Wexford 1-20
Dublin 0-18
WEXFORD RETAINED THEIR Bord Gáis Energy Leinster U21 hurling championship title with a brilliant victory over Dublin in Parnell Park tonight.
A cracking second-half goal by Conor McDonald was key to their victory while Jack Guiney, Rhys Clarke and Aidan Foley also impressed in front of goal.
The winners needed extra-time before claiming a dramatic win over Kilkenny in last year’s final but they got the job done in 60 minutes on this occasion as they produced an impressive performance.
The winners raced out of the traps and were 0-5 to 0-1 clear by the 10th minute and they maintained that position to be in front by 0-12 to 0-8 at the interval. Guiney, McDonald and Clarke all caught the eye in the opening period but Oisin O’Rorke impressed in attack for Dublin as they stayed in touch.
Dublin started the second-half impressively. They were 0-13 to 0-11 adrift when goalkeeper Conor Dooley launched over a monster free in the 38th minute and by the 44th minute they remained in the hunt as they trailed by 0-15 to 0-13.
Then McDonald smashed in that brilliant goal in the 45th minute for Wexford that put daylight between the sides. Wexford never looked like being overhauled from there despite the point-taking of top scorer Paul Winters for Dublin.
Scorers for Wexford: Jack Guiney 0-8 (0-4f, 0-1 ’65), Conor McDonald 1-3, Aidan Nolan 0-4, Rhys Clarke 0-2, Padraig Foley, Gary Moore, Peter Sutton 0-1 each.Scorers for Dublin: Paul Winters 0-9 (0-7f), Caolan Conway 0-3, Oisin O’Rorke, Glenn Whelan 0-2 each, Shane Boland, Conor Dooley (0-1f) 0-1 each.
WEXFORD
1. Oliver O’Leary (Buffers Alley)
2. Declan Byrne (Ferns St Aidan’s)
3. Liam Ryan (Rapparees)
4. Eoin Conroy (Naomh Eanna)
5. Andrew Kenny (Buffers Alley)
6. Shane O’Gorman (capt, Adamstown)
7. Jack O’Connor (St Martin’s)
8. Aidan Nolan (HWH-Bunclody)
9. Conor Devitt (Ballyfad)
10. Jack Guiney (Rathnure)
11. Garry Moore (Glynn Barntown)
12. Padraig Foley (Crossabeg-Ballymurn)
13. Rhys Clarke (Faythe Harriers)
14. Conor McDonald (Naomh Eanna)
15. Kevin Foley (Rapparees)
Subs
17. Jim White (Oylegate-Glenbrien) for Byrne (17)
23. Peter Sutton (Oulart-the-Ballagh) for Foley (56)
22. Tony French (Adamstown) for Devitt (62)
DUBLIN
1. Conor Dooley (Ballyboden St Enda’s)
2. Matthew McCaffrey (Lucan Sarsfields)
3. Cian O’Callaghan (Cuala)
4. Seán McClelland (Lucan Sarsfields)
5. Eoghan O’Donnell (Whitehall Colmcille)
6. Chris Crummey (Lucan Sarsfields)
7. Conor Robinson (Ballyboden St Enda’s)
8. Donal Gormley (Ballinteer St John’s)
9. Cian Boland (St Oliver Plunkett’s/Eoghan Ruadh)
10. Aodhán Clabby (Ballinteer St John’s)
11. Colm Cronin (Cuala)
12. Glen Whelan (Ballinteer St John’s)
13. Paul Winters (St Brigid’s)
14. Oisín O’Rorke (Kilmacud Crokes)
15. Caolán Conway (Kilmacud Crokes)
Subs
17. Cian MacGabhann (Kilmacud Crokes) for Robinson (half-time)
18. Fintan McGibb (Setanta) for Clabby (35)
Referee: David Hughes (Carlow)
