Big performance puts Paddy Small in Championship frame for Dublin
Dublin's Paddy Small is tackled by James Foley of Galway at Pearse Stadium. Photo by Ramsey Cardy/Sportsfile
Both teams got as much out of this one as could be expected as Dublin head into their six-in-a-row All-Ireland bid on the back of a 2-15 to 0-15 victory, while there was plenty of redemption for Galway after their nightmare against Mayo the previous week.
The league title would have been on the line in this one if Kerry had slipped up on Saturday but it was a decent workout for both of them on the sort of miserable wet and windy afternoon which, unfortunately, might be the norm for Championship 2020.
Dublin’s ability to find the net proved to be the difference between the sides in a game where there was little between them throughout and manager Dessie Farrell said it was a very useful encounter ahead of their Championship defence.
“For us, it was more about getting a game. We didn’t even have any challenge games. The club was running late and by the time everyone regrouped it was just looking forward to the remaining two league games. That’s what going to take us into the Championship now. There is still a lot to do, for sure.”
He was looking for players to stake their claim for Championship inclusion and none did it more than Paddy Small, who kicked four good points, two of them from marks in the second-half.
“That’s the second solid performance from Paddy so we’re very happy with him on the back of a very strong club campaign as well. You are quite right, now is the time to be putting up the hand. There’s a few fellas hopefully doing that for us,” added Farrell, who confirmed that Stephen Cluxton will captain them again in the Championship.
Galway manager Pádraic Joyce was pleased with the response after the Mayo drubbing. He was pleased to see captain Shane Walsh return from injury but was livid with a sliding tackle from James McCarthy which left former All-Star Ian Burke on crutches afterwards.
“It’s an ankle injury. I thought it was a terrible tackle, sliding in on the ball with your feet out like that. He could have broken his leg in that tackle,” said Joyce.
He praised the way the experienced Paul Conroy, whose 0-8 haul included two excellent points from play and a few frees from distance, led the challenge and felt the league was good overall despite finishing with two defeats.
“We’re still in Division 1 which is a great thing. We came third in the table or whatever, and I think 35 or 36 players got game time.
“Even last week, lads got games, didn’t go well but they learned a lot. We’re getting ready now for Sligo.”
Galway built on their 0-9 to 0-7 interval lead with the wind to lead by four but Dublin hit 1-4 without reply, with sub Sean Bugler getting the goal after 50 minutes and an injury-time goal from Con O’Callaghan gave them a rather flattering margin of victory.
D Rock 0-6 (4f), C O’Callaghan 1-2 (0-1m), P Small 0-4 (2m), S Bugler 1-1, C Kilkenny 0-2.
P Conroy 0-8 (6f), R Finnerty 0-2 (1f), S Walsh, A Varley (m), G O’Donnell, L Silke, J Leonard 0-1 each.
S Cluxton; C Murphy, D Byrne, M Fitzsimons; E Murchan, J Small, R McDaid; B Fenton, J McCarthy; B Howard, E Lowndes, C Kilkenny; P Small, C O’Callaghan, D Rock.
S Bugler for Downes (ht), C Costello for McCarthy (46), T Lahiff for Howard (63), K McManamon for P Small (68), P McMahon for Murphy (70).
B Power; S Mulkerrin, S Kelly, J Foley; L Silke, G O’Donnell, J Heaney; C D’Arcy, T Flynn; P Kelly, P Conroy, J Leonard; R Finnerty, A Varley, I Burke.
M Barrett for Flynn (31), S Walsh for Burke (ht), G Sice for Finnerty (ht), C McDaid for O’Donnell (53), G Bradshaw for P Kelly (59).
D Coldrick (Meath).
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