Dublin ... 1-17 Wicklow ... 2-4Leunster Under-21 FC/Final: After chasing a Leinster under-21 football title for 18 years who could have thought Dublin would find it this easy. A totally comprehensive victory, and maybe even worth that wait too.
It was the sort of performance believed to be brewing in Dublin for a while now. Not just at under-21 level (last year's side should have ended this chase), but at any level. A deadly blend of toil and drive, and held together, most of all, by talent.
Such was Wicklow's hardship yesterday that only the mischievous would retell their limitations. But one of their goals was something of a freak and they could have played on and on until dark and still not got within sight of Dublin.
From the first glance at the match programme it was clear Dublin had the potential do inflict some real damage on their opponents. Five players are now regular starters on the Dublin senior team, and with the same senior management too, there was added weight to the expectancy.
Just minutes into the match that potential was revealed. Tomás Quinn set the pace with a bending free and then came the eruption of well-taken points from Alan Brogan, Declan Lally and Liam Óg Ó hÉineacháin so that Dublin never looked like anything but winners.
Even when that drive was interrupted by Wicklow's first goal, Dublin hardly missed a beat. On three minutes David Dillon fisted into the net, the ball coming to him somewhat fortuitously after Paddy Moynahan's shot was blocked down. But Dublin steamed on.
After 10 minutes they were 0-8 to 1-0 in front, and after 25 minutes had added another four. Wicklow were chasing the game and struggling to get out of their own half. Two minutes before the break they finally got their next score, another goal from the powerful boot of Barry Sheehan.
Trailing 0-13 to 2-0, Wicklow needed to start the second half with something special. Moynahan and Kieran Foley added two points but their heart was no match for Dublin's resolve. Michael Lyons was introduced for Kevin Devine (the only Dublin forward having a bad day) so that the pace and pressure remained relentless, and the game wound down without a hint of tension.
The win clearly meant a lot to Dublin manager Tommy Lyons, especially since this team has such strong association with the county's seniors. "Well I thought Dublin kicked some great points in the first 15 or 20 minutes," he said. "And they were all pressure points. People still say Dublin forwards can't kick points but they definitely kicked some today.
"Paddy Canning and Brian Talty have done a lot of the training with these lads, and they deserve a lot of the credit. But I've been manager here too and I can tell you a lot of these lads will be playing Leinster senior football this year."
Stephen Cluxton cannot be faulted for either of the Wicklow goals and is set to be Dublin's number one goalkeeper this summer. There was no fault either in Paul Casey or Barry Cahill at wing back, and Brogan made enough of those run-and-score efforts to ensure he's in the mix.
But Darren Magee at midfield was the standout, aided by an equally hard-working Conor Murphy. Up front too Lally and Quinn are both sharpening their talents with increasing verve.
"Well I hope this win will help the senior squad too," added Lyons. "It can give a bit of momentum to the county and I think Dublin needs that. There are a lot of very good young fellows out there but they're improving all the time.
"And Darren Magee was huge for us. Everytime Wicklow got a score he caught the next kick-out. But all 15 of them played very well, and you don't score 1-17 unless they do. They were a little lazy training on Saturday and I had to get stuck into them a little bit, but the attitude from the start today was right on. You could see they were focused and really up for it."
For now though comes a split in this Dublin team. Those who keep working with the seniors, and those waiting until next September for the next under-21 outing - against Ulster champions Cavan or Tyrone.
Dublin have never won an All-Ireland level, and though Lyons clearly has other things to worry about first, in the back of his mind yesterday he must have been thinking this is a team that can end that wait too.
DUBLIN: S Cluxton; N Kane, D Corcoran, M Fitzpatrick; P Casey, B Cullen, B Cahill; C Murphy, D Magee; K Devine, D Lally (1-3), L Óg Ó hÉineachain (0-2); A Brogan (0-4), G Cullen, T Quinn (0-7, five frees). Subs: M Lyons (0-1) for Devine (half-time).
WICKLOW: D Nolan; J Mulryan, A Byrne, S Corrigan; K Manning, K Foley (0-1), D Daly; B Sheehan (1-0), D Ó hAnnaidh; P Dalton (0-1, a free), D Dillon (1-0), L Óg Mooney; P Moynahan (0-1), B Lennon, J Daniels. Subs: N Butler for Lennon (23 mins); L Kennedy for Mulryan (37 mins); A Nolan (0-1) for Moynihan (38 mins); J Slattery for Daniels; L Ferguson for Manning (both 57 mins).
Referee: S Doyle (Wexford).
