Hudson and McGrath star
PAUL Hudson and Shane McGrath delivered outstanding displays at O’Toole Park on Saturday, when Thomas Davis secured a 0-18 to 1-7 triumph over Clontarf in the opening round of the Dublin SFC, writes Daire Walsh.
The dynamic attacking duo amassed a combined haul of seven points in the opening half at the Crumlin venue, but following a stoppage-time Ross McCullagh goal, Clontarf were just two points in arrears (0-8 to 1-3) at the break.
The absence of injured (hamstring) Dublin star Jack McCaffrey was keenly-felt by ‘Tarf, however, and despite the best efforts of Mattias Mac Donnacha, Hudson and former Clare footballer McGrath eased Davis over the line with a succession of outstanding scores.
Scorers – Thomas Davis: P Hudson 0-9 (2f), S McGrath 0-7, C Murphy 0-2. Clontarf: M Mac Donncha 0-5 (3f, 1 ’45’), R McCullagh 1-0, J Carroll, N Doran 0-1 each.
THOMAS DAVIS: S Blanchfield; A Fallon, L Healy, G Carruth; C Murphy, E Kirby, O Kelly; B Kirby, R Deegan; P Boland, S McGrath, E O’Toole, K Murray, C Farrelly, P Hudson. Subs: C Galvin for Boland (h-t), A Fitzpatrick for Murray (53).
CLONTARF: R O’Hanlon; C Mullins, S Coen, D Monaghan; J Carroll, S Russell, C Delargy; K McGrath, N Doran; C Cronin, M Mac Donncha, F Dodd; R McCullagh, K Lillis, S Giles. Subs: B Davis for Giles (42), C McConnell for Delargy (49), P Mohan for McCullagh (55), J McDonagh for Lillis (60).
Referee: D O’Connor (Naomh Mearnog).