Dillon and Maher look set for bright inter-county futures

Even in winter you can hazard a guess as to what spring has in store.

Waterford manager Michael Ryan was at Sunday’s Munster Club final between De La Salle from his own county and Thurles Sars of Tipperary, while new Premier boss Eamon O’Shea visited the Sars camp earlier in the week.

Both saw some quality for next year: Jake Dillon of De La Salle ended as his side’s top scorer with 0-9 and was heavily involved in most of his side’s scores — not bad going for a youngster just out of minor.

Dillon is used to the limelight: two years ago he got the winning score for De La Salle against Thurles in the corresponding fixture at just 17. He had De La Salle’s first last Sunday within three minutes and added a wide within 60 seconds.

Dillon was centrally involved six more times before the break, pointing three frees — all of them scoreable — and adding a sublime sideline cut.

His other two possessions were almost as productive: on 20 minutes Dillon slipped the Thurles cover and placed his shot into the corner, only to see it rebound outfield from the butt of the upright. Three minutes after that, again inside the defence, he collected a pass from John Keane and shot just over the bar for his sixth point.

After the break Dillon hit a purple patch: on 31 minutes he won a close-in free which Dean Twomey drove wide, and two minutes after that he won possession well but hit his second wide.

On 34 minutes Dillon won a free he converted himself, and 60 seconds later he added a point from play to cut Sars’ lead to a single point.

The De La Salle man had his final score on 41 minutes, another free, but Thurles took the initiative after that.

Still, Dillon was crucial to the most significant play in the closing stages, when he was floored near goal on 55 minutes for what looked like a definite penalty, only to be called for over-carrying.

For Thurles, DenisMaher, just out of U21, was named at full-forward but played right-half-forward from the off. Five minutes in he passed cleverly to Jim Corbett for a Sars goal, and when he placed Aidan McCormack the same way seconds later for another chance (which went wide), Maher’s template was set — ball-winner and provider of chances.

On eight minutesMaher broke up a De La Salle sortie and cleared the ball to Lar Corbett for another point, and on 13 minutes he won possession, beginning an attack that eventually led to a Pa Bourke point.

On 17 minutesMaher won a puck-out and set up Michael Gleeson for a score; Maher won the resultant puck-out as well, though he lost the ball in contact.

The Sars man then hit a poor wide before being struck by John Keane after he (Maher) had won another free.

Maher got his first point two minutes after the resumption; though the next three Sars puck-outs came his way, he couldn’t winthem, but he contested each vigorously.

He got his reward on 42 minutes, touching on a puck-out which eventually led to a Gleeson point.

On 46 minutes, Maher broke up a De La Salle attack, carried the ball upfield and placed Bourke for a point; two minutes later herepeated the dose, scoring his second point.

Maher drifted outfield late in the game, winning a ball on 52 minutes and placing Redser O’Grady (who shot wide), and two minutes from time he won a crucial ball to set up Bourke for another point.

His appetite for work continued into stoppage time, when he made a brave blockdown in the middle of the field.

That meant Maher was involved in 1-9 of Sars’ total, while Dillon, as noted, bagged 0-9 himself.

Both players need work: Dillon stopped no less a player than Padraic Maher on 45 minutes with a shoulder, but the Waterford man needs more time in the gym to hold opponents up.

Maher, meanwhile, couldn’t close the gap on Dean Twomey when the De La Salle man set off on a first-half run which ended with a fine point.

But both men are likely to figure for their counties next year.

Dillon’s accuracy and eye for goal will help Michael Ryan find a successor to Eoin Kelly; Maher’s workrate will complement the artists in whatever Tipp forward line Eamon O’Shea picks.

Springtime isn’t too far away.