Dublin 2-12
Wexford 0-12
DUBLIN STRUCK TWO pivotal goals in the final five minutes to claim the Electric Ireland Leinster Minor Hurling Championship title when overcoming Wexford by six points at Croke Park this afternoon.
Having failed to score for the previous twelve minutes, Dublin belatedly provided a clinical edge to their play as both Johnny McGuirk and the impressive Donal Burke found the net late on to claim a first provincial title for the Dubs since 2012.
For Wexford, it was an afternoon to forget as they failed to translate some early dominance on the scoreboard with only two of their starting forward managing to score from play over the sixty minutes.
Wexford settled into the contest far quicker than their struggling opponents and they gained reward for a positive opening through early points from Jack Cullen and Rory O’Connor.
A superb save from Dare De Poire to deny O’Connor in the 6th minute looked vital at the time with Dublin managing to restore parity through a brace of placed balls from Colin Currie.
Conal Flood’s excellent score in the 11th minute restored Wexford’s slender advantage with Currie landing Dublin’s first score from play as late as the 16th minute.
Burke began to influence matters hugely from a Dublin perspective as he landed a trio of points from play to inch Dublin two points clear by the 23rd minute.
O’Connor added a brace of his own in reply but late scores from McGuirk and Currie helped Dublin to enjoy a narrow 0-8 to 0-6 interval lead.
Dublin enjoyed a greater degree of possession in the third quarter but some errant shooting ensured they only pushed three points clear thanks to Conor Burke and Currie.
Their waywardness allowed Wexford to draw level through Flood, O’Connor and Damien Reck with the latter inching his side a point clear in the 53rd minute.
However, they struggled from that point with McGuirk scrambling the ball home two minutes later before Burke fired to the net after a strong run from substitute Peter Feeney.
The Dubs tagged on points through Ciaran Dowling and John Walsh with Wexford’s misery compounded by the late dismissal of O’Connor after a wild challenge on Jack O’Neill in injury time.
Scorers for Dublin: D Burke 1-3, C Currie 0-5 (0-2f, 0-2 ‘65’), J McGuirk 1-1, C Burke, C Dowling, J Walsh 0-1 each.
Scorers for Wexford: R O’Connor 0-5 (0-2f), D Reck 0-3 (0-1f, 0-1 ‘65’), C Flood 0-2, J Cullen, G Molloy 0-1 each.
Dublin
1. Dara De Poire (St Vincent’s)
2. Jack O’Neill (St Brigid’s)
3. Paddy Smyth (Clontarf)
4. Donnacha Ryan (St Brigid’s)
5. Jack McVeigh (Faughs)
6. Cian O’Sullivan (St Brigid’s)
7. Eoin Foley (Naomh Olaf)
8. Conor Ryan (Craobh Chiaráin)
9. Daire Gray (Whitehall Colmcille)
10. Conor Burke (St Vincent’s)
11. Johnny McGuirk (St Brigid’s)
12. Donal Burke (Na Fianna)
13. Colin Currie (Na fianna)
14. Ciaran Dowling (Lucan Sarsfields)
15. Mark O’Keeffe (St Vincent’s)
Subs
R Hayes (Kilmacud Crokes) for O’Keeffe (35)
D Hawkshaw (St Brigid’s) for McVeigh (40)
J Walsh (St Vincent’s) for Gray (41)
D Keogh (Thomas Davis) for C Ryan (50)
P Feeney (Na Fianna) for Currie (56)
Wexford
1. James Henebry (Faythe Harriers)
2. Ciaran Murphy (Buffers Alley)
3. Darren Byrne (Blackwater)
4. Eoin Molloy (Naomh Éanna)
5. Jack Cullen (Naomh Éanna)
6. Conor Firman (St Martin’s)
7. Garry Molloy (Naomh Éanna)
8. Damien Reck (Oylgate-Glenbrien)
9. Barry O’Connor (St Martin’s)
10. Liam Stafford (Adamstown)
11. Conor Hearne (Shelmaliers)
12. Conal Flood (Cloughbawn)
13. Rory O’Connor (St Martin’s)
14. Andy Walsh (St James’)
15. Quinn Saunders (Our Lady’s Island)
Subs
E Kelly (Halway House Bunclody) for B O’Connor (44)
M Codd (St Martin’s) for Walsh (50)
L Pender (Duffry Rovers) for Saunders (59)
Referee: Peter Burke (Kilkenny)
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