| Dublin silence their critics
 By
David Thorpe
The Dublin footballers produced the perfect answer to their critics as
they swept past a Cork side lacking bite in midfield and imagination in
attack.
Following some dismal recent performances Paul Caffrey’s Dublin
side had been on the receiving end of some harsh criticisms and they played
like a team possessed in the opening quarter with points from the returning
Jason Sherlock, Thomas Quinn and the impressive Conal Keaney who set the
Metropolitans on their way.
The inconsistency which has blighted Cork football for so long was evident
again here. Having beaten Tyrone the week before Cork should have been
high on confidence but they were sluggish through this game and on the
rare occasions when they won possession and space they appeared to have
no idea how to cut through a Dublin defence which worked hard but is possessed
of few superstars.
One of the major concerns for the Dublin faithful this season has been
the lack of young talent emerging and against Cork Caffrey’s men
were again reliant on the veteran duo of Sherlock and Ciaran Whelan who
were both returning to the Dublin team after injury lay-offs.
The street-wise attacking play of Sherlock was the catalyst for Dublin
leading by six points at half-time but when the veteran corner-forward
went off injured during the break the Leinster champions lost much of
their attacking zest and allowed Cork back into the game.
If Sherlock was the brains behind Dublin’s first-half flourish of
scores Whelan provided the brawn which secured the victory at the end
of a second-half in which Cork looked far livelier.
The Rebels won an inadequate amount of ball in midfield and are short
of the sort of creative attacker who can make chances for their best forward
James Masters to finish. Masters did well with the possession he received
but the Rebels struggles to get the ball to him in his corner-forward
berth.
A missed Nicholas Murphy penalty on 58 minutes sealed Cork’s fate
and when Dublin playmaker Keaney fired into the net from close range with
nine minutes remaining Dublin’s comfortable victory began to gather
the early shades of a rout.
Come the white heat of the Championship summer these sides are likely
to be at about the same level. Both have a clutch of outstanding players
amid general mediocre squads.
Despite having seen his team claim a confidence-boosting win manager Caffrey
was in no mood for celebrating afterwards.
He said: “Credit to the players we needed to get back on track after
losing to Donegal and hopefully that will set us up for the rest of the
season.”
|
