Templeogue Synge Street’s Niall Scully in action for Dublin and (inset) Lorcan O’Dell gathers possession
Photos by Paul Lundy
Dubs need to focus on next league match against Mayo
IT WAS a lackluster performance by Dublin in their first league game of the year as they found themselves defeated by Donegal 0-20 to 1-20 at Croke Park last Saturday afternoon.
Donegal had gone into the break with a healthy six point lead after Shea Malone’s goal in the 33rd minute effectively put them in the driver seat for the rest of the game.
Con O’Callaghan and Nathan Doran dragged Dublin through the first half while the second half admittedly saw the team look rejuvenated following the introduction of Sean Bugler and Luke Breathnach following the start of the second half.
Unfortunately by this stage the damage had already been done and while Dublin did perform well, Donegal were always doing enough to keep their noses in front for the rest of the game.
In terms of local representation in the Footballing panel there doesn’t seem to be a huge amount this year.
St Judes’ Tom Lahiff started in the midfield alongside Ethan Dunne of Skerries. Templeogue Synge Street also had two players starting with Niall Scully and Lorcan O’Dell present in the forward lines.
O’Dell would be brought off for Breathnach at half time with Lahiff making way for Sean Bugler.
Even on the bench, there was only one player from a Dublin South West club present with Hugh O’Sullivan representing Ballyboden St Enda’s.
Manager Ger Brennan touched on the performance after the match.
“They just outworked us, particularly in the first half. We managed to get ourselves going at half time and the lads put in a far more energetic performance. Ultimately it’s great to play against All-Ireland finalists.
‘That’s the bar and that’s where you’re trying to get to. I think we were given a fair sense of where we were in that first half when we didn’t work hard enough but the second half was a lot more positive.”
The side now find themselves with a quick turnaround as they travel to Castlebar this weekend to take on Mayo in their next league game.
