Dunphy scorns past as Dublin hurlers embark on new era

Dublin defender Andrew Dunphy is disinclined to dwell on the past as the capital's hurlers seek to escape their recent funk at inter-county level.

Last year's campaign, like so many recent ones, ended in frustration for the Dubs.

All appeared to be going well after an apparently decisive one-point win away to Wexford - best recalled for Danny Sutcliffe's stunning diving block in the dying seconds of the game. With three wins from three, they seemed to be set fair for at least a preliminary quarter-final appearance.

They fell to earth with a thunderous jolt following another dismal showing at home to Kilkenny, a game which, alarmingly, was close to a replica of their league meeting three months earlier.

In Round 5, they slumped to an abject defeat to table-toppers Galway in a goalless affair in Salthill. This wouldn't have been fatal had Wexford not turned over Kilkenny in the simultaneous game down in Nowlan Park. As word filtered through from Kilkenny in the closing minutes, the Dubs made frantic attempts to rescue the game in Pearse Stadium but could only manage to reduce the deficit from nine to six.

Dublin wound up in the dreaded fourth spot in the province and Mattie Kenny subsequently departed as manager after a four-year reign, when the capital occasionally threatened a breakthrough, landing the odd win but ultimately failing to reach the semi-final stage.

Dunphy, who begins his Fitzgibbon Cup campaign with DCU next week, broke onto the Dublin starting team at the tail end of last year's championship, having been a regular fixture in the league since 2020. Introduced late amid the slaughter from Kilkenny in Nowlan Park, Dunphy was elevated to a starting berth against Galway.

"You can't dwell on the past too much," Dunphy