Tipperary 6-26 Dublin 1-19
For the second time in competitive action this year, reigning All Ireland Champions Tipperary handed Dublin a beating, but this time it was a very painful defeat for the Boys in Blue.
Seamus Callanan, who couldn’t score from play against Westmeath in last week’s All Ireland Qualifier, silenced his doubters with a whopping 3-11, leading the Tipperary onslaught in Thurles.
John McGrath and Michael Breen added three more green flags for the Premier County in a six goal salvo that ended Dublin’s championship for 2017.
As bad as the closing scoreline looked, it could have been a lot worse had it not been for Dublin’s net minder Conor Dooley who managed three saves in the hope of lowering his team’s blushes.
But Dublin were staring defeat in the face at half time when they trailed 4-11 to 1-9. David Treacy scoring 0-11 and Cian O’Sullivan’s 1-01 were essentially the hight points in a depressing afternoon for the travelling fans from the capital.
Tipperary had done the damage with John McGrath scoring goals in the 19th and 21st minutes and then Callanan smashed home a 32nd shot after an amazing break by Bonner Maher created the goal chance.
Dublin were further rocked on the restart of action after half-time when Michael Breen accelerated clear and fired home Tipperary’s fifth goal.
This was followed up with seven unanswered points and with a 5-18 to 1-10 advantage by the 45th minute, Dublin fans had already started to head for their nearest exit, and their long journey home.
So What Now?
In October 2014 Ger Cunningham was ratified by the Dublin County Board as Anthony Daly’s replacement for a 3 year term. As of yesterday, and with Dublin again exiting the Championship, it begs the question of what happens now?
Surely this means the end of Cunningham’s reign at the helm, and time to pass the keys of the locker room over to a new set of eyes and a new set of ideas.
In three seasons as Dublin manger, the team have won 12 of 30 competitive fixtures and the decline has been gradual and quite visible. One league win, relegation to Division 1B, and one All Ireland Qualifier win this year is clearly not a position the Dublin County Board would want to be facing going into another year.
Also what has been most notable has been the amount of senior players, and some very vital pieces of the panel, have either been surplus to the managers requirements, or have decided themselves to not give their services.
So the question remains, where do we go from here?
Scorers for Tipperary:
Seamus Callanan 3-11 (0-7f)
John McGrath 2-02
John O’Dwyer 0-04
Jason Forde 0-04
Michael Breen 1-00
Steven O’Brien 0-02
Padraic Maher 0-01
Brendan Maher 0-01
Dan McCormack 0-01
Scorers for Dublin:
David Treacy 0-11 (0-8f)
Cian O’Sullivan 1-01
Liam Rushe 0-02
Ryan O’Dwyer 0-02
Chris Crummey 0-01
David O’Callaghan 0-01
Rian McBride 0-01
Tipperary:
1. Darren Gleeson (Portroe)
2. Donagh Maher (Burgess)
3. Tomás Hamill (Moyne-Templetuohy)
4. James Barry (Upperchurch-Drombane)
5. Joe O’Dwyer (Killenaule)
6. Ronan Maher (Thurles Sarsfields)
7. Padraic Maher (Thurles Sarsfields – captain)
8. Brendan Maher (Borris-Ileigh)
9. Michael Breen (Ballina)
12. Dan McCormack (Borris-Ileigh)
11. Patrick Maher (Lorrha-Dorrha)
10. Jason Forde (Silvermines)
15. John McGrath (Loughmore-Castleiney)
14. Seamus Callanan (Drom & Inch)
13. John O’Dwyer (Killenaule)
Subs
21. Seamus Kennedy (St Mary’s) for Ronan Maher (45)
23. Noel McGrath (Loughmore-Castleiney) for Brendan Maher (49)
25. Steven O’Brien (Ballina) for McCormack (49)
17. Michael Cahill (Thurles Sarsfields) for Donagh Maher (55)
20. Tom Fox (Éire Óg-Annacarty) for Padraic Maher (65)
Dublin:
1. Conor Dooley (Ballyboden St Enda’s)
2. Cian O’Callaghan (Cuala)
3. Eoghan O’Donnell (Whitehall Colmcille)
4. Fionn O’Riain Broin (St Jude’s)
7. Shane Barrett (Na Fianna)
6. Chris Crummey (Lucan Sarsfields)
5. Sean Moran (Cuala)
8. Ben Quinn (Crumlin)
9. Niall McMorrow (Ballyboden St-Enda’s)
15. David Treacy (Cuala)
11. Liam Rushe (St Pat’s Palmerstown)
13. Eamonn Dillon (Naomh Fionbarra)
12. Cian O’Sullivan (St Brigid’s)
14. Ryan O’Dwyer (Kilmacud Crokes)
10. Donal Burke (Na Fianna)
Subs
17. James Madden (Ballyboden St-Enda’s) for Barrett (inj) (24)
21. Fergal Whitely (Kilmacud Crokes) for McMorrow (half-time)
24. David O’Callaghan (St Mark’s) for Burke (half-time)
20. Tomás Connolly (St Vincent’s) for Moran (50)
25. Rian McBride (St Vincent’s) for Treacy (58)
