Dublin prepare for final league encounter as Orlagh Nolan stars against Donegal

It will be Kerry against Galway in the Division 1 final, but Dublin and Waterford will want to keep on fine-tuning the piano ahead of the Brendan Martin Cup.

The two penalties were the highlight of the St Patrick’s Day victory over Donegal in the neat Letterkenny ground.

Hannah Tyrrell rolled the first one home, with all the assurance of Messi, or Jimmy Keaveney.

With Hannah off the pitch, Orlagh Nolan converted the second, her first goal for Dublin. And she was also selected as the player of the match.

She has become one of the key figures on this Dublin side. She brings such drive and energy. Getting on the ball. Making things happen.

It was a completely different game to last summer’s All-Ireland quarter-final in Carrick-On-Shannon. Donegal are building. They have a young side. They are learning. And, as Maxi Curran says, they are growing in confidence. Each time they go out to play.

Maxi is looking at the bigger picture. And so is Mick Bohan. “It’s all about the learnings at this stage of the season,” the Dublin boss said. “We were happy with the display against Donegal. With our first half performance in particular.

“We moved the ball well. But, sometimes, our distribution could have been better, and we missed a couple of goal chances, so those are things we’ll work on for the next day.”

Mick has seen a climate change in the sport. “A few years ago, you had Cork as the dominant force, but now there are five or six teams you’d consider as contenders.”