Bord Gais Energy Leinster U-21 HC final

Parnell Park: Dublin v Wexford, 7.30,

D Connolly (Kilkenny), Live TG4

DUBLIN U-21 goalkeeper and captain Finn McGarry believes it’s high time his side delivered on their potential by claiming the provincial title in Parnell Park this evening.

The game is Dublin’s eighth appearance in the Leinster final since 2001, but they have only managed to collect the title once. Kilkenny were the province’s dominant force in that period, but after the Dubs skinned the Cats in Nowlan Park, they enter the showdown with Wexford as favourites.

McGarry is behind Gary Maguire at both club and senior county level and this is his third attempt at winning an U-21 title, along with Oisin Gough, David Treacy, Rory O’Carroll, Peter Kelly and Paul Schutte.

“We really underperformed at U-21 in 2008 (after winning the Leinster minor title in 2005). We lost to Kilkenny by, it must have been 12 points or something in the semi-final, and then in 2009 we came back better and beat Wexford in the semi-final and then lost to Kilkenny in the final. This is the third time coming around for a few of us, so we’re conscious of getting the win,” said McGarry.

Wexford were comfortably ahead of Carlow at half-time in their semi-final, but took their foot off the pedal on the restart and their captain Eoin Doyle knows they can’t allow a similar lapse in concentration against Richie Stakelum’s side.

“Carlow did improve their game, but there was a wind that night and that would have helped. But we were disappointed with ourselves with how we slackened off and dropped our intensity. We’re looking to improve,” he said. “Wexford have been starved of titles for the past few years and that only makes us hungrier.”

Verdict: Dublin

Dublin — F McGarry; R Walsh, D Kelly, O Gough; R O’Loughlin, M Quilty, P Kelly; C Clinton, P Buckeridge; S Stapleton, L Rushe, D Plunkett; B O’Rorke, D Treacy, N McMorrow.

Wexford — M Fanning; B McCormack, M O’Hanlon, E Doyle; S Murphy, A Shore, M O’Hanlon; E Moore, M O’Regan; L Og McGovern, S Tomkins, H Kehoe; E Kent, J Gahan, J Reck.

– Donnchadh Boyle

Irish Independent