Dublin 3-26 Antrim 2-22

By Paul Keane at Parnell Park

It was the first official game of the Micheal Donoghue era but this Walsh Cup opener may ultimately be remembered as the day Joe Flanagan announced his arrival with Dublin.

Fresh from representing Naomh Barrog in the AIB Leinster club intermediate championship, free-taker Flanagan took his inter-county opportunity with both hands and contributed 0-14 overall at Parnell Park.

All but three points of his haul came from placed balls though Flanagan was strong in open play too and will hope to start again for the Round 2 clash with Donoghue’s native Galway next Saturday.

With a 50-man panel, and 10 of last year’s group unavailable for various reasons, opportunity is knocking and Flanagan looks determined to seize the chance while the more experienced Cian Boland is back too after a year out with injury issues.

Substitute Andrew Jamieson-Murphy made his mark with 1-2 after coming on, his goal in the 73rd minute finally killing off a gutsy Antrim.

Dublin twice had significant leads wiped out by a resurgent Antrim who fought back to level terms at 2-20 apiece with 10 minutes to go but a third burst of scoring from the hosts proved decisive.

Dublin outscored the Joe McDonagh Cup title holders by 1-6 to 0-2 in the final 15 minutes or so to seal the win ahead of remaining group ties against Galway and Westmeath.

They lined out with just two players – John Bellow and Daire Gray – that started last summer’s final Championship game against Galway, when Mattie Kenny was in charge.

New boss Donoghue crammed his team with rookie and fringe performers and, initially at least, they thrived and looked like they might very well rout the visitors.

Daire Gray, featuring at full-back, struck the first point of the Donoghue era, a long range score after collecting a pass on his own 45 and bursting forward.

The hosts were three clear before Antrim, who started with just a third of the team that lined out in last season’s McDonagh Cup decider, finally registered their first score of 2023, from veteran attacker Neil McManus who is back for another season.

Flanagan was Dublin’s chief threat throughout the half and struck six points in a row for Dublin at one stage to help them open up a 0-9 to 0-7 advantage.

Between the 25th and 28th minutes, Dublin then reeled off 1-3 without response, the goal a close range strike from Glenn Whelan, to leave eight points in it.

Dublin had all the momentum now and looked set to extend their lead into double digits but were reeled right back and led by just two at half-time, 1-14 to 1-12.

A 29th minute McMullan goal, when he cleverly shortened the hurl and batted beyond the advancing Dublin goalkeeper Dara Perry, was Antrim’s lifeline.

Paul Boyle, McMullan, James McNaughton and McManus added points to leave just two in it at the break.

Liam Murphy, a rising star from Cuala, netted after the restart from Dublin who quickly reopened a six-point gap with further points from Flanagan.

Again, they hinted that they were ready to pull clear but Antrim responded impressively and McKenna’s expertly taken 47th minute goal, and scores from Caolan McKernan and Bradley, helped them back to level terms.

They couldn’t kick on though and Dublin, despite making seven substitutions, finished things off in style with a series of points from Cian Boyle, Flanagan, Cian O’Sullivan and Murphy before the latter’s late, late volleyed goal.

Scorers for Dublin: Joe Flanagan 0-14 (0-8f, 0-3 65), Andrew Jamieson-Murphy 1-2 (0-1f), Glenn Whelan 1-1, Liam Murphy 1-0, Cian O’Sullivan 0-2, Chris O’Leary 0-2, Daire Gray 0-1, Cillian Costello 0-1, Cian Boland 0-1, Cian Boyle 0-1, Darach McBride 0-1.

Scorers for Antrim: Niall McKenna 1-2, Rian McMullan 1-1, James McNaughton 0-4 (0-2f), Neil McManus 0-4 (0-1f), Michael Bradley 0-3, Conan Bohill 0-2, Paul Boyle 0-2, Eoghan Campbell 0-1, Caolan McKernan 0-1, Daniel McKernan 0-1, Enda Og McGarry 0-1.

Dublin: Dara Perry; Eddie Moran, Daire Gray, John Bellew; Darragh Power, Chris O’Leary, Darach McBride; Cillian Costello, Aidan Mellett; Cian Boland, Joe Flanagan, Ciaran Dowling; Cian O’Sullivan, Glenn Whelan, Liam Murphy.

Subs: James Madden for Mellett 48, Cian Boyle for Dowling 48, Paul Crummey for Whelan 54, Andrew Jamieson-Murphy for Murphy 54, Conor Burke for Costello 57, Alex Considine for Power 62, Enda O’Donnell for Flanagan 67.

Antrim: Paul McMullan; Paddy Burke, Rory McCloskey, Niall O’Connor; Michael Bradley, Eoghan Campbell, Conan Bohill; Joe Maskey, Daniel McKernan; Paul Boyle, James McNaughton, Niall McKenna; Rian McMullan, Neil McManus, Caolan McKernan.

Subs: Scott Walsh for McKernan 50, Damon McMullan for Caolan McKernan 50, Eoin O’Neill for McManus 50, Arron Bradley for Maskey 56, Seamie McAuley for Rian McMullan 56, Gerard Walsh for Bohill 62, Eoin McAlonan for Boyle 62, Enda Og McGarry for Bradley 62, Eoin Trainor for McCloskey 65.

Referee: Eamon Furlong (Wexford).