Dublin 2-29
Wexford 0-19
DUBLIN CONTINUED THEIR strong pre-season form with a 16-point beat down of Wexford in the Walsh Cup final.
It was Dublin’s fourth straight win in the competition and given the relatively strong selection Wexford had on display, it was every bit as impressive as their 19-point win over Galway a couple of weeks earlier.
They finished their four games with a combined scoring difference of +50, leaving them in fine fettle for next weekend’s Division 1 Group B opener against Waterford.
Dublin’s attack sparkled and they put together some impressive passages of neat interplay and scores. All six of their starting forwards scoring from play and 16 players contributing to the scoreboard.
Fergal Whitely hit 1-2 in the first-half but faded after the break, Donal Burke clipped 10 points (0-9 of them frees) and Conor Burke added three from midfield.
Of concern to new Wexford manager Darragh Egan will be the league score they conceded. The Model County were operating without the sweeper they used during Davy Fitzgerald’s reign and they looked open defensively, with an ocean of space in front of the full-back line.
They open their league campaign at home to Limerick, who’ve been scoring freely themselves in the pre-season.
The opening period was a tale of Dublin’s accuracy and Wexford’s profilgacy.
The Model County had their share of chances but shot 10 wides in the first-half.
In contrast, five of Dublin’s starting six forwards scored from play as they surged into an 11-point half-time advantage. Mattie Kenny’s side led by 0-4 to no score inside eight minutes and were 10 to 0-4 ahead by the 21st minute.
The Sky Blues put together some good passages of interplay up front, typified by their opening goal. Fergal Whitely burst through and found Aidan Mellett at the back post, though his slightly overhit handpass gave Mark Fanning the chance to race from goal and block the shot.
The rebound fell kindly into the path of Whitely, who had continued his run, and he tapped in from close-range. Ronan Hayes was on the field less than 60 seconds when he struck Dublin’s second, giving his team an unassailable lead at the break.
Any hopes of a Wexford fightback were quickly distinguished in the third quarter. They scored just twice in the 12 minutes, once from play, as Dublin moved 17 points clear.
Conor Burke, Daire Grey, Aidan Mellett and James Madden all got in on the scoring act as Dublin popped the ball around their opponents with ease. The unlimited substations rule meant the game lost its shape after that, with both teams introducing all of their 10 outfield subs.
Eamonn Dillon sniped two points for Dublin, while Billy Dunne sent over three frees after his 52nd minute introduction. Mikie Dwyer, who replaced the injured Kevin Foley in the 10th minute, finished as Wexford’s top-scorer from play with a three-point haul.
Egan’s team scored just 0-4 from play in the entire second-half in a worrying performance by his team.
Scorers for Dublin: Donal Burke 0-10 (0-9f), Fergal Whitely 1-2, Conor Burke 0-3, Ronan Hayes 1-0, Eamonn Dillon and Sean Currie (0-2f) 0-2 each, Cian O’Callaghan, Daire Grey, James Madden, Chris Crummey, Riain McBride, Danny Sutcliffe, Colin Currie, Aidan Mellett, Davy Keogh and Paul Crummey 0-1 each.
Scorers for Wexford: Seamus Casey (0-3f), Billy Dunne (0-3f) and Mikie Dwyer 0-3 each, Liam Og McGovern and Oisin Pepper 0-2 each, Damien Reck, Dee O’Keeffe, Oisin Foley, Jack O’Connor, Conor McDonald 0-1 each.
Dublin
1. Sean Brennan (Cuala)
17. Andrew Dunphy (St Brigi’ds) 3. Eoghan O’Donnell (Whitehall Colmcille), 4. Cian O’Callaghan (Cuala)
5. Daire Gray (Whitehall Colmcille), 6. Paddy Smyth (Clontarf), 7. James Madden (Ballyboden St Enda’s)
8. Conor Burke (St Vincent’s), 9. Chris Crummey (Lucan Sarsfields)
10. Danny Sutcliffe (St Jude’s), 11. Riain McBride (St Vincent’s), 12. Donal Burke (Na Fianna)
13. Fergal Whitely (Kilmacud Crokes), 14. Colin Currie (Na Fianna), 15. Aidan Mellett (Ballyboden St Enda’s)
Subs
21. Ronan Hayes (Kilmacud Crokes) for Currie (34)
24. Eamonn Dillon (St Finbarr’s) for Mellett (46)
2. John Bellew (Lucan Sarsfields) for Gray (51)
22. Davy Keogh (Thomas Davis) for Whitely (60)
23. John Hetherton (St Vincent’s) for Sutcliffe (60)
20. Sean Moran (Cuala) for Crummey (61)
25. Paul Crummey (Lucan Sarsfields) for McBride (63)
18. Luke Walsh (Lucan Sarsfields) for O’Callaghan (63)
26. Sean Currie (Na Fianna) for Donal Burke (63)
19. Kevin Burke (Na Fianna) for Madden (64)
Wexford
1. Mark Fanning (Glynn-Barntown)
2. Conor Devitt (Tara Rocks), 3. Liam Ryan (Rapparees), 4. Matthew O’Hanlon (St James)
5. Connal Flood (Cloughbawn), 6. Paudie Foley (Crossabeg-Ballymun), 7. Damien Reck (Oylgate-Glenbrien)
8. Kevin Foley (Rapparees), 9. Dee O’Keeffe (St Anne’s)
10. Oisin Foley (Crossabeg-Ballymun), 11. Jack O’Connor St Martin’s), 12. Liam Og McGovern (St Anne’s)
13. Paul Morris (Ferns St Aidan’s), 14. Conor McDonald (Naomh Eanna), 15. Seamus Casey
Subs
22. Mikie Dwyer (St Mogue’s Fethard) for Kevin Foley (8)
19. Cathal Dunbar (Naomh Eanna) for O’Connor (35)
24. Charlie McGuickin (Naomh Eanna) for Oisin Foley (40)
25. Oisin Pepper (Rapparees) for Morris (43)
17. Simon Donoghue (Shelmaliers) for Flood (46)
20. Billy Dunne (Oulart the Ballagh) for Casey (52)
26. Kyle Scallan (Faythe Harriers) for Devitt (59)
18. Aodhan Doyle (Naomh Eanna) for O’Keeffe (59)
23. Richie Lawlor (Faythe Harriers) for McDonald (61)
21. David Dunne (Davidstown-Courtnacuddy) for McGovern (62)
Referee: Patrick Murphy (Carlow).