Dublin hurlers end year on high note

Dublin 2-19 Dubs Stars 0-10

Tommy Naughton watched his Dublin hurlers have a decent run-out as they beat the Dubs Stars, the cream of the capital's club talent, 2-19 to 0-10 in yesterday's exhibition game in Portmarnock.

Newcomer Declan Qualter, who lined out at centre forward, caught the eye for Naughton's men. The St Vincent's clubman struck five points, including the opening two for the capital side.

Without many of their originally selected players, including county stars Ronan Fallon, David Curtin and Kevin Flynn, the Dubs Stars struggled, and they lost one of their main attacking threats - wing forward Alan McCrabbe - through injury after ten minutes.

On the Naomh Mearnog club's excellent pitch, Dublin took a 0-9 to 0-2 lead into the break with Ballyboden pair Stephen Hiney and Emmet Carroll showing little rustiness after their long absences from the inter-county scene. Hiney's last game for Dublin was back in July of last year, while Carroll opted out of the panel for last season.

Peadar Carton found the Dubs Stars' net two minutes into the second half, and a 47th-minute strike from impressive young wing forward Keith Dunne, who tallied up 1-2, killed off the game.

Craobh Chiarain stalwart Johnny McGuirk was one of few players to impress for the Dubs Stars - he shot 0-3 - but points for Dublin from John McCaffrey and Carroll wrapped up the win.

The Dublin panel are heading away next week on a break to the ski slopes of Austria, before concentrating on their Walsh Cup first round clash against either Laois or Down on Sunday, January 28.

The football equivalent of the Dublin v Dubs Stars match takes place next Saturday at Naomh Mearnog (throw-in 2pm).

Dublin: Gary Maguire (Ballyboden St Enda's); Philip Brennan (O'Toole's), Stephen Hiney (Ballyboden St Enda's), Robert Reid (Cuala); Eoin Moran (Round Towers, Clondalkin), Tomas Brady (Na Fianna), Ger O'Meara (O'Toole's); Tommy Moore (Erin's Isle), John McCaffrey (Lucan Sarsfields) (0-1); Keith Dunne (Erin's Isle) (1-2), Declan Qualter (St Vincent's) (0-5), Joseph Boland (Na Fianna); Stuart Mullen (St Oliver Plunkett's/ER) (0-3 (2 '65)), Liam Ryan (O'Toole's) (0-3), Emmet Carroll (Ballyboden St Enda's) (0-3 (1f)).

Subs used: Paddy Curtin (St Oliver Plunkett's/ER) for Maguire, Stephen McDonnell (Craobh Chiarain) (0-1) for McCaffrey, Peadar Carton (O'Toole's) (1-1) for Mullen, Greg Bennett (Raheny) for O'Meara, Mullen for Dunne.

Dubs Stars: Alan Nolan (St Brigid's); Tom Russell (St Vincent's), Stephen Perkins (Ballyboden St Enda's), Cathal Ryan (Ballyboden St Enda's); Derek O'Reilly (Craobh Chiarain), Michael Carton (O'Toole's), Dave Kirwan (Craobh Chiarain); Damien Russell (St Vincent's), Johnny McGuirk (Craobh Chiarain) (0-3 (1f)); Alan McCrabbe (Craobh Chiarain), Fergal Armstrong (Kilmacud Crokes) (0-3 (3f)), Dermot Connolly (St Vincent's); David O'Callaghan (St Mark's) (0-1), Ger Ennis (Craobh Chiarain) (0-1), Kevin O'Reilly (Lucan Sarsfields).

Subs used: Stephen Chester (Craobh Chiarain) for Nolan, Peter O'Boyle (Craobh Chiarain) (0-2) for McCrabbe, Damien O'Reilly (Craobh Chiarain) for Dunne.

Referee: M Butler (Kilmacud Crokes)