Daly: Dublin defeat a chance spurned

Most of us were just grateful to witness a contest rather than a crucifixion – a decade of Kilkenny dominance will do that to your expectations on Leinster hurling final day – but not Anthony Daly.

Most of us were just grateful to witness a contest rather than a crucifixion after Kilkenny defeated Dublin 2-18 to 0-18 yesterday – a decade of Kilkenny dominance will do that to your expectations on Leinster hurling final day – but not Anthony Daly.

The Clareman hasn’t been exposed to the demoralising sense of inevitability that has permeated the Leinster Championship since those halcyon, democratic days of the 1990s.

Daly could have reflected on a gutsy six-point defeat with a sense of relief. Basked in the glory of his side’s moral victory. No. He was having none of that. This was a chance spurned.

"We felt that we had a great chance but we didn’t drive it home. We felt that we had a great chance at half-time when we were six points down.

"Six points is a lot against them but they certainly looked to me like they were not putting us away.

"We sensed that after half-time and drove on but a sloppy second goal really murdered us. I am proud of how every man stuck to his task. We asked them to front up and be a man about that. We are disappointed with the couple of mistakes that we made."

Their youth might have cost them yesterday but it will stand to them too. Their age profile alone suggests that other Leinster finals will bear their mark.

Yet, as Daly pointed out, next year’s draw could pair them with Kilkenny or Galway at an earlier fence. There is no guarantee of garlands to come.

In that light, he is entitled to his disappointment. Kilkenny weren’t at their terrifying best but Dublin can take a bow for that. They dogged it out with the Cats. Never allowed them to purr.

Not for the first time, Daly utilised a spare defender in between his two defensive lines. Ally that to their hunger and the mould was set but the absence of a goal to call their own killed them.

Liam Ryan and the superb Alan McCrabbe came closest to shaking the rigging but they never looked as dangerous in that department as Kilkenny. Martin Comerford in particular.

"We might not have needed a goal," said Daly.

"If we kept it to three points like we did after half-time, and kept plugging, maybe a goal would have come then. But when the second goal went in then you definitely need a goal.

"I would like to see the first goal again on TV. It was a great handpass from where he was and it was some handpass because it opened up the whole defence. I would just like to see it again.

"All the week I would have said that we needed a goal, maybe two. But we scored 18 points and we would have taken that. What did we get the last day (against Wexford)? Eighteen."

Not a bad return, especially given events at the other end, where Henry Shefflin was held scoreless and leading lights like Eoin Larkin, Eddie Brennan and Richie Power were kept dimmed.

That would have been enough on another day but Dublin have done enough this year in two games against Kilkenny to suggest that their maiden appearance in the All-Ireland series should not be the limit of their ambition.