Dublin 4-18
Meath 0-14
The Pat Gilroy reign as Dublin Senior Hurling manager got off to a comfortable winning start on a bitterly cold January night in the GAA National Development Centre in Abbotstown.
By the final whistle last night the Dubs had fifteen points to spare over their near neighbors from the Royal county thanks in no small measure to four well taken goals on the night.
The sides last met at Senior level way back on the 24th of March 2002 in Division 1A of the National Hurling League. Dublin won that game played in Pairc Tailteann comfortably by 1-15 to 0-09 and it was a case of dejavu for Meath as Dublin also dominated last night’s encounter.
Meath started brightly and Anthony Ford grabbed the first point of the game. But Dublin quickly asserted their dominance on proceedings and out gunned the Royals for the rest of the game.
Paul Winters and Fergal Whitley were a constant headache for the Meath defence with Winters extremely impressive and displayed unerring accuracy from both placed balls and open play and finished as the Dubs top scorer with 0-09.
By the tenth minute the boys in blue were 0-06 to 0-03 in front, they stretched their lead further when a sloppy pass in midfield was intercepted and Robbie Mahon was picked out in acres of space and he made no mistake to fire to the back of the net for the games opening goal.
A mix up in the Meath defence later in the half was pounced upon by Fionn Ó Riain Broin who flicked the ball from close range to the net and Dublin headed to the warmth of the dressing rooms with a 2-11 to 0-07 lead.
Pat Gilroy’s men continued their dominant display after the break and Meath relied on the free taking of Jack Regan to briefly stem the tied of scores at the other end.
But it wasn’t enough as Dublin hit two more goals in the second half from Fionn Ó Riain Broin with his second of the game and Cian McBride with a fine finish and they ran out deserved winners.
Next up fo Dublin is a challenge game against Tipperary in Dr Morris Park on Saturday and they face Antrim the next day in Parnell Park in the next round of the Walsh Cup.
Dublin Scorers :
P Winters 0-09 (6f, 1 65)
Fionn Ó Riain Broin 2-01
Fergal Whitely 0-04
R McMahon 1-00
Cian McBride 1-00
A Moore 0-03
C Costello 0-01
Meath Scorers :
James Regan 0-06 (5 fs)
James Kelly 0-03
Anthony Forde 0-01
James Toher 0-01(f)
Paddy Conneely 0-01
Neil Heffernan 0-01
Eoin Marsh 0-01
Dublin Team:
1. Alan Nolan
2. Paddy Smyth
3. Bill O’Carroll
4. Cian Hendricken
5. Shane Barrett
6. Darren Kelly
7. Chris Crummey
8. Johnny McCaffrey
9. Tom Connolly
10. Robbie McMahon
11. Fergal Whitely
12. Cillian Costello
13. Alan Moore
14. Paul Winters
15. Fionn Ó Riain Broin
Dublin Substitutes:
Cian McBride for Robbie McMahon (HT)
Sean Ó Riain for Johnny McCaffrey (44th Min)
Daire Gray for Fergal Whitely (50th Min).
Meath Team:
1. Shane McGann
2. Chris Lynch
3. Damien Healy
4. Shane Brennan
5. Darragh Kelly
6. Jack Regan
7. Keith Keoghan
8. Anthony Forde
9. Michael O’Grady
10. James Kelly
11. Joe Keena
12. James Toher
13. Adam Gannon
14. Paddy Conneelly
15. Neil Heffernan
Meath Substitutes:
Pauric Kelly for Shane Brennan (HT)
Sean McGrath for Michael Curtin O’Grady (42nd Min)
Eoin Marsh for Anthony Forde (45th Min)
Sean O’Hanrahan for Paddy Conneelly (56th Min).
Referee: David Hughes (Carlow).