AARON STARS IN DUB STAR CLASH
THE Dublin footballers began the new season with a 2-18 to 2-15 victory in the Dublin Bus/Herald Dubs Stars challenge yesterday afternoon.
Their annual meeting with a Dubs Stars selection was played in the home of county champions St Vincent’s, and presented a number of fringe players with an opportunity to impress ahead of the upcoming O’Byrne Cup campaign.
Indeed, thanks to a brace of goals from rising star Aaron Byrne, Jim Gavin’s side led by six points (2-8 to 0-8) at the midway stage in the contest. A strong purple patch by the All-Ireland champions created further daylight between the teams after the restart, before the Stars responded with a goal from Jason Whelan.
Dublin settled once more with scores by Glen O’Reilly and Colin Doyle, and although a Pat Burke three-pointer sparked a mini-revival from the Dubs Stars, they came up short in the end.
Meanwhile, in the second game at Pairc Naomh Uinsionn, Pat Gilroy’s first outing on home soil as Dublin hurling boss ended in a 1-24 to 0-21 defeat to their Dubs Stars counterparts.
Alan Moore (1-2) and Paul Winters (0-6) were the scorers in chief for the victorious Stars, whereas Fionn O Riain Broin and Cillian Costello amassed a combined tally of 0-10 for their opponents.