An incredible Dublin performance sees Mattie Kenny’s men into the 2021 Leinster Senior Hurling Decider
Dublin 1-18
Galway 1-14
Croke Park, Dublin
In the first of today’s Leinster Senior Hurling Semi Finals, Dublin come away from Croke Park after a complete performance over last year’s Leinster runners up Galway. And it was fully deserved by Mattie Kenny’s men who showed a new determination beating the Tribesman, again dealing them a championship blow.
Despite Galway looking off colour, this will go down as the best Dublin performance since Mattie Kenny took over the panel. Both in defence and attack, Dublin were relentless from the first throw in. The full back line of Cian O’Callaghan, Paddy Smyth and Eoghan O’Donnell were just immense. And keeper Alan Nolan gave spectators a masterclass between the posts pulling off multiple saves.
In a low scoring opening quarter, Dublin brought a 0-04 to 0-01 lead into the first water break. Galway had a raft of chances but saw the majority of them drift wide. And they’ll be very disappointed in a first half wide count of 11.
Eight minutes were on the clock before Cian O’Sullivan opened the scoring for Dublin. And Dublin found themselves 0-03 ahead after Daire Gray and Cian Boland sent scores over at the Hill 16 end. Joe Canning, who had a shocker of an afternoon opened the scoring for Galway from a free. But Rian McBride kept Dublin’s lead to 3 scores with a point before the water break.
Gray and Conor Burke gave Dublin a five point lead before Conor Cooney sent over Galway’s first from play on 20 minutes. Donal Burke converted his first free, but Canning would lead a small purple patch scoring three with Conor Whelan adding another to narrow the margin to 0-01. But Burke registered his second to give Dublin a slender lead of 0-08 to 0-06 at the half way mark.
Goals from either side lift the temperature after the break
Galway never got closer then 0-02 to Dublin and that continued in the second half. And a have time switch bringing Evan Niland on to take over free taking didn’t have the desired effect. And by the 43rd Dublin had stretched their lead to 5, thanks to an huge free from Alan Nolan, and scores from Ronan Hayes, Burke (2) and Danny Sutcliffe.
Whelan produced the spark Galway needed after receiving a pass from Cathal Mannion to finish in the net giving his side a much needed lifeline. But the lifeline didn’t last long as Dublin substitute Oisin O’Rorke found Chris Crummey rocketing into space and burying the ball into the Galway net.
Another Niland free saw the score at 1-14 to 1-10 in favour of Dublin at the second water break. But it was Dublin again who came out of the traps faster on the restart.
Padraic Mannion sent over a big score for Galway but Dublin responded with two from Burke.
Galway chipped away eat the lead through Whelan and Aidan Harte, yet when Sutcliffe stroked over his third of the day the Dublin support sensed it was their day. A Leinster Final awaits now facing the winners of the Kilkenny v Wexford last four clash.
Donal Burke 0-06 (0-4f)
Chris Crummey 1-00
Danny Sutcliffe 0-03
Daire Gray 0-02
Ronan Hayes 0-02
Cian O’Sullivan 0-01
Cian Boland 0-01
Rian McBride 0-01
Conor Burke 0-01
Alan Nolan 0-01 (1f)
Joe Canning 0-06 (4f, 1 65)
Conor Whelan 1-02
Evan Niland 0-02 (1f)
Conor Cooney 0-01
Cathal Mannion 0-01
Padraic Mannion 0-01
Aidan Harte 0-01
Dublin
1. Alan Nolan (St Brigid’s)
2. Paddy Smyth (Clontarf)
3. Eoghan O’Donnell (Whitehall Colmcille)
4. Cian O’Callaghan (Cuala)
5. Daire Gray (Whitehall Colmcille)
6. Liam Rushe (Na Fianna)
18. James Madden Ballyboden St Enda’s)
8. Rian McBride (St Vincent’s)
9. Conor Burke (St Vincent’s)
10. Danny Sutcliffe (St Judes)
11. Donal Burke (Na Fianna)
12. Chris Crummey (Lucan Sarsfields)
13. Cian Boland (St Oliver Plunketts ER)
14. Ronan Hayes (Kilmacud Crokes)
15. Cian O’Sullivan (St Brigid’s)
Galway
1. Eanna Murphy (Tommie Larkins)
2. Shane Cooney (St Thomas)
3. Daithi Burke (Turloughmore)
4. Darren Morrissey (Sarsfields)
5. Padraic Mannion (Ahascragh-Fohenagh)
6. Gearoid McInerney (Oranmore-Maree)
7. Fintan Burke (St Thomas)
8. Sean Loftus (Turloughmore)
9. Joe Canning (Portumna)
10. Joseph Cooney (Sarsfields)
11. Cathal Mannion (Ahascragh-Fohenagh)
12. Adrian Tuohey (Beagh)
13. Conor Whelan (Kinvara)
14. Conor Cooney (St Thomas)
15. Brian Concannon (Killimordaly)
