Fenton and Kilkenny leading way for Dublin's young players

Sun, 03 Mar, 2024 - 14:30

Allianz NFL

Division One

Dublin 1-16 Derry 1-11

All-Ireland champions Dublin eased to their third successive league victory on Saturday night in front of a bumper crowd at Celtic Park.

Dessie Farrell’s side were more confortable than the scoreline suggests with the home side reliant on the excellence of Shane McGuigan.

It was a Dublin victory built on the foundations laid by Brian Fenton and Ciaran Kilkenny.

“Those two lads have the bit between their teeth so far, which is very encouraging,” commented Dessie Farrell.

“The young lads around them need to see that. It is leadership in action that is required when we’ve young players in the mix who are looking to get on the right track and do the right thing, and those older lads are showing the way.

A second half goal from Cormac Costello, with his first involvement, was the clincher to put Dublin into a 1-12 to 1-7 lead after 51 minutes.

It came after Brendan Rogers and Ciaran McFaul pulled shots wide during a spell of relative Derry control.

The Dubs also had the backpedalling David O’Hanlon to thank for clawing McGuigan’s 40-metre lob to safety after Donncha Gilmore found the Derry ace with a kick pass. For those few brief seconds, the Dublin house was down.

McGuigan may also have notched a first-half goal only for Eoin Murchan to claw a squared ball to safety.

Derry also needed intervention to prevent a goal in the first half when Niall Scully’s pass put Con O’Callaghan in on goal. From the angle, it was more of a half chance. O’Callaghan opted for power rather than his dancing footwork against Kerry and Ryan Scullion easily parried to safety.

The visitors made one change from the win over Kerry with Brian Howard getting a first start of the season. There was a place on the bench for the returning Paul Mannion.

The Dubs had nine players starting their fifth league game. Murchan and Sean Bugler missed just one game, demonstrating their consistent core that awaits their other returning stars.

By contrast, Derry made seven changes from their win in Salthill including Conor Glass and Ulster University Sigerson winner Niall Loughlin who were rested totally.

Paudi McGrogan, Ethan Doherty and Paul Cassidy came in at half time but Derry’s approach of sitting too deep invited Dublin on in the same manner of the first half of their win over Dublin last year.

It allowed Brian Howard to played composed football with John Small also carrying the ball into a retreating home side.

It was Dublin’s ability to play slick handpasses through that saw them unlock Derry. On the flip side, Derry’s attacking game - outside of McGuigan - was limited to isolated runners, without support, merely suffocated by the Dubs.

Brian Fenton was brilliantly simplistic in everything that he did and bolted on three points with Ciaran Kilkenny adding four in an advanced inside forward role.

Dublin held a 0-8 to 0-3 lead they were full value for before Conor McCluskey hit his second goal of the season after 26 minutes, a powerful left footed effort after Cormac Murphy’s lay off.

Outside of the runs from Murphy, McCluskey and some occasional forays from second half sub Paul Cassidy, Derry had little support for McGuigan. They would’ve needed to convert every chance to alive. But they didn’t.

Dublin were 0-9 to 1-4 ahead at half-time before McGuigan opened the scoring early in the second half. Within six minutes, Dublin were back in control with points from O’Callaghan (free) and Kilkenny.

With Derry retreating, David O’Hanlon was able to get his kick-outs away a lot easier.

At the other end, Dublin’s aggressive three banks of four press was again on offer. It tempted Ryan Scullion into a choice between the risky short game that he coped with admirably and going long where Dublin made their hay.

On an occasion when O’Hanlon was forced into a long kick-out, Declan Cassidy got a strong enough hand to break a ball hoovered up by Ethan Doherty on the way to a McGuigan score.

It left two points between the sides. Derry were well-placed until the hammer blow of Costello’s goal seconds later. It was a back door cut the home side looked to have closed out. Then, Scully’s flick was pushed off the line by Gilmore only for Costello to fire home.

McGuigan kept Derry competitive in the closing stages of a game that had an ominous look about it.

Dublin’s victory did come at a cost with Gannon forced off with a serious hamstring injury after going down in full flight on the wing late on.

“If Shane McGuigan’s goal had gone in, it might have changed the complexion of the game but Dublin were always I suppose very difficult to break down and dangerous on the break,” was Mickey Harte’s take on his first defeat of the season.

“They are a good side, that’s why they’re All-Ireland champions and that’s why you learn from the best sides of the country so I hope we learned something.” After this weekend’s league break, Derry travel to Mayo in Round Six with Dublin also heading west to take on Galway in Salthill.

Scorers for Dublin: C Kilkenny (0-4), C O’Callaghan (2f), B Fenton (0-3 each), C Costello (1-0), R McGarry (0-2), S Bugler, P Small, L O’Dell, L Gannon (0-1 each)

Scorers for Derry: S McGuigan (0-7, 3f), C McCluskey (1-0), P Cassidy, E McEvoy, L Murray and E Bradley (0-1 each)

DUBLIN: D O'Hanlon; C Murphy, E Murchan, S McMahon; B Howard, J Small, L Gannon; B Fenton, P Ó Cofaigh Byrne; R McGarry, S Bugler, C Kilkenny; P Small, C O'Callaghan, N Scully

Subs: T Lahiff for P Ó Cofaigh Byrne (HT), C Costello for J Small (50), L O’Dell for R McGarry (55), G McEnaney fore L Gannon (INJ 68), K McGinnis for N Scully (73)

DERRY: R Scullion; C McCluskey, C McKaigue, D Baker; S Downey, D Gilmore, C McFaul; E Bradley, B Rogers; E Mulholland, D Cassidy, N Toner; L Murray, S McGuigan, C Murphy

Subs: E McEvoy for C McKaigue (HT), P McGrogan for S Downey (HT), E Doherty for E Mulholland (HT), P Cassidy for C Murphy (46), C McGuckian for L Murray (INJ 58)

Attendance: 13, 265

Referee: M McNally (Monaghan)

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