Dublin 7-17  Wicklow 0-2  

Dublin cruised to an easy win over Wicklow who struggled to match the skill, pace and organisation of the visitors at the beautiful grounds in Baltinglass.

To be fair to the Garden County girls they managed to keep the game competitive for the first 20 minutes when the scoreline read Dublin 1-3 Wicklow 0-2.   But the e vidence against was mounting as only a brilliant save by Bernie Byrne in the Wicklow goal and the woodwork denied Emer Keenan two goals in the first 4 minutes.

The home side elected to play with the breeze and early on the likes of Nora O’Neill, Shannagh Goetelen, Laura Manley, Claire Byrne and Sarah Byrne showed that they are as good as any.   But Dublin’s superior fitness and teamwork was relentless with the likes of Aoife Dooley, Emer Keenan, Laoise Quinn and Róisín Baker tearing the defence to shreds.  

An early point by Laoise Quinn was followed by a goal in the 10 ^th minute from the impressive Sinead Wylde at full-forward.   Emer Keenan providing the pass.   The captain got on the scoresheet four minutes later with a point to be followed by a fine Róisín Baker white flag.   Laura Manley had nailed two frees for Wicklow by the 18 ^th minute but that was to be their final score.

Not so for Dublin who came looking for more.   Sinead Wylde netted again in the 21 ^st minute from an Emer Keenan pass.   More points followed from the sticks of Róisin Baker and Evelyn Twomey before Róisín Baker took a fine pass from Laoise Quinn to strike home Dublin’s third goal.   Sinead Wylde was a formidable presence at full-forward and used her strength and skill to good effect with another point before Aoife Dooley closed the half with a 40m run and point to give Dublin a lead of 3-7 to 0-2 at the break.

Wicklow put up a gallant fight in the second 30 minutes but their cause wasn’t helped by injuries to two of their players Lisa Hogan and Sinead Byrne.   But Dublin didn’t ease off with places up for grabs for the more testing games ahead.  

One player to put up her hand for a starting spot was Nadine Murphy.    While making allowances for the weaknesses of the opposition and the fact that the game was over as a contest at half-time, she showed great composure and finishing to claim 2-4 in the second half.

Her first point came within a minute of the restart and that led the way for four more points in as many minutes from Emer Keenan, Sinead Wylde, Nadine again and Aoife Dooley.

Wicklow could not get out of their half and another goal this time from Emer Keenan pushed Dublin out of sight.   But with 15 minutes still to go they managed to put together a further 2-5 from Sinead Nolan (goal), Róisín Drohan (point), Nadine Murphy (point), Sinead Wylde (point), Nadine Murphy (2-1) and even goal keeper Aisling Spillane did a Faye McCarthy from 80m.

Dublin’s half back line of Deirdre Johnston, Gráinne Free and Emma Barron were always in control so much that the full-back line of Emma O’Flynn, Niamh Gleeson and Róisín McLoughlin were never troubled.

Substitutes Kate Mulvey, Emma Young and Gráinne Power slotted in seamlessly when coming on.

Next up Westmeath in Dublin on July 29.

Scorers:

Dublin - Nadine Murphy (2-4), Sinead Wylde (2-3), Emer Keenan (1-2), Róisin Baker (1-2), Sinead Nolan (1-0), Aoife Dooley (0-2), Laoise Quinn (0-1), Evelyn Twomey (0-1), Róisín Drohan (0-1), Aisling Spillane (0-1)

Wicklow – Laura Manley (0-2)

Referee Aiden O’Brien