Dioralyte Walsh Cup, Group Two
Dublin 2-31 Antrim 1-20

ANTRIM'S Walsh Cup campaign began and likely ended with a 14-point defeat to an impressive Dublin on a sunny Sunday afternoon at Parnell Park.

The Saffrons were due to face Westmeath last week in Kinnegad, but inclement weather saw that game postponed and it is unlikely to be played as Dublin made it two wins from as many games in Group Two to finish top and move into the semi-final.

Micheál Donoghue's side dominated throughout this contest and indeed, could have pushed the margin out further but for a number of missed opportunities, but as it was, 13 different players got their name on the scoresheet in what was another impressive performance in the competition.

Diarmaid Ó Dúlaing, Joe Flanagan, Davy Keogh, Conor Burke and Paul Crummey contributed 2-22 between them, while Liam Murphy was a thorn in the Antrim side and the hosts' half-back line was in superb form.

Rian McMullan top-scored with 1-9 for the visitors who also welcomed back Conor McCann after year on the sideline through injuries, but they were unable to make much of a dent in the hosts.

"We were overrun there today by a fine Dublin team," said Antrim manager Darren Gleeson.

"They could have scored double - there were wides from both side but some really poor ones.

"We blooded in a few young lads there again today and few lads who are back after period of time. Conor McCann, it's great to see him back on the field in an Antrim jersey, same with Aodhán (O'Brien) who has been quite sick for the past few weeks so to get a bit of action into him is fantastic.

"A few of the newer lads did really well in lots of things, but they'll just have to find their feet at inter-county. There's a mini rebuild going on there to strengthen the panel and we'll see where we are when we pick the League panel."

Dublin flew out of the traps with Paul Crummey and Conor Burke on target within the opening minute and they would add another before Antrim got on the board through Paul Boyle on seven minutes.

This would bring them to life a little as they inched into the game and twice got to within one in the opening quarter, but Niall McKenna's point on 16 minutes would be their last for another 15.

The hosts had been a little wasteful, but soon began to find their range with the Antrim poc-out struggling. Joe Flanagan would begin and end a run of seven points on the spin as Antrim were living off scraps and any chances they did create went a begging.

A pair of Rian McMullan scores finally ended their barren spell late on to narrow the gap to six, but Dublin would finish the half string as Diarmaid Ó Dúlaing popped up with a point and then buried to the net right on the whistle to put Dublin into a deserved 1-14 to 0-7 lead at the half as Enda Og McGarry hobbled off with what looked a hamstring injury for the Saffrons.

A McMullan free early in the second period narrowed the gap briefly, but Dublin quickly reasserted themselves, hitting seven of the next 10 scores to push the gap out to 13 before their second goal arrived  on 51 minutes as Chris Crummey made up for missing an earlier sitter to blast to the net despite the best efforts of Tiernan Smyth.

The Antrim goalkeeper would pull off a stunning double save from the impressive Davy Keogh and substitute Alex Considine soon after while Dublin were off target with a couple of further goal chances.

Aodhán O'Brien tackles Alex Considine
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Aodhán O'Brien tackles Alex Considine

McMullan was keeping the board ticking for the Saffrons, but Dublin had a much better spread of scores with  Ó Dúlaing taking over the free-taking duties from the replaced Flanagan, whilst Keogh and Conor Burke pushed their own hauls out to four apiece.

The Dublin half-back line got in on the act, as did the bench as they finished well, but Antrim were rewarded with a goal of their own late on when McMullan sent a bullet of a shot to the net as the game ticked into added time, but it was little more than consolation as Dublin prevailed.

There are areas that require urgent attention for Antrim heading into their League opener away to Limerick in three weeks' time including the poc-out, but there is time to work on those areas before the action heats up over the coming months.

"Tiernan is fantastic to give out the ball, but we probably just overused it and they squeezed up on top of us," Gleeson admitted. 

"With everyone so far up the field, we couldn't go along with it, but it's a learning curve for everybody.

"In any pre-season competition, Dublin is a team in serious order. they always seem to come with a high tempo when we play them in January.

"Micheál is doing a fine job with them and they are trying to find a few players themselves. They had a strong team out there today and they will be formidable when we meet them in Championship."

Paul Boyle collides with Diarmaid Ó Dúlaing
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Paul Boyle collides with Diarmaid Ó Dúlaing

The Leinster Championship opener away to Kilkenny on April 20/21 is where the main focus will be this year due to the restructuring of the Allianz League.

Over the past few years, survival in the top flight was high on the agenda, but at worst, Antrim will be in a new-look 1B next year with a number of to sides, so the edge is taken off it a little and Gleeson intends to use that to build performances, develop players and get ready for the MacCarthy Cup campaign.

"The League will look after itself," he insists.

"We have to be ready for April. The League structure this year has completely changed, so everybody int he League will have a free cut at it. You can be experimental and see if you can find Championship hurlers as Championship is where you will be judged."

DUBLIN: S Brennan; J Bellew, J Madden, P Doyle (0-1); E O'Donnell (0-1), C Donohoe (0-1), M Grogan (0-1); C Burke (0-4), C Doyle; S Currie, D Keogh (0-4), J Flanagan (0-6, 4f); D Ó Dúlaing (1-5, 0-2f), P Crummey (1-3), L Murphy (0-1).
Subs: A Considine (0-1) for S Currie (HT), B Hayes (0-1) for C Boyle (HT), F Whitely for J Flanagan (45), J Malone for L Murphy (45), C Foley (0-1) for J Malone (49), D Leavy (0-1) for P Doyle (53), O Gaffney for P Crummey (62)

ANTRIM: T Smyth; C Boyd (0-1), R McGarry, P Burke; S Walsh, E Campbell, E Og McGarry; C Bohill (0-1), N O'Connor; E McFerran, N McKenna (0-1), P Boyle (0-3); C Cunning (0-1f), C McCann, R McMullan (1-9, 0-8f).
Subs: S Rooney for E Og McGarry (35+3), S McAuley (0-1) for C Cunning (HT), A O'Brien (0-1) for N O'Connor (HT), F McCurry (0-1) for S Walsh (HT), E Trainor for C McCann (47), R McCloskey for C Bohill (56), P Duffin for P Burke (56), C McGarry for N McKenna (63), J McNaughton (0-1) for E McFerran (63)

REFEREE: James McGrath (Westmeath)