Blue blitz ‘annihilates’ Rebels

THE splendour of their performances in Leinster led many to attach All-Ireland-winning credentials to this Dublin minor football team and in Portlaoise yesterday they offered more persuasive evidence they can this year land the county’s first national crown at this level since 1984.

Dublin excelled in this quarter-final against Cork with a stunning first-half display that propelled them into a 1-8 to 0-0 interval lead, laying firm foundations for the success. Their second-half performance was shoddy but, in truth, this match was over at half time as Dublin had already booked their semi-final place against Galway on August 28.

The high standards they set in their own province were maintained and Dessie Farrell, the former senior attacker who is now presiding over this minor outfit, has some sublime talents at his disposal.

During an opening half when Dublin could do little wrong, wing-back Jack McCaffrey, midfielder Emmet Ó’Conghaile, wing-forward Gavin Ivory and their marquee name Ciaran Kilkenny at full-forward, were all hugely impressive.

The notable edge Dublin enjoyed in the physical stakes over Cork was central to their dominance with the tone set when Paul Mannion delightfully flicked the ball up after only 19 seconds and drilled a left-foot shot into the net off the post.

Farrell was pleased with their opening play, yet aspects of their play in the second half were sources of concern.

“We were well in control in the first half, but the second half was very disappointing. It was a good effort in the first half, but it does tend to happen when you go in with a bit of a lead, you can get a bit complacent in the second half. We’ll look forward to the next day but Galway are a formidable outfit with some very tasty footballers.”

It was an afternoon of disillusionment for Cork. They began with the intention of atoning for their Munster final defeat four weeks ago but struggled with the power and flow of Dublin’s play in the first half. Getting their hands on clean possession around the middle was difficult and when they did move the ball towards their attack, Dublin’s defence repelled their advances.

Cork failed to make a mark on the scoreboard in the first half, whereas Dublin’s slick passing prised open the Cork rearguard enabling the likes of Kilkenny, Ivory and David Campbell register some excellent points.

To their credit Cork never gave up. Their situation may have been hopeless at the interval but they battled admirably. They finally got off the mark in the 35th minute when Darragh Murphy and Alan Cadogan combined to release Dan MacEoin, and he rounded the goalkeeper before slotting a shot to the net.

The introduction of Paul Fitzgerald resulted in improvements around midfield, the Nemo Rangers duo of Stephen Cronin and Kevin Fulignati acquitted themselves well in defence, while in the spine of their team, Brian O’Driscoll and Alan Cadogan, kept on taking the fight to Dublin.

But MacEoin’s goal transpired to be Cork’s solitary score from play and Dublin dealt well with the aerial bombardment of their rearguard as Cork sought to utilise the tall figure of Stephen O’Mahony. Kilkenny grabbed vital points for Dublin yet their shooting was wayward in the second half, with Cork’s impressive netminder James McDonnell also preventing them raising more green flags.

“We are at this nine or 10 months and it is one thing to get beaten but to be annihilated as we were today is hard to take,” reflected a disappointed Cork boss Brian Cuthbert. “I certainly have to say that Dublin were the far better team and they have a physicality that most minor sides don’t have. But we fought hard in the second half and I was proud of our fellas.”

Scorers for Dublin: C Kilkenny 0-6 (1f); P Mannion 1-1 (0-1f); G Ivory 0-2; D Campbell, E Ó’Conghaile 0-1 each.

Scorers for Cork: D MacEoin 1-3 (0-3f).

DUBLIN: R O’Hanlon; R Real, R McDaid, G Hannigan; E Lowndes, J Small, J McCaffrey;P O’Higgins, E Ó’Conghaile; P Mannion, C Costello, G Ivory; S Fulham, C Kilkenny, D Campbell.

Subs: E Archbold for Fulham (46), N Scully for Campbell (55), S Carthy for Costello (58), C Meaney for Ivory (59).

CORK: J McDonnell; J Davis, C Dorman, S Cronin; K O’Hanlon, B O’Driscoll, K McIntyre; K Kavanagh, M Sugrue; C O’Sullivan, A Cadogan, C Vaughan; D MacEoin, S O’Mahony, D Harrington.

Subs: D Murphy for O’Sullivan (25), K Fulignati for O’Hanlon (25), P Fitzgerald for Kavanagh (28), J Corkery for Vaughan (38), TJ Brosnan for Sugrue (57).

Referee: B Hickey (Kildare).