Paul Ryan and Eamonn Dillon were the stand out players for Dublin on Thursday night, as both players scored two goals each as Dublin beat UCD 4-15 to 3-12 to win by six points despite trailing at half time. In their opening Bord Na Móna Walsh Cup clash at Belfield on Thursday evening.
Ryan and Dillon goals meant Dublin were ahead 2-4 to 1-2 by the 15th minute.
The students then took the dubs by surprise and took the game to Dublin, UCD scored 1-5 without a response from Dublin between the 23rd and 31st minute.
Dublin panellist Oisin O’Rorke impressed Dublin manager Ger Cunningham as helped himself to a hat-trick in the opening half to help the Students lead 3-08 to 2-06 at the interval.
Dublin came out blocks quickly after the break with Ryan firing 1-2 in quick succession. The teams were then tied at 3-9 each halfway through the second-half before Dublin showed their class.
Dublin saw out the remaining minutes with flair,the dubs scored five points without reply as Fiontan McGibb and Niall McMorrow both performed well.
Dillion hit the back of the net in the 63rd minute to secure the win and a winning start to the year for Cunningham as manager for the second year in a row.
Dublin play Antrim at DCU next, while UCD have play away against Laois where they will be looking to get their Walsh cup campaign up and running.
Scorers for Dublin: Paul Ryan 2-7 (0-5f), Eamon Dillon 2-1, Niall McMorrow 0-3, Fiontan McGibb 0-2, Cian Mac Giolla Bhríde, Rian McBride 0-1 each.
Scorers for UCD: Oisin O’Rorke 3-2 (1-1f), Colm Cronin 0-3, Jack O’Connor 0-2 (0-1f), Padraic Guinan, Cian O’Callaghan, Jake Malone, Jack Griffin, James Maher 0-1 each.
Dublin
1. Conor Dooley (Ballyboden St Enda’s)
2. Joey Boland (Na Fianna)
3. Chris Crummey (Lucan Sarsfields)
4. Oisín Gough (Cuala)
5. Ben Quinn (Crumlin)
6. Liam Rushe (St Pat’s, Palmerstown)
7. Shane Durkin (Ballyboden St Enda’s)
8. Cian Mac Giolla Bhríde (St Vincent’s)
9. Darragh O’Connell (Cuala)
10. Rian McBride (St Vincent’s)
11. Niall McMorrow (Ballyboden St Enda’s)
12.. Eamonn Dillon (Nh Fionnbarra)
13. Paul Ryan (Ballyboden St Enda’s)
14. Fíontán Mac Gibb (Setanta)
15. Chris Bennett (Faughs)
UCD
1. Darragh Holohan (Dicksboro, Kilkenny)
2. Pat Hannon (Athenry, Galway)
3. Sean Murphy (Buffers Alley, Wexford)
4. James Madden (Ballyboden St-Enda’s, Dublin)
5. Conor Devitt (Ballyfad, Wexford)
6. Cian O’Callaghan (Cuala, Dublin)
7. Jack O’Connor (St Martin’s, Wexford)
8. Jake Malone (Cuala, Dublin)
9. Jack Mullaney (Stradbally, Waterford)
10. James Maher (St Lachtain’s, Kilkenny)
12. Colm Cronin (Cuala, Dublin)
11. Padraic Guinan (Drumcullen, Offaly)
15. Tom Phelan (Conahy Shamrocks, Kilkenny)
14. Oisin O’Rorke (Kilmacud Crokes, Dublin)
13. Cathal Keane (Athenry, Galway)
Referee: Michael Murtagh (Westmeath)
And it`s over the bar 