When managers reflect approvingly on the bracing competitiveness of the O'Byrne Cup, they presumably don't have this sort of stuff in mind. Saturday's Dr Cullen Park meeting of two understrength sides proved little except that Dublin have better reserves than Carlow. On an unexpectedly sunny afternoon and a pitch in good shape, Carlow managed only three scores and one from play.
Even though Carlow were short their Eire Og contingent (preparing for the Leinster club final replay against Kilmacud the weekend after next), there was plenty for manager Cyril Hughes to be unhappy about: aimlessness, slack marking and poor shooting which yielded just under twice as many wides as the visitors.
The message for Tom Carr's Dublin was more heartening although in the circumstances they'll hardly let it turn their heads.
Afterwards Carr said he was happy with the run-out and the opportunity to try some of the less frequently deployed players in his panel.
He emphasised again that the current Dublin panel is an open arrangement and that players will be drafted in according to their form and the selectors' requirements. This year's championship panel won't be finalised until the late spring.
Accordingly, Dublin were arranged in experimental fashion. New goalkeeper Keith Gorman acquitted himself well, saving smartly from Mark Carpenter in the 24th minute when a goal might have revived Carlow's already doomed-looking prospects.
Defence was the closest any unit of the team came to being recognisable with everyone except dual player Liam Walsh, at right corner back, and beside him 18-year-old full back Declan Conlon, regulars during the pre-Christmas NFL campaign.
Walsh didn't have much to do but showed keen anticipation in being on the spot to clear the ball after Gorman's save from Carpenter while Conlon coped well if occasionally betraying an excusable inexperience.
The half-back line of Paul Croft, Paul Curran and Keith Galvin was the most experienced sector and played accordingly. Their collective sense of adventure was the starting point of a number of scores including the opening one, a goal well finished by Croft, whose overlap was spotted by Brendan O'Brien.
Centrefield was a novel pairing of Eric Horgan and basketballer Karl Donnelly. Both played enthusiastically and effectively in the company of Sean Kavanagh, one of the more useful Carlow players of the recent past.
As has been the case in this season's League, Dublin's supply of young forwards again caught the eye with all six getting on the scoreboard. Left corner forward Niall O'Donohue was particularly eyecatching, his industry, perceptive use of the ball and accuracy creating a good impression and more than compensating for his small build which on Saturday's evidence is the only likely inhibition on his inter-county future.
O'Donohue is a transfer from Roscommon and was prominent in Sligo RTC's march to the Sigerson semi-finals two years ago. His return of 1-1 included the goal which put the tin hat on the afternoon.
Reading Colm Moran's long delivery more accurately than the Carlow defence, the corner forward took the chance with calm assurance.
That 40th-minute score pushed the margin to 2-7 to 0-1. Carlow managed a response three minutes later when Sean Kavanagh soloed through the defence and took his goal well. But even before the final quarter, it was all rather academic.
Dublin: K Gorman; L Walsh, D Conlon, T Lynch; P Croft (1-0), P Curran, K Galvin; E Horgan, K Donnelly; E Crinnion (0-2), S Connell (0-2), C Moran (0-1); B O'Brien (0-1), B Irwin (0-3, all frees), N O'Donohue (1-1). Subs: D Darcy for Crinnion (47 mins); M Casey for Galvin (52 mins).
Carlow: J Brennan; S Doorley, A Corden, J McGrath; J Byrne, B Farrell, J Kavanagh; P Nolan, S Kavanagh (1-0); K Walker, J Nevin, C Guidera; M Carpenter, N Doyle, M Nolan (0-1, a free). Subs: J Hughes for McGrath (28 mins); M Dowling (0-1, a free) for Nolam (39 mins); R Donnelly for Guidera (56 mins).
Referee: D Ryan (Kildare).
