National Hurling League Division Two final/Dublin 0-17 Kerry 1-6: Depressing viewing really. Granted, Dublin went through Division Two unbeaten, unlike Offaly who slipped up against Carlow last season, but half-paced hurling like yesterday seems almost detrimental to their championship preparations.
If they manage to overcome Westmeath in the opening round of the Leinster championship on May 21st, league champions Kilkenny will be waiting in the semi-final. Offaly paid a horrific price when they went straight from lower-tier hurling to playing Kilkenny in 2005.
"Dour stuff," admitted Dublin manager Tommy Naughton. "It never seemed to spark at all but (the championship) is a different day altogether. The goal was to try and get up to the first division and thankfully we did. But that performance today wouldn't be anywhere near good enough to beat Westmeath."
A John Egan goal after 15 minutes offered a smidgen of hope that Kerry could produce some form of competitive hurling. Aidan Boyle even put them in front a moment later but the game ended as a spectacle soon after.
Eight Dublin points before half-time were only interrupted by two strikes off the hurley of Shane Brick. The only jewel in Kerry hurling, Brick seemed primed to produce a performance worthy of Semple Stadium.
Unfortunately, the Kilmoyley man tried too hard, hitting significantly more wides than his final total of 0-3. The others wearing green and gold followed suit by constantly taking too much out of the sliotar in attack.
It meant little could be gauged on the development of talented young Dublin defenders like Ronan Fallon and Michael Carton.
At midfield, at least, Dublin appear to have unearthed a Rolls Royce of a player in last year's Leinster minor championship winning captain John McCaffrey. The Lucan Sarsfields player strolled forward in either half to pick up a tidy brace of points.
The Dublin forwards also carried their weight with Alan McCrabbe the only starter not to register a score, although he had an industrious afternoon until replaced by Sam Lehane.
After a slow start, David Curtin improved his accuracy from dead balls.
As the season develops, veterans like Kevin Flynn and Liam Ryan will be called upon to replicate yesterday's form. They shared 0-7 here from play, with Ryan's three points coming after being introduced early in the second half.
Afterwards Flynn was asked whether Dublin would be more suited to a period of development in the Christy Ring Cup. He was having none of it. "Ah, no no. You never win All-Irelands in the Christy Ring." You do. The Christy Ring is an All-Ireland. "It's not the Liam MacCarthy anyway."
Dublin are moving in the right direction once more. If they overcome Westmeath and avoid too heavy a beating against Kilkenny in high summer then the sleeping giant analogy can begin once more. Until such time though it's small steps.
DUBLIN: G Maguire; P Brennan, K Ryan, T Brady; T Moore, R Fallon, M Carton; D Sweeney, J McCaffrey (0-2); E Moran (0-1), S McDonnell (0-1), D Curtin (0-5, four frees); K Dunne (0-1), K Flynn (0-4), A McCrabbe. Subs: L Ryan (0-3) for E Moran (40 mins), S Lehane for A McCrabbe (43 mins), G O'Meara for D Sweeney (64 mins), T McGrane for D Curtin (67 mins).
KERRY: PJ O'Gorman; J Fitzgerald, M Lucid, M Quilter; K O'Sullivan, A Keane, C Harris; A Boyle (0-1), J Griffin; S Brick (0-3, one free), M Conway, D Young; J Egan (1-0), JM Dooley, M Slattery. Subs: I McCarthy (0-1) for D Young (20 mins), A Cronin (0-1) for J Griffin (50 mins), K Hanafin for J Egan (51 mins), D Dineen for M Slattery (57 mins), P McCarthy for K O'Sullivan (63 mins).
Referee: B White (Tipperary).
