Dublin 4-16 Offaly 2-5
Last
time out against Tipperary, Dublin needed a goal in the last minute to secure
victory. No such heroics at O’Toole
Park. This time the team stamped their
authority on the game as early as the 8th minute when they led by
2-5 to 0-1 By the interval that had
stretched to 3-10 to 1-4 and there was going to be no way back for a brave
Offaly team.
The
Tipperary result seems to have given a huge boost in confidence to the side
which beat Waterford by a point in the opening game.
They put together some cracking moves with
great support play and fine finishing.
Before
the first minute had passed Alix Buckley had opened with a fine goal in the 46
th
second.
Offaly hit back with a super
point by Sarah Harding – the captain and main scoring threat for the
Faithful.
But when Aoibhe Dillon
cleverly kicked the ball into space her Naomh Mearnóg colleague Ciara Holland
was on hand to hammer home Dublin’s second goal in the 4
th
minute.
The
pressure was relentless and Offaly could do little to stop the flood of
scores.
Alix Buckley pointed in the 5
th
minute to be followed by a smashing 65m free by Niamh Rock – the first of three
from the left half back.
Three more
points from play before Eimear O’Leary, Ciara Holland and Kerry Finneagan raised
a white flag each by the 8
th
minute.
Offaly
battled hard as they always do but it was clear that Sarah Harding was the main
threat in attack.
But her markers
whether at full back Niamh Gleeson or centre back Isabelle Costello did an
excellent job to limit this rising star to just 1-1 from play.
Dublin’s
inter-passing and “Brick Flicks” were on the button and Evelyn Twomey, Chloe
Mullen all hit smashing points.
Ciara
Holland showed that she can hit the target from play and placed balls when she
nailed a difficult free in the 25
th
minute.
Another
Niamh Rock 65m free sailed between the posts before Eimear O’Leary scored the
goal of the match.
Chloe Mullen can take
a big chunk of the credit for drilling a great ball across the front of the
goal which Eimear caught and in one turn slammed it into the top corner of the
net at the Pitch and Putt end.
Offaly
finished the half strongly with a smashing goal from Sarah Harding and two
frees to leave the half-time score Dublin 3-10 to 1-4.
The
midlanders gave it everything in the second half but the normally reliable
Sarah Harding found the free-taking tough. Dara Hanamy did well to score a nice
point and Louise Mannion first timed to the net in the 42
nd
minute
for the visitors.
But Ciara Holland and Niamh
Rock put two more points on the scoreboard from frees as Dublin regrouped and
held Offaly scoreless for the remainder of the game.
Emma O’Byrne, Niamh Hetherton, Rachel Brennan, Karla Whelan
and Niamh Owens came into the fray in the second half and played their part.
Megan
Thomas was coolness personified in goals and her lengthy puck-outs a major
help.
Defenders Jennifer O’Sullivan and Sarah
Meagher played soundly and although not appearing on the scoresheet Sinead
Wylde probably had more possessions than some that did.
Her ability to pick the ball so close to the
crowd one of her hallmark skills.
A
semi final date is set for next Saturday but against whom we don’t know as
Clare, Kilkenny and Galway all finished on 9 points in group 2.
Scorers:
Dublin:
Ciara Holland 1-6, Eimear O’Leary 1-1, Chloe
Mullen 1-1, Alix Buckley 1-1, Niamh Rock 0-3, K. Finnegan 0-2, O. Gray 0-1, E.
Twomey 0-1
Offaly: Sarah Harding 1-4, Louise Mannion 1-0, Dara Hanamy
0-1
Referee Eamonn Cassidy