DUBLIN AND WEXFORD set up a Walsh Cup final meeting next Saturday night after semi-final wins today over Galway and Offaly respectively.
The final will take place in Croke Park as a curtain-raiser to the Allianz Division 1 football league opener between Dublin and Kerry.
Dublin 1-28
Galway 1-19
Paul Keane reports from Parnell Park
David Treacy blasted 12 points at Parnell Park to help stem the tide of Dublin defeats to Galway, securing a Bord na Mona Walsh Cup hurling final place in the process.
The Cuala club man put forward a strong case for inclusion in the upcoming Allianz league with a strong performance from frees and open play while he also curled over a sumptuous side line cut.
Sub Eamonn Dillon weighed in with 1-3 while there were impressive cameos from Niall McMorrow and David O’Callaghan too ahead of next Saturday’s final with Wexford at Croke Park.
Dublin and Galway met five times last year, the most recent of which was November’s Fenway Classic Super 11s tie in Boston which was marred by a high profile melee.
Galway won that game and only lost once to Dublin in those five matches across four different competitions in 2015 so it was a timely win for Ger Cunningham’s hosts, albeit in a pre-season tournament.
Dublin were in control for virtually the full game in perfect conditions at the Donneycarney venue, moving 0-5 to 0-0 ahead after 10 minutes.
Dublin retained a four-point advantage approaching half-time though leaked a sloppy goal to David Burke when goalkeeper Conor Dooley fumbled an innocuous shot into his own net.
It allowed Galway to draw level at half-time, 0-12 to 1-9, and the sides were level twice more early in the second-half.
But 1-2 without reply from Dublin including a fine goal from Dillon following a rasping ground stroke moved them five ahead again.
This time the Sky Blues held on and improved their lead to nine points by full-time with Treacy continuing to pick off the scores and O’Callaghan nailing two beauties from long range also.
Scorers for Dublin: David Treacy 0-12 (0-2 65, 0-6f, 0-1 sideline), Eamonn Dillon 1-3, Niall McMorrow 0-4, David O’Callaghan 0-3, Paul Ryan 0-2 (0-1f), Sean Treacy, Chris Bennett, Daire Plunkett and Sean O’Reilly 0-1 each.
Scorers for Galway: David Burke 1-3, Shane Moloney 0-5 (0-4f), Niall Burke 0-3, Eanna Burke, Andy Smith (0-1f) and Davy Glennon 0-2 each, Gearoid McInerney and Jason Flynn 0-1 each.
Dublin
1. Conor Dooley
2. Joey Boland
4. Oisin Gough
9. Shane Durkin
5. Ben Quinn
3. Chris Crummey
7. Johnny McCaffrey
11. Niall McMorrow
19. Fionn O Riain Broinn
23. Daire Plunkett
14. Fionntan McGibb
18. David Treacy
22. Sean Treacy
17. David O’Callaghan
15. Chris Bennett
Subs
12. Eamon Dillon for Crummey (21)
13. Paul Ryan for Bennett (34)
20. Sean O’Reilly for S Treacy (63)
21. Rob Hardy for Durkin (69)
Galway
16. James Skehill
2. Johnny Coen
3. Ronan Burke
4. Paul Hoban
7. Daithi Burke
6. Greg Lally
5. Paul Claffey
8. David Burke
9. Padraig Brehony
10. Andrew Smith
11. Gearoid McInerney
12. Niall Burke
13. Eanna Burke
23. Shane Moloney
15. Davy Glennon
Subs
21. Aidan Harte for Brehony (30)
25. Jason Flynn for Brehony (h/t)
22. Iarla Tannian for Lally (48)
19. Sean Morrissey for Daithi Burke (52)
Referee: Paud O’Dwyer (Carlow).
Wexford 0-14
Offaly 0-6
0-9 from Harry Kehoe helped Liam Dunne’s Wexford team see off Offaly in their semi-final clash at O’Kennedy Park in New Ross.
Wexford made all the early running and were in front by 0-9 to 0-0 after 26 minutes. At the interval they were in front 0-10 to 0-3 and were never really troubled in the second-half.
Shane Tomkins also weighed in with a brace of points for the Model County who also had an impressive performer in Lee Chin.
Offaly were far too reliant on Shane Dooley for scores, he hit 0-5 of their total, with Colin Egan grabbing their solitary other score.
