Dublin’s finally shook off the challenge of 14-man Carlow with a convincing last 20 minutes to claim a 0-19 to 0-07 win as Jim Gavin’s side qualified for the Leinster Football Championship semi-final.
The sending-off of Brendan Murphy in the 48th minute ended Carlow’s hopes, at which point Dublin had only led by four points at O’Moore Park in Portlaoise.
But despite the 12-point win Diarmuid Connolly will gain many of the headlines following his altercation with sideline official Ciarán Branaganduring the second-half. Television replays appeared to show Connolly laying his hands on the official, but he will hope to avoid a retrospective punishment.
Chasing a 12th Leinster title in the last 13 season Dublin were runaway favourites to win their opening provincial clash of the season, but facing Carlow’s disciplined defensive system they struggled at times in the first-half.
But they were not helped by their shooting, which only produced five points from play before the interval, while they also kicked five wides – efforts from Dean Rock and Kevin McManamon were particularly poor.
Armed with the confidence generated from their win over Wexford, Carlow got off to a great start when Brendan Murphy pointed after 53 seconds following a powerful carry from his midfield partner Seán Murphy, however, two Rock frees soon had Dublin ahead.
Whenever they managed to get their hands on the ball, Carlow looked composed and had 57 per cent possession by the break, but on occasion they were caught off-guard around the middle by Dublin’s stiff tackling, and the decision to take the ball into contact backfired with scores on the counter-attack.
Carlow were also having a rotten time from their own kick-outs, and Dublin mopped up in this sector for the opening 20 minutes and with Niall Scully and Jack McCaffrey in particular driving forward, Dublin soon led by 0-06 to 0-02.
Another driving run from Seán Murphy saw the midfielder land a great score off the outside of his boot as Carlow pulled within three points after 25 minutes, but Scully’s first championship point for Dublin restored their four-point cushion.
A ten-point haul for Paul Broderick was a big reason behind Carlow’s preliminary round win, and his long range free taking was a feature of the first-half. He landed his first after nine minutes, then missed the next three, but two minutes from the break he landed his second from 50 metres, while his captain, Darragh Foley, curled over another long range free in added-time to make it 0-08 to 0-05 at the interval.
Dublin’s poor return in front of goal continued after the break, but Rock’s fourth free finally broke the run in the 41st minute.
But Dublin were clearly annoyed with their failure to shake off Carlow, which was epitomised by Connolly’s clash with one of the linesman a minute later when a sideline call when against him.
The incident was only highlighted further when Carlow’s talisman Brendan Murphy picked up his second yellow card in the 48th minute, which left Carlow down to 14 men for the remainder of the match.
And with his departure Carlow deflated slightly and Dublin finally stretched their lead as Kilkenny, Bernard Brogan and Con O’Callaghan on his championship debut pushed them out of sight.
Dublin: S Cluxton; M Fitzsimons, J Cooper, E Lowndes; J McCarthy, C O’Sullivan, J McCaffrey (0-02); B Fenton, C Kilkenny (0-03); N Scully (0-01), D Connolly (0-01, 0-01'45), P Mannion (0-01); K McManamon, C O’Callaghan (0-02, 0-02f), D Rock (0-06, 0-06f).
Subs: B Brogan (0-02) for McManamon (45 mins), S Carthy for McCaffrey (53), M Schutte for Scully (58), C McHugh (0-01) for Rock (58), D Bastick for Fenton (67).
Carlow: C Kearney; C Crowley, S Redmond, C Lawlor; D Moran (0-01), D St Ledger, G Kelly; B Murphy (0-01), S Murphy (0-01); E Ruth, D Foley (c) (0-01, 0-01f), A Kelly; P Broderick (0-03, 0-03f), S Gannon, J Murphy.
Subs: C Moran for S Murphy (21-24 mins blood), M Rennick for A Kelly (41), S Clarke for Ruth (53), J Clarke for G kelly (58), K Nolan for Crowley (65), BJ Molloy for D Moran (67), C Moran for Broderick (69).
Referee: Sean Hurson (Tyrone).
