Updated 17.15
Dublin 3-8
Wexford 0-11
SECOND-HALF GOALS from John Kindlon and Dillon Keating proved pivotal as Dublin overcame Wexford by six points in their Electric Ireland Leinster Minor Football Championship quarter-final in Enniscorthy on Saturday afternoon.
The visitors opened the scoring through a superb Tom Fox effort in the second minute and their early dominance was rewarded as Keating turned sharply to net from close range following a pass by Oisin Kelly.
A Shane Howard point five minutes later added to Dublin’s lead but their control faded from that point with Wexford moving full-forward Nick Doyle out to the middle third to secure vital primary possession.
That tactic worked a treat with influential centre-forward Mikey Dwyer kicking a brace of excellent scores as the half progressed and their deficit was whittled down to two points thanks to Mark Rossiter’s effort in the 16th minute.
A Fox point in the 24th minute briefly stemmed Wexford’s superiority but the hosts finished the half on a high with Rossiter and Doyle landing scores to restore parity by the interval, 1-4 to 0-7.
Wexford dominated the early stages of the second-half but only managed a solitary score from Dwyer from all their possession while the Dubs remained in touch through a brace of frees by Paddy Small.
The defining moment arrived in the 47th minute as substitute Kindlon fired home from six yards after an error from Wexford goalkeeper Eoin Cummins.
Cummins could not be blamed for Dublin’s third goal however as Keating eventually prodded home after the Wexford netminder had made superb consecutive saves to deny Cormac Howley and Conor Kavanagh.
Those goals handed Dublin a degree of confidence lacking from earlier and a fine Kavanagh point four minutes from time confirmed their flattering six-point victory.
They’ll be joined in the semi-finals by Meath who held off a late Louth rally for an 0-12 to 0-11 win.
The Royals led by three with 10 minutes to play in Drogheda but despite scoring three of the last four scores, Louth couldn’t do enough to reel them in.
Scorers for Dublin: D Keating 2-1 (0-1F), J Kindlon 1-0, T Fox, S Howard, P Small (2f) 0-2 each, C Kavanagh 0-1.
Scorers for Wexford: M Dwyer 0-4, M Rossiter 0-3 (0-1f), T Cody, J Stafford, F Cooney, N Doyle 0-1 each.
Dublin
1. Evan Comerford (Ballymun Kickhams)
2. James Holland (Ballyboden St Enda’s)
3. Paul O’Hanlon (Na Fianna)
4. Glenn McNamara (Raheny)
5. Conor Kavanagh (Ballymun Kickhams)
6. Brian Howard (Raheny)
7. Oisin Kelly (Thomas Davis)
8. Aaron Elliot (Ballymun Kickhams)
9. Donal McIlgorm (Skerries Harps)
10. Tom Fox (Kilmacud Crokes)
11. Shane Howard (Fingallians)
12. Ben Shovlin (Kilmacud Crokes)
13. Paddy Small (Ballymun Kickhams)
14. Cormac Howley (Round Tower Lusk)
15. Dillon Keating (Ballymun Kickhams)
Substitutes:
C Pearson (Kilmacud Crokes) for Shovlin (half-time)
T O’Sullivan (Whitehall Colmcille) for McIlgorm (39, Black Card)
J Kindlon (Castleknock) for S Howard (45)
C Keely (Ballymun Kickhams) for Kindlon (49, Black Card)
C Hulton (Ballymun Kickhams for Fox (60)
Wexford
1. Eoin Cummins (St Fintan’s)
2. John Dunne (HWH Bunclody)
3. Ronan Deveraux (Crossabeg)
4. Mark O’Neill (Gusserane)
5. Tadhg Cody (Rathgorogue)
6. Shane Doyle (Ballyhogue)
7. Joe Sutton (St Mogue’s Fethard)
8. Darragh Lyons (St James)
9. Joe Gardiner (Castletown)
10. Ciaran Joyce (Glynn-Barntown)
11. Mikey Dwyer (St Mogue’s/Fethard)
12. James Stafford (Glynn-Barntown)
13. Mark Rossiter (Gusserane)
14. Nick Doyle (Starlights)
15. Fionn Cooney (Glynn-Barntown)
Substitutes:
Ciaran Kirwan (Sarsfields) for Lyons (29)
S Barden (Adamstown) for Sutton (37)
S Casey (Oylegate) for Gardiner (52)
M O’Connor (HWH Bunclody) for O’Neill (55)
T Bowler (Duffry Rovers) for Joyce (60).