A Winters tale as Dubs’ Gilroy hits ground running
FROM the exotic surrounds of Fenway Park in Boston for a Super 11s exhibition game to a cold evening in Abbotstown in west Dublin for Walsh Cup – it was back to brass tacks for Pat Gilroy in his first proper competitive game in charge of the Dublin hurlers. And he hit the ground running with a comprehensive 16-point victory, even if the fare was a world removed from the hard ground of summer. Paul Winters threatened as a target man from the off for Dublin and his ball-winning ability and free-taking helped ease the hosts into an early lead. The full-forward finished a productive evening with nine points. And when Robbie McMahon was left unmarked in the 15th minute, he produced a cool finish to the net to leave Meath in all sorts of bother at the back. The Royals worked a free short for James Kelly to score a fine point and rounded off the half with quality scores from Neil Heffernan and Paddy Conneely. It was threatening to get away from them again by that stage though with Fionn Ó Riain Broin beating Shane McGann to a dropping ball and pulling to the net. Dublin had a 10-point cushion at the break, 2-11 to 0-7 and eased out of sight when Cian McBride planted the ball in the back of the net soon after coming on. Jack Regan and Eoin Marsh did produce another brace of top drawer points but with an extra man lying deep, they offered little goal threat when it was goals that were badly needed. James Toher did have one shot that produced a smart save from Alan Nolan but Dublin didn’t let up, Ó Riain Broin showing a neat sidestep and an electric turn of pace to race clear and shoot to the net. Still, a learning curve for both sides, Meath’s Nick Fitzgerald also finding his feet after taking over from Martin Ennis. He has a wealth of experience alongside him in the shape of Martin Comerford and Michael Kavanagh, the Kilkenny pair winning everything the game has to offer during decorated careers. This outing showed the gap that needs to be bridged with Dublin looking to make an impact in the Leinster Championship later this year and Meath hoping to qualify for the All-Ireland series via the Joe McDonagh Cup. It’s a busy few days for Pat Gilroy’s squad who take on Tipperary in a challenge match in Thurles on Saturday before playing Antrim on Sunday.