Colm Basquel lays down marker as Dublin up the gears to see off Kildare

They won pulling up against an opposition that wilted dreadfully after a bright start to the second half with two Ben McCormack points cutting Dublin’s lead to a goal. But they couldn’t sustain it and never looked like earning a first championship win over Dublin since 2000. They went from the 49th minute until almost the last kick without scoring.

Tame as Kildare were, Dublin will be pleased in doing more than enough to earn their first win in the group after a sobering draw against Roscommon. Colm Basquel was one of four changes and earned his keep with five points from play. Con O’Callaghan landed four in the first half and two assists before fading out and being replaced.

They won without the injured Ciaran Kilkenny and Jack McCaffrey, and Sean Bugler started at wing back and scored three points, with the Dublin team managing a 20 point spread from play. In goal Stephen Cluxton was called upon to make a save from Darragh Kirwan in the eight minute, smothering a low shot, but for the most part he had a relaxing afternoon in the beautiful sunshine.

This was a ‘home' match for Kildare, obliged to take up temporary residence while St Conleth’s Park in Newbridge is closed for major renovations. More recognised as a hurling ground, it last witnessed a significant influx of Dublin football supporters in 2016 when Jim Gavin’s side defeated Laois, the year McCaffrey took a year out to go travelling.

The crowd this time was half that of seven years ago. Both counties came in on the back of draws in their opening matches, and concerns about their form, Glenn Ryan’s disapproving comments about Dublin enjoying special privileges when playing in Croke Park created an added edge.

But he didn’t see enough of that same edge in his team’s performance, a few good patches aside. The teams had already met twice this season, with Dublin winning by two points in the Leinster semi final, and by a point in the opening round of the league. Sandwiched between those encouraging displays and a Kildare win over Dublin in last year’s league was the Leinster final thumping in 2022, 5-17 to 1-15.

While this never looked like reaching that kind of carnage, for a Kildare team with hopes of being competitive against Dublin it will be of little solace to say that it could have been more calamitous. They face into Roscommon in a fortnight looking for a lift and a vast improvement while Dublin will be strong favourites to finish with a win against Sligo.

With Basquel and O’Callaghan, who started at centre forward, in impeccable scoring form, claiming seven points between them, Dublin moved with an agreeable fluency and verve in the first half when the match was more competitive. In one spell after the sides had been tied five times they hit six scores unanswered, the final two in the sequence from Basquel, to lead 0-11 to 0-5 after 25 minutes.

Kildare had started with some promise. Neil Flynn, along with McCormack, was one of two changes from the Sligo game and kicked three first half points, one of those from a free, with McCormack also registering. After Flynn scored in the 17th minute to tie the teams at 0-5 each, they didn’t score again until Flynn’s free almost ten minutes later. Even when Dublin hit six without reply, Kildare responded with three.

Dublin finished out the reminder of the half with two scores, a Dean Rock free and O’Callaghan’s last of four, off the right boot, to lead 0-13 to 0-8 at the interval.

Kildare restarted with vigour, McCormack kicking two scores in the opening minutes to cut the gap to a goal. But by the 47th minute the gap was out to six again, Basquel taking his tally to five including a brilliant individual solo effort. Kildare tried changes, taking off a quiet Paddy Woodgate and a somewhat unlucky McCormack and bringing in Daniel Flynn. It was to no avail. Ultimately they looked like they lacked the belief they could win.

SCORERS

Dublin - C Basquel 0-5; D Rock (3fs), C O‘Callaghan 0-4 each; S Bugler 0-3; P Mannion 0-2; N Scully, K O’Gara, B Fenton, T Lahiff 0-1 each.

Kildare - N Flynn 0-5 (2 fs, 1 45); B McCormack 0-3; D Kirwan, P Woodgate (f), K O’Callaghan, A Masterson, K Feely (m) 0-1 each.

TEAMS

Dublin: S Cluxton; S McMahon, M Fitzsimons, D Newcombe; S Bugler, J Small, L Gannon; B Fenton, J McCarthy; N Scully, C O’Callaghan, B Howard; K O’Gara, C Basquel, D Rock.

Subs: P Mannion for O’Gara (ht); L O’Dell for Rock (47); C Murphy for Small & T Lahiff for O’Callaghan (59); G McEneaney for McMahon (71).

Kildare: M Donnellan; E Doyle, S Ryan, M O’Grady; D Hyland, K Flynn, J Sargent; K O’Callaghan, A Masterson; P McDermott, B McCormack, A Beirne; P Woodgate, D Kirwan, N Flynn.

Subs: R Houlihan for Doyle & T Archbold for Sargent (ht); D Flynn for Woodgate (43); K Feely for Masterson (47); P Cribbin for McCormack (54).

Referee: Sean Hurson (Tyrone).

Attendance: 8,216.