Preview: Dublin v Down Allianz Hurling League

Dublin will be looking to take another positive step towards securing promotion when they host Down in Division 1B of the Allianz National Hurling League at Parnell Park next Saturday afternoon (5.00).

The Dubs have little room for error, having narrowly lost in Round 1 to table toppers Clare while rescuing a draw against Wexford at Croke Park in Round 4 courtesy of a Chris Crummey point deep into injury time. 

Comfortable wins arrived in Round 2 against Kildare and last Sunday in Antrim leaving Niall Ó Ceallacháin’s side hopeful that the Banner might do them a favour when they host Wexford on Sunday afternoon. 

Dublin still need to look after their own affairs, starting with their clash against a Down side that came so close to beating Wexford in Round 2. 

That 0-27 to 0-25 defeat highlighted the potential within their ranks while last Sunday’s narrow defeat to Kildare once again showed they’re more than capable of competing at this level.

A strong Dublin start, similar to that we witnessed in Corrigan Park last Sunday, would help to put Dublin in the driving seat with Dónal Burke and Fergal Whitely setting the tone with early scores that day. 

Burke has scored 1-39 in four league matches to date, an impressive tally given the Dubs have accumulated 8-91 in total over the same period.      

Both Cian O’Sullivan and Brian Hayes have scored 1-7 apiece with the latter the only player alongside Burke to have scored in those quartet of matches. 

In total, twenty players have made scoring contributions in this campaign, including the recognised full-back line of John Bellew, Paddy Smyth and Eoghan O’Donnell. 

Dublin scorers so far: Dónal Burke 1-39 (1-1 pen, 0-27f, 0-5 ’65); Brian Hayes 1-7; Cian O’Sullivan 1-7; Ronan Hayes 2-2; John Hetherton 2-1; Dara Purcell 0-7; Fergal Whitely 0-7; Chris Crummey 1-2; Conor Donohoe 0-3; Andy Dunphy 0-2; Diarmaid Ó Dúlaing 0-2; Conor Burke 0-2; Conal Ó Riain 0-2; James Madden 0-2; Darragh Power 0-1; Cathal Kennedy 0-1; John Bellew 0-1; Eoghan O’Donnell 0-1; Conor Groarke 0-1; Paddy Smyth 0-1.