A WHITE WASH

Dubs learn lessons from Leinster semi-final to brush the Lilies aside

AFTER Kildare pushed Dublin all the way in the Leinster semi-final last month, this stroll in the summer sunshine for the Blues was much more like most of the meetings between the pair over the last decade or so.

Dessie Farrell’s side started without a number of injured players, such as Jack Mccaffrey, Davy Byrne, Ciaran Kilkenny, Paul Mannion, and they were forced into a further late change when Cormac Costello was a late withdrawal due to a precaution over an ankle injury.

However, in a show of real strength in depth, some of their replacements went on to have outstanding games, particularly Colm Basquel who ended the game as their top scorer with five points.

“Happy with the win and happy with the performance,” said Dublin manager Dessie Farrell afterwards.

“A lot of players played well today, it’s a competitive group. This is all very new to every team in the country so we are just finding iour way through it.”

The opening of the game was played at a helter skelter pace and after a frantic end to end opening quarter, the scores were tied at 0-5 points apiece.

Dublin appeared to be playing a risky game at that stage of the match by pushing up the field and leaving gaps at the back but the closest Kildare came to punishing them to the maximum was an eighth minute shot by Darragh Kirwan that brought a smart save out of Stephen Cluxton.

Gradually Dublin began to wear Kildare down and six unanswered points moved them into an 0-11 to 0-5 lead by the 25th minute.

In theory, this was a home game for FERMANAGH Kildare but there certainly 333 wasn’t much home comforts for Lilywhite fans present and they were outnumbered in the relatively small crowd of 8,216.

Dublin led by 0-13 to 0-8 at the half time break but had to then weather an early storm from Kildare at the start of the second half.

Ben Mccormack hit the first two points after the restart but Kildare proved to be their own worst enemies when two pieces of squandered possession led to points from Sean Bugler and a Dean Rock free.

That set the tone for an error strewn performance from Kildare in the second half, with every error ruthlessly punished by a clinical Dublin side.

There was five points between the sides heading into the final 20 minutes but as Kildare tired, Dublin took off another scoring burst and doubled their lead by scoring five points on the trot.

With the game won, Farrell was even able to hand a Championship debut to under-20 player Greg Mceneaney in the latter stages of the game.

A Kevin Feely mark may yet prove important for Kildare as scoring difference could yet prove crucial after the final round of games in two weeks but it was scant consolation on the day for Glenn Ryan’s team as Dublin ran out comfortable winners.