Anyone who arrived in Swords with time to spare yesterday would have seen the Dublin squad go through a demanding warm-up routine. Their mission this season has already been versed, and although Longford were unlikely to provide the sternest of tests, this was to be another clear statement of their intentions.
After an hour of almost exclusively one-way football, Dublin had prevailed by an unflattering 11 points. Wayne McCarthy continued the form he showed against Wexford a fortnight ago by contributing eight in total, while his senior counterpart Colin Moran ended up with four. Throughout the field, however, there was further evidence this may be the team to end Dublin's 17-year absence from the list of Leinster winners.
Longford didn't benefit from a championship game prior to this and it showed. For at least 20 minutes Dublin were playing as if the opposition hadn't even turned up, and had scored 0-6 before Paul Barden hit Longford's first point. Moran was given a free rein in the half-forward line and McCarthy didn't need much of an invitation to display his increasingly potent kicking abilities.
Also in determined form were Barry Cahill and Conor Murphy, who made sure little ball went behind the midfield line. Only Thomas Quinn and James Gahan broke the Moran-McCarthy scoring sequence and Dublin went into the break 0-8 to 0-1 in front.
The only problem with that first half hour was the loss of centre back Martin Kennedy, who was sent off after 29 minutes for foul on Paul Barden which resulted in a second yellow card.
But that had no effect on the second half, and for a long while it appeared Dublin were playing with the extra man. Darren Magee joined the attack at the interval and he scored the first point of the half. Fellow substitute Peter Lawless then had a great goal chance after an inch-perfect ball from McCarthy but he somehow managed to hit it wide.
When Dublin started the inevitable freewheeling in the final 10 minutes, Longford were able to claw back a few points. Barden made his strong presence count with two of the last four points, sandwiched between two by Mark O'Connor. Yet by then Dublin were already looking ahead to the semi-final meeting with Kildare in four weeks' time.
DUBLIN: S Cluxton; G Norton, M Breathneach, N Cleere; A Holly, M Kennedy, P Casey; B Cahill, C Murphy; C Moran (0-4, one free), R Carroll, A Brogan; T Quinn (0-2), J Gahan (0-1), W McCarthy (0-8, five frees). Subs: D Magee (0-1) for Carroll (half-time), P Lawless for Quinn (36 mins), N O'Driscoll for Gahan (43 mins), D Conlon for Murphy (52 mins), E Kinsella for Brogan (55 mins).
LONGFORD: D Sheridan; E McNaboe, D Glennon, D Brady; F Coyle, A O'Connor, N Brady; P Barden (0-3), J Dowd; D Barden, C Sheridan, P Farrell; G Kenny, M O'Connor (0-2, one free), B Casey. Subs: T O'Rourke for O'Connor (18 mins), R McElhone for Dowd (halftime), A Kiernan for Kenny (45 mins).
Referee: T Cogley (Wexford).
