Former Dublin footballer Conor McHugh set for debut with county hurlers

"Over the next 48 hours, we'll be making a couple of calls around refining a panel down. There have been lads who have been with us over the last two or three months and who have put a huge amount of work in who unfortunately won't be part of things moving forward."

TRIMMING PANEL: Dublin's David Purcell in action against Eoghan Campbell of Antrim. Picture: Stephen McCarthy/Sportsfile

Sun, 26 Jan, 2025 - 13:30

Paul Keane, Croke Park

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Former Dublin footballer Conor McHugh is poised for a dramatic debut with the county's hurling team just months shy of his 31st birthday.

Four-time All-Ireland winner McHugh spent seven seasons with the Dublin footballers between 2015 and 2021, making 20 appearances in total under Jim Gavin and Dessie Farrell.

But the 2014 U21 Player of the Year never managed to nail down a regular spot in a Dublin senior forward line full of generational talents.

He rose again to national prominence recently as Na Fianna's full-back in their All-Ireland club hurling title success under Niall O Ceallachain, the new Dublin manager.

None of the Na Fianna players featured in Saturday's 14-point National League demolition of Antrim at Croke Park but they will be joined by McHugh whenever they return.

"The obvious ones with Na Fianna are the Curries and Donal (Burke) but also we will have Brian Ryan and we'll have Conor McHugh in who has recently committed to senior hurling with Dublin," said O Ceallachain, who explained that he is currently in the process of 'refining' his Sky Blues panel.

"So what's happening is that we've been operating off a certain number up to now. Over the next 48 hours, we'll be making a couple of calls around refining a panel down. There have been lads who have been with us over the last two or three months and who have put a huge amount of work in who unfortunately won't be part of things moving forward. That's just the nature of it."

Ryan's involvement with Dublin had already been flagged though it was the first time that O Ceallachain confirmed it publicly. The South Liberties native switched to Na Fianna in 2023 having previously won an All-Ireland senior medal with Limerick.

Cian O'Sullivan, on the frees for Dublin on Saturday in the absence of Burke and Colin Currie, was their principal scorer and finished with 13 points, 11 from placed balls.

Debutant Conal O Riain stood out too with 1-3 while O Ceallachain was delighted with how a defence containing three newcomers - David Lucey, Paddy Dunleavy and Iain O hEithir - performed, holding Antrim to just six points from play.

Dublin led by 1-14 to 0-9 at half-time and kicked on for a routine win with second-half scores from the recalled John Hetherton, O Riain, substitute Cillian Hayes and Chris Crummey.

O Ceallachain has handed the captaincy to Crummey for the second time in his career while Conor Burke will be the vice-captain.

"While we don't have a game next weekend, we've an important seven or 10 days' work to do in order to be in as good a spot as we can be in two weeks' time," said O Ceallachain, whose side will play Westmeath in Mullingar on February 9.

Antrim will travel to Offaly the same afternoon. That'll be another opportunity to clean up their poor away record, something new manager Davy Fitzgerald had highlighted before Saturday's Croke Park trip.

Paddy Burke, Niall McKenna and leading scorer James McNaughton had some bright moments for the Saffrons but they operated in Dublin's shadows throughout. ACL victim Conal Cunning was a significant loss up front.

Scorers for Dublin: C O'Sullivan 0-13 (11 frees); C O Riain 1-3; Dara Purcell 0-3; J Hetherton, C Crummey 0-2 each; C Hayes, C Burke 0-1 each.

Scorers for Antrim: J McNaughton 0-10 (8 frees); N McKenna 0-2; N O'Connor, N Elliott 0-1 each.

DUBLIN: E Gibbons; J Bellew, D Lucey, I O hEithir; D Gray, C Crummey, P Dunleavy; B Hayes, C Burke; Dara Purcell, D Power, C O Riain; C O'Sullivan, J Hetherton, F Whitely.

Subs: D O Dulaing for Whitely (53); S Gallagher for Gray (46); C Hayes for B Hayes (57); David Purcell for Hetherton (60); J Lambert for Dunleavy (63).

ANTRIM: R Elliott; C Boyd, D McCloskey, P Burke; C Bohill, R McGarry, E Campbell; S Walsh, N Elliott; P Boyle, K Molloy, N McKenna; E O'Neill, N O'Connor, J McNaughton.

Subs: E McFerran for Boyd & G Walsh for McGarry (h/t); E Elliott for O'Connor (48); J Maskey for Bohill (54); J McLaughlin for O'Neill (66).

Referee: J Owens (Wexford).