Leinster final last year, so did Mayo in the final. Teams who play football can make something of a game with the Dubs, and it’s better than ultra defensive rubbish likes of Tyrone played last year
They were hardly blown away!!,of course only Dublin would be rusty!!
Great to see Basquel and Howard do so well. They could be Dublin’s break out stars this year
Dubs are the best at Monkey ball! Fact