Dublin Wexford
Leinster SHC Quarter-Final Replay
By Darragh Twomey at Parnell Park
Dublin defeated Wexford by eight points at the second time of asking in their Leinster Senior Hurling Championship replay at a packed Parnell Park on Saturday evening (15th June).
The sides couldn’t be separated last week in Wexford Park, but this game was over as a contest midway through the second half as the home side took a ten point advantage twice in the second half.
The win for Dublin means they will advance to the semi-final stage where All-Ireland champions Kilkenny will provide the opposition. That fixture is scheduled for this Sunday (23rd June) at 4PM in Portlaoise.
Wexford on the other hand will host Antrim in a qualifier at home on Saturday (22nd June).
This was Dublin’s first Leinster Senior Hurling Championship game at the Donnycarney venue since their 4-17 to 0-13 win over Westmeath in 2003.
Wexford were dealt a late blow as Bobby Kenny was forced to replace Keith Rossiter in their starting fifteen after the Oulart The Ballagh clubman picked up an injury in the warm-up.
The yellow-bellies were dealt a further blow five minutes into the game when they were reduced to fourteen men. Andrew Shore was the man who saw red for a late tackle.
Paul Ryan opened the scoring for Dublin with a free in the first minute.
Jack Guiney replied with a free four minutes later, before a scuffle broke out at the other end and Shore was sent off.
As a result, Dublin were awarded a free which Ryan converted at ease.
Twelve minutes in, Ryan scored the game’s opening goal. Conal Keaney delivered a brilliant low ball into the full forward-line which Eoin Moore failed to deal with. Ryan capitalised and buried the ball into the back of the net.
Guiney responded by slotting over another free, however Ryan cancelled that out immediately with a free at the other end.
Both captain’s, Garrett Sinnott and Johnny McCaffrey, exchanged scores in the sixteenth minute to leave four points between the sides.
The Dubs continued to pile on the pressure as Conor McCormack very nearly set David Treacy up for a second goal, but the Cuala man failed to connect with the ball as it dribbled across the face of the Wexford goal.
Ryan added two frees in quick succession for The Metropolitans as the rain began to fall from the clear bright blue sky.
Dublin full-back Peter Kelly kept the scoreboard ticking with a fantastic point from the middle of the field.
Wexford captain Sinnott was lucky to escape with a yellow card two minutes from the break after he batted down onto the helmet of Kelly.
The resulting free landed in the hand of Keaney who turned and pointed.
Just before the break, Treacy added a point for the boys in blue after some good work from McCaffrey.
That score was greeted by referee Brian Gavin’s whistle and Dublin went in 1-9 to 0-4 ahead at the break.
A Ryan free two minutes after the restart was quickly cancelled out by Harry Kehoe at the opposite end.
Dublin went through a thirteen minute spell without picking up a single score, while Jack Guiney scored twice from placed balls in the same period of time.
Anothy Daly’s side had a brilliant goal chance deflected out for a 65’ during their dry-patch. Treacy was put through on goal by Keaney, but Wexford net-minder Mark Fanning made himself big to deny the corner-forward.
Paul Ryan took the resulting 65’, but he uncharacteristically struck wide.
Dublin added four points in as many minutes through Sutcliffe, Keaney, McCaffrey and Treacy to put them ten ahead with fifteen minutes left to play.
A minute later, Wexford substitute Podge Doran skilfully slotted over a point after a brilliant solo-run.
Ryan converted yet another free for Dublin, and despite Wexford’s response of three points courtesy of Rory Jacob, Paul Morris and Sinnott, the Dubs remained in the comfort zone with seven minutes left on the clock.
Morris added a point late on, but what Paul Morris can do, Paul Ryan can do better, so the reliable free taker scored two injury-time points from dead balls to give his side a 1-17 to 0-12 win.
Scorers:
Dublin: P Ryan (1-9, 0-9 f), D Treacy (0-2), C Keaney (0-2), J McCaffrey (0-2), D Sutcliffe (0-1), P Kelly (0-1).
Wexford: J Guiney (0-5 f), P Morris (0-2), G Sinnott (0-2), H Kehoe (0-1), P Doran (0-1).
Dublin: Gary Maguire; Niall Corcoran, Peter Kelly, Paul Schutte; Stephen Hiney, Liam Rushe, Michael Carton; John McCaffrey, Joseph Boland; Conal Keaney, Ryan O’Dwyer, Danny Sutcliffe; Paul Ryan, David Treacy, Conor McCormack. Subs: Share Durkin for P Schutte (35 mins); David O’Callaghan for C McCormack (42 mins); Simon Lambert for L Rushe (60 mins); Mark Schutte for D Treacy (63 mins); Niall McMorrow for D Sutcliffe (67 mins).
Wexford: Mark Fanning; Eoin Moore, Tomas Waters, Bobby Kenny; Richie Kehoe, Andrew Shore, Ciaran Kenny; Harry Kehoe, Lee Chin; Garrett Sinnott, Eoin Quigley, David Redmond; Paul Morris, Jack Guiney, Rory Jacob. Subs: PJ Nolan for E Quigley (41 mins); Podge Doran for D Redmond (41 mins); Michael O’Regan for H Kehoe (64 mins); Gary Moore for R Jacob (69 mins).
