Minor Footballers overcome Wexford in Leinster Quarter Final

Pic Courtesy Paul Lundy

DUBLIN 5-11 

WEXFORD 0-9

A blistering start helped pave the way as Dublin accounted for Wexford by seventeen points in their Electric Ireland Leinster Minor Football Championship quarter-final at Parnell Park on Wednesday evening.

Goals in the first-half by Cillian McCabe, Senan Bolger and Charlie Loughran handed Dublin the perfect platform as they raced twelve points clear by half-time.

Further goals in the third quarter from Fintan Lydon and Rían Doherty reflected Dublin’s dominance as they eased into the last four with a fair degree of comfort.

The hosts could not have dreamed of a better start as their angles of running and accuracy in front of goal proved too much for an initially shell-shocked Wexford side.

There was only thirty seconds on the board when Doherty opened the scoring and matters improved for Dublin within two minutes as late replacement McCabe fired unerringly to the corner of the net from a Loughran pass.

The likes of Eoghan O’Donovan and Josh Kennedy were already causing headaches for the away defence with their enterprising runs from deep and it was the latter that picked his pass to perfection in the 5^th minute when assisting Bolger for a cracking finish beyond the helpless John Gallagher.

Bolger added a point soon after to extend Dublin’s lead to eight points and a third goal should have arrived in the 7^th minute but Cian Gavin placed his shot too close to Gallagher, who made a competent save.

While their attacks continued with great regularity, Dublin’s accuracy began to elude them as they spurned a number of presentable chances to enhance their lead, allowing their opponents to settle into the game through a brace of frees from Odhrán Morris.

The Dubs ended a scoreless period of thirteen minutes through Ryan Ennis in the 20^th minute but the contest was already becoming far more even at this stage with the visitors almost netting a minute later but full-forward Darren Rossiter dragged wide when well placed.

With their forward-line enjoying a relatively quiet period, it was up to defenders Jack O’Keeffe and Kennedy to push Dublin further ahead as the hosts looked to finish the half how they started it.

A third goal duly arrived through Loughran in the 28^th minute with ensuing points by Doherty and McCabe leaving the hosts well placed with an interval lead of 3-7 to 0-4.

It was the visitors that resumed on the front foot through another Morris free and a sublime point from Ian Noctor as Dublin took their time settling into the second-half.

However, from their first meaningful attack of the half, a strong burst from deep by Finn McGinnis and a precise Kennedy pass via the hands of substitute Hugh O’Neill allowed Fintan Lydon the chance to fire home from eight yards.

That concession knocked the stuffing from the Wexford challenge and replacement goalkeeper Adam Furlong was left exposed once again in the 39^th minute with Doherty clinically punishing the absent marking with a smart finish for Dublin’s fifth goal.

While Morris and Jamie Hughes replied with points at the opposite end, Dublin were happy to add to their own tally through a brace of O’Neill points with the contest petering out to its inevitable conclusion.

Scorers – Dublin: R Doherty 1-3 (0-1f); S Bolger, C McCabe 1-1 each; C Loughran, F Lydon 1-0 each; R Ennis, H O’Neill 0-2 each; J O’Keeffe, J Kennedy 0-1 apiece. Wexford: O Morris 0-6 (5f); D Forde, J Hughes, I Noctor 0-1 apiece.

Dublin: F McDonnell; E O’Donovan, D O’Sullivan, J O’Keeffe; J Kennedy, F McGinnis, R Ennis; C Gavin, K Costello; D McGill, C McCabe, S Bolger; C Loughran, F Lydon, R Doherty. Subs: H O’Neill for McCabe (half-time), J McNair for Kennedy (45), S Devane for O’Donovan (48), J Comiskey for Doherty (48), J O’Connor for O’Sullivan (53).

Wexford: J Gallagher; K Steadmond, L Kenny, S Fitzharris; R Cooper, E Hughes, F Kavanagh; T Funge, J Rothwell; J Hughes, O Morris, D Forde; I Noctor, D Rossiter, A O’Neill. Subs: A Furlong for Gallagher (haf-time), A Carton for Forde (37), A Kelly for O’Neill (42), C Power for Rothwell (42), M Cullen for Steadmond (46).

Referee: Darragh Byrne (Wicklow).