Dublin 4-27
Carlow 0-2
CIARAN KILKENNY STRUCK 2-10 as Dublin cruised to victory against Carlow in the Cadbury’s Leinster U21FC tonight.
Dessie Farrell’s Dublin side were far too strong for their opponents in Parnell Park as they ran out winners by a 37-point margin in their preliminary round tie.
Backed by members of last year’s minor and U21 All-Ireland winning team, Dublin were far too strong for their opponents in a one-sided contest.
Kilkenny, making his first appearance for the county since last August’s All-Ireland senior semi-final and back from his stint with Hawthorn in the AFL, found the net in the 10th minute to help them to a 1-4 to 0-0 interval lead.
Paul Mannion, Glenn Whelan and Adam Caffrey were others to score freely in the first-half as Dublin lead 1-16 to 0-1 at the interval.
In the second-half they continued to dominate with Kilkenny, last year’s minor Shane Carthy and substitute Harry Dawson all raising further green flags. Dublin now advance to face Longford at the quarter-final stage in Parnell Park on March 6th.
Scorers for Dublin: Ciaran Kilkenny 2-10 (0-2f), Shane Carthy 1-2, Paul Mannion 0-4 (0-1f), Glenn Whelan, Adam Caffrey 0-3 each, Harry Dawson 1-0, Gavin Ivory 0-2, Paul Maguire, Danny Byrne, Michael Gibbs 0-1 each.
Scorers for Carlow: D Kelly, S McGrath 0-1 each.
DUBLIN: Lorcan Molloy (St Anne’s); Michael Durcan (Kilmacud Crokes), David Byrne (Naomh Olaf), Niall McGovern (Na Fianna); Eric Lowndes (St Peregrine’s), Conor Mulally (Cuala), Jack McCaffrey (Clontarf); Emmet Ó Conghaile (Lucan Sarsfields), Glen Whelan (Ballinteer St John’s); Shane Carthy (Naomh Mearnóg), Michael Gibbs (Naomh Mearnóg), Danny Byrne (St Maur’s); Paul Mannion (Kilmacud Crokes), Adam Caffrey (Na Fianna), Ciarán Kilkenny (Castleknock).
Subs: John Small for McCaffrey (half-time), Paul Maguire for Danny Byrne (half-time), Harry Dawson for Mannion (half-time), P O’Curry for Ó Conghaile (37), Gavin Ivory for Gibbs (41).
CARLOW: Colvin Keogh; Lorcan OGorman, Martin Doyle, Aaron Mullins; Richard Jeffers, Sean Murphy, S Wogan; Mark Fitzgerald, Simon Doyle; Donal Kelly, Darragh O’Brien, Graham Power; Shane McGrath, Conor Byrne, Jack Kennedy.
Subs: G Owens for Wogan (26), Daryl Roberts for Mullins (half-time), N Lawlor for Kelly (half-time), K Curran for Byrne (half-time), F Dowling for Doyle (48).
Referee: Fergal Smyth (Longford)
Dublin’s Paul Mannion on the attack. Pic: INPHO/Donall Farmer
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Laois 3-11
Offaly 2-13
Laois were narrow victors over Offaly in Portlaoise with two first-half goals from 17 year-old Evan O’Carroll helping them take the spoils.
O’Carroll’s double blast in the opening period helped Laois lead 2-6 to 0-7 at the interval. His first goal ensured they were ahead 1-1 to 0-2 by the 10th minute and he fired his second in the 23rd minute.
Paul McPadden, Stuart Cullen and Aaron McDonagh notched points to keep Offaly in touch while Evan Costello was in good scoring form for Laois.
Laois maintained their dominance in the second-half and a 44th minute Kevin McGrath point pushed them ahead 2-11 to 0-11. Yet the game took a dramatic turn when David Hanlon found the net for Offaly and a Peter Cunningham point cut the deficit to the minimum, 2-11 to 1-13, with just seven minutes left.
But McGrath raised the third green flag for Laois to afford them breathing space and despite a late Ciaran Hurley goal for Offaly, Laois held on to set up a quarter-final meeting with Wicklow in Portlaoise on March 6th.
Scorers for Laois: Evan O’Carroll 2-0, Kevin McGrath 1-1, Evan Costello 0-4 (0-4f), Dan Dunne (0-1 ’45, 0-1f), Adam Ryan 0-2 each, Padraig McEvoy, Paul Kingston 0-1 each.
Scorers for Offaly: Peter Cunningham 0-6 (0-2f), Ciaran Hurley 1-1 (0-1f), Paul McPadden 0-3 (0-3f), David Hanlon 1-0 (1-0 pen), Stuart Cullen, Aaron McDonagh, Barry Cushen 0-1 each.
LAOIS: Graham Brody (Portlaoise); Mark Dowling (The Heath), Mark O’Halloran (Courtwood), Stephen Attride (Killeshin); Kieran Lennon (Timahoe), Padraig McEvoy (Ballylinan), Dan Dunne (St Joseph’s); Adam Ryan (Portarlington), Matthew Campion (St Joseph’s); Kevin McGrath (Portarlington), Liam McGovern (Portlaoise), Damien O’Connor (Timahoe); Evan O’Carroll (Crettyard), Evan Costello (Emo), Paul Kingston (Barrowhouse).
OFFALY: Mark Langtry (Doon); Declan Hogan (Tullamore), Eoin Rigney (Rhode), James McPadden (Rhode); David Hanlon (Edenderry), Derek Kelly (Edenderry), Philip Foy (Clonmore Harps); Conor McNamee (Rhode), Eoin Carroll (Cappincur); Stuart Cullen (Edenderry), Peter Cunningham (Bracknagh), Aaron McDonagh (Ferbane); Paul McPadden (Rhode), Ciaran Hurley (Edenderry), Stephen Hannon (Rhode).
Referee: Brendan Cawley (Kildare)
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Meath 3-13
Louth 1-7
The Royals got their U21 campaign off to a winning start in Páirc Tailteann in Navan tonight against the Wee County. Meath lead by 1-6 to 1-3 at half-time yet it was Louth who opened brightly when Paddy Reilly found the net and Ciaran Byrne popped up with neat points.
But Meath recovered when Daniel Queeney striking home a goal and his club mate Conor Downey was also to the fore in the scoring stakes as they established an interval advantage.
Meath’s prospects were boosted further early in the second-half when Queeney grabbed another goal and from there to the end they were in control.
Corner-forward Bryan McMahon shot home their third goal in the closing stages while Cian O’Brien and Eamonn Wallace added further points. Meath ran out victors by a 12-point margin and will now contest a quarter-final tie with Kildare on March 6th.
Scorers for Meath: David Queeney 2-4 (0-2f), Bryan McMahon 1-4 (0-2f), Conor Downey 0-3, Cian O’Brien, Bobby O’Brien, Eamonn Wallace 0-1 each.
Scorers for Louth: Ciaran Byrne 0-5 (0-3f), Paddy Reilly 1-1, Glen Traynor 0-1.
MEATH: Conor Mc Hugh (Oldcastle); Simon Carty (Dunderry), David Mc Quillan (St. Patrick’s), Cathal Finn (St. Peters, Dunboyne); Brian Dillon (Navan O’Mahony’s), Brian Moore (Duleek/Bellewstown), Neil Shortall (Curraha); Conor Sheridan (Simonstown Gaels), Cian O’Brien (Ratoath); Shane Barry (Simonstown Gaels), Conor Downey (Na Fianna), Daniel Queeney (Na Fianna); Eamon Wallace (Ratoath), Bobby O’Brien (Ratoath), Bryan McMahon (Ratoath).
LOUTH: Kevin Brennan (O’Mahony’s); Ciaran Ward (Wolfe Tones), Dermot Campbell (Dreadnots), Kevin Toner (St Pats); Micheal McKeown (Mattock Rangers), Anthony Williams (Dreadnots), Shane McMahon (St Mochta’s); Robert Brodigan (Plunkett’s), Martin Breen (St Pat’s); Darren McMahon (St Mochta’s), Conaill McKeever (Clans), Michael Rafferty (Cooley); Kevin Hearty (St Brides), Patrick Reilly (St Brides), Ciaran Byrne (St Mochat’s).
Referee: Damien Maher (Westmeath)
