Burke stands out as Dublin top table

DUBLIN 3-32 ANTRIM 1-18

Dublin safely negotiated a potentially tricky hurdle at Parnell Park to maintain their drive for a place in next month’s Leinster hurling final.

They demolished a feeble Antrim with a clinical performance, scoring an impressive 2-19 in the second half with Donal Burke hitting 1-11.

Brian Hayes chipped in with a goal and between them Seanie Currie and Conor Burke contributed 0-10 as the home side dominated the second half.

Micheál Donoghue’s side have now secured five out of a possible six points and are top of the table.

But they are about to enter the hurling equivalent of Mount Everest’s Death Zone.

Their true championship credentials will be tested when they meet Kilkenny next weekend and then Donoghue’s old team Galway on May 26.

After their heroics in Corrigan Park against Wexford, Antrim came back to earth with a resounding thud.

Mathematically they could still secure third and a place in the All-Ireland series. But their main priority now is beating Carlow in their last-round tie.

This was only the fifth championship clash between the counties this century with Dublin winning in 2009 and 2021, while Antrim’s sole success came in 2010. Last season the teams finished level (1-19 each) in a round-robin tie in Belfast.

Brian Hayes replaced Mark Grogan at midfield for Dublin, who played with the wind in the first half.

They had the perfect start with Conor Burke’s long drive from midfield being touched to the net by Paul Crummey after 10 seconds.

For the next 10 minutes there was little to separate the sides; Dublin looked marginally sharper but Antrim stayed in touch as the sides shared four points. Then Dublin hit a purple patch with three points in 90 seconds.

Donal Burke’s second converted free after a poor Antrim puck-out left Dublin seven clear after 18 minutes, but their wides tally was creeping up — eight in the first quarter.

Worryingly for Antrim, Niall O’Connor and midfielders Seaan Elliott and Eoghan Campbell were already on yellow cards by then.

Niall McKenna’s 21st-minute point was the visitors’ first score for 13 minutes. They continued to struggle until securing a lifeline seven minutes before the break.

Dublin missed several opportunities to halt an Antrim attack involving Nigel Elliott and Campbell. When James McNaughton joined the move he careered through a couple of unconvincing tackles before driving an unstoppable shot past Seán Brennan.

McNaughton then took centre stage adding two more points as Dublin looked vulnerable for the first time, though they did add three points to lead at the break by six (1-13 to 1-7).

The margin was down to four within 90 seconds of the resumption after early points from Keelan Molloy and Nigel Elliott. But Dublin kept the scoreboard ticking over, though they were fortunate to see two Antrim efforts rebound to safety off the upright.

Sean Currie’s third point from play left Dublin eight points clear after 50 minutes. And faint hopes of an Antrim revival ended 12 minutes from time when the Hayes brothers combined before Brian, who had an outstanding game, blasted to the net to end the game as a contest.

Donal Burke added a third Dublin goal from what looked like a mis-hit free. His 65 deep in injury time brought Dublin’s tally to 3-32 having scored an impressive 2-19 in the second half.

They will face bigger challenges in their next two matches, but overall this was a solid display against an admittedly underperforming Antrim side.

Scorers — Dublin: D Burke 1-11 (1-7f, 1 65), S Currie, C Burke 0-5 each, P Crummey, B Hayes 1-0 each; J Bellow, R Hayes, C O’Sullivan 0-2 each. C Donohoe, D Sutcliffe, F Whitely, S Gallagher , D Power 0-1 each. Antrim:

J McNaughton 1-2, C Cunning 0-4, (4f), E Campbell 0-3, K Molloy, G Walsh (1f), S Eliott 0-2 each. N McKenna, N Eliott, F McCurry

0-1 each.

Dublin: S Brennan; J Bellew, P Smyth, P

Doyle, C Crummey, C Donohoe, E O’Donnell; B Hayes, C Burke; D Sutcliffe, D Burke, S Currie, F Whiteley, C O’Sullivan, P Crummey. Subs:

R Hayes for P Crummey (46), D Power for Sutcliffe (59), J Malone for O’Sullivan (66), S Gallagher for B Hayes (68m)

Antrim: R Elliott; N O’Connor, R McGarry, P Burke, G Walsh, C Boyd, C Bohill; S Elliott, E Campbell, N Ellott; K Molloy, J McNaughton, C Cunning, N McKenna, A O’Brien. Subs: J McLaughlin for O’Brien (46), P Boyle for Molloy (50) F McCurry for Boyd (55), C McGarry for McKenna (63), S McKay for Cunning (66)

Referee: Kevin Jordan (Tipperary)