Source: TipperaryLive

Teams will take what they want from games like this, but Dublin hurlers are entirely justified in seeing it as an important step in a series of promising ones already taken this year.

They had to hold off a fierce late rally from the home side on Saturday, who clipped a five-point deficit down to the minimum and had a goal chance at the death, which Jason Forde couldn’t finish.

Dublin ended the match under siege, with Tipperary surging forward looking to save themselves from a first defeat after opening round wins over Laois and Kilkenny.

With the wind to their backs, even if it swirled about and often made shooting treacherous, Tipp couldn’t deny Dublin a rare win in Thurles. Before victory here in 2019 in the league, Dublin last won in 1946.

“The easy option always when you have a winning team is to leave the 15 together but we have no problem that we brought in another eight players – that’s over half a team,” Colm Bonnar said afterwards.

Tipp won’t be too despondent, and will be encouraged by how they reacted after Dónal Burke, with a free, scored Dublin’s last of the evening in the 60th minute to leave the visitors with a 2-16 to 0-17 lead.

The arrival in the second half of the two McGraths, Noel and John, and Conor Bowe gave them added zip. Even if Séamus Callanan didn’t have much impact on his first start of the year he at least got some valuable game time.

Jake Morris showed some delightful touches and finished with three points, while 12 of their points came from Forde – all frees except one from a sideline.

A goal in each half were critical moments in engineering Dublin’s win, the first from Rian McBride, with newcomer Aidan Mellett involved, as he often was on the night, earning praise from Mattie Kenny later. McBride finished with 1-2, and Burke chipped in with eight points from frees and one from play.

Despite the challenging conditions, Dublin moved the ball smartly and their attack had a pleasing chemistry, and spread of scorers. Ronan Hayes got their second goal, after catching a long ball from Danny Sutcliffe, charging past his man and batting to the net in the 50th minute.

That had Dublin leading 2-14 to 0-15 but Tipp had the stronger finish and could have spoiled all that promise near the end when Noel McGrath’s free in added time dropped in the square, Forde had a goal in his sights for a fraction of a second before being smothered up.

With Conor Burke and Chris Crummey having the better of the midfield contest, Dublin went in leading at half time, 1-8 to 0-10, McBride’s goal coming in the 25th minute. Callanan looked to be through for a goal chance shortly afterwards but Eoghan O’Donnell pulled off a vital dispossession.

“I think after the first quarter we dominated the first half but we had 20 shots and only came away with nine scores,” said Mattie Kenny, now in his fourth season in charge.

In the first half Dublin hit 11 wides to five from Tipp, but that trend was reversed after the interval, with Dublin striking only two, while the home team ran up 10 – the wind a major factor in many of those.

“The wind was blowing the ball right across the goals and I think Tipp suffered from that in the second half,” said Kenny.

“The big scores were the goals for us, it gave us that cushion, pushed us four or five points up. Probably would have liked to have drove on more in the second half, that last 10 minutes.

“Tipp kept coming at us but our guys showed massive character again tonight. They put in a real gutsy performance, we got a good performance and good result on the night.”

In the first half Robert Byrne sent over two long-range points using the wind to good effect, and Morris, Michael Breen and Paul Flynn were also on target. However, they were unable to create any goal chance, with Paddy Smyth alert as the pivot of Dublin’s defence and O’Donnell a huge presence behind him.

“I am proud of the guys, the way they worked out there tonight they kept going to the final whistle, that’s all we can ask of them,” said Kenny, whose side moved to the top of Division 1B, unbeaten after three games.

“Kilkenny are coming to town next Saturday, we are looking for a full house in Parnell Park.”

Bonnar, in his first season, feels obliged to test the depth of his squad.

“They are giving us absolutely everything no matter what team we pick at training. Whatever 15-on-15, it’s just so balanced so every player that’s out there deserves a run and again, that’s what we said we’d use the league for,” he said.

“We’d see if we can bring the younger lads, give them experience and we’ll be doing the same again when we go down to Walsh Park next Sunday.”

A jarring aspect was the frequent whistling of Johnny Murphy, who looked on a mission to clamp out certain offences, especially over-carrying. In some cases the player with the ball didn’t get much leeway and you were left feeling like you do about those speed traps on a four-lane motorway catching drivers a fraction over the speed limit.

Tipp head to Waterford next Sunday, while Dublin prepare for Brian Cody’s men.

Scorers – Dublin: D Burke 0-9 (8f); R McBride 1-2; R Hayes 1-1; F Whitely 0-2; C Burke, J Madden 0-1 each. Tipperary: J Forde 0-12 (11f, 1 l/b); J Morris 0-3; R Byrne 0-2; M Breen, P Flynn, C Bowe, N McGrath 0-1 each.

Dublin – S Brennan 7; A Dunphy 7, E O’Donnell 9, C O’Callaghan 7; J Bellew 7, P Smyth 8, J Madden 8; C Burke 9, C Crummey 8; D Sutcliffe 8, R McBride 8, D Burke 7; F Whitely 7, R Hayes 7, A Mellett 8. Subs: E Dillon 6 for Hayes (58); D Keogh 7 for Whitely (54); J Malone for McBride & P Crummey for Mellett (67).

Tipperary – Barry Hogan 7; C Morgan 7, B McGrath 6, E Connolly 6; R Byrne 8, S Kennedy 7, R Maher 7; A Flynn 6, P Cadell 7; D McCormack 7, J Forde 8, M Breen 7; J Morris 8, S Callanan 6, P Flynn 6. Subs: J McGrath 7 for Callanan & N McGrath 8 for Cadell (55); C Bowe 7 for A Flynn (62).

Referee – J Murphy (Limerick).