Dublin Set For Qualifiers After Galway Defeat
Galway: 2-28
Dublin: 1-17
Derek Ryan in Tullamore
Dublin are set for another summer of qualifier hurling action, after being dumped out of the Leinster Championship by Galway in Tullamore this afternoon.
It was a hugely disappointing afternoon for the Boys in Blue, with the damage mostly done early in the second half.
The Tribesmen had edged a fairly even first half.
They started the better, and raced into a 0-4 to 0-1 lead after 10 minutes.
Dublin looked to have hit the first goal of the game after 11 minutes, but Ben Quinn's fine effort was ruled out for taking too many steps.
The Boys in Blue hit a purple patch then, however, and four points in-a-row, including a superb effort from Shane Barrett, saw them move 0-5 to 0-4 clear after 16 minutes.
Galway fought back, though, and hit the first goal of the game on 27 minutes.
A Joseph Cooney shot was well saved by Conor Dooley in the Dublin goal, but Jason Flynn finished the rebound to the net.
Dublin were given a huge boost on the stroke of Half Time, when Quinn finished well to the net, which meant Dublin went in just 0-3 down at the break-1-10 to 1-7.
That goal could have sparked the Boys in Blue into life, bit it was Galway who came out fired up at the start of the second half, hitting 5 points in-a-row to move 8 points clear just 6 minutes into the second period.
Dublin had a mountain to climb, and that mountain became Everest in the 41st minute, when Cian O'Callaghan was sent off for a second yellow card.
Dublin held firm for another 10 mins or so, and reduced the gap to 6 points on the 50 minute mark.
Galway's second goal on 52 minutes ended the game as a contest, as Conor Cooney finished well to the net to put the Tribesmen 2-18 to 1-11 clear.
The game petered out after that, as Galway picked off scores at will to win in the end by 2-28 to 1-17- a 14 point victory.
The sight of Dotsy O'Callaghan coming off the bench for his first appearance of an injury-strewn year- and John Hetherton's impressive performance off the bench would have given the travelling Dublin faithful some positivity.
However, there's a big task ahead for Ger Cunningham and his panel to lift spirits, ahead of a daunting qualifier series.
Speaking afterwards, Dubs boss Ger Cunningham felt the red card shown to O'Callaghan was harsh: