Dublin Claim Walsh Cup With Win Over Wexford

Dublin 2-29 

Wexford 0-19 

Dublin’s Senior Hurlers claimed their first silverware of the year on Saturday evening at Croke Park, as they beat Wexford to win the Walsh Cup.

Mattie Kenny’s side continued their impressive pre-season form to notch their fourth win of the month- and a first Walsh Cup title since 2016.

Dublin raced into an early 4-point lead, thanks to scores from Na Fianna men Dónal Burke and Colin Currie.

Burke was in inspired form from placed balls, shooting 0-09 from frees in all, while further scores from Fergal Whitely, Rian McBride and Conor Burke helped Dublin to a 0-10 to 0-04 lead by the 20^th minute.

The Boys in Blue pulled further clear shortly afterwards as Whitely hit the net, after Aidan Mellett’s original effort was saved.

Cian O’Callaghan, Chris Crummey and Danny Sutcliffe hit further scores, before substitute Ronan Hayes struck Dublin’s second goal on the stroke of half time to give his side a 2-14 to 0-09 lead at the break.

Dublin continued where they left off after half time, with some lovely scores from James Madden, Mellett, Conor Burke and Daire Gray extending their lead.

Mattie Kenny emptied his bench as the second half wore on- and Eamonn Dillon, Davy Keogh, Paul Crummey and Seán Currie all got their names on the scoresheet in the final quarter, as Dublin ran out 2-29 to 0-19 winners.

Dublin begin their Allianz League campaign next weekend, as they take on Waterford at Parnell Park on Sunday afternoon.

Dublin scorers: Dónal Burke 0-10 (0-09f), Fergal Whitely 1-02, Conor Burke 0-03, Ronan Hayes 1-00, Eamonn Dillon and Seán Currie (0-02f) 0-02 each, Cian O’Callaghan, Daire Gray, James Madden, Chris Crummey, Rian McBride, Danny Sutcliffe, Colin Currie, Aidan Mellett, Davy Keogh & Paul Crummey 0-01 each.

Wexford scorers: Seamus Casey (0-03f), Billy Dunne (0-03f) & Mikie Dwyer 0-03 each, Liam Óg McGovern & Oisin Pepper 0-02 each, Damien Reck, Dee O’Keeffe, Oisin Foley, Jack O’Connor & Conor McDonald 0-01 each.

Dublin: Seán Brennan, Andrew Dunphy, Eoghan O'Donnell, Cian O'Callaghan, Daire Gray, Paddy Smyth, James Madden, Conor Burke, Chris Crummey, Danny Sutcliffe, Rian McBride, Dónal Burke, Fergal Whitely, Colin Currie, Aidan Mellett,

Subs: Ronan Hayes for Colin Currie (34 mins), Eamonn Dillon for Mellett (46 mins), John Bellew for Gray (52 mins), John Hetherton for Sutcliffe (59 mins), Davy Keogh for Whitely (60 mins); Seán Moran for Chris Crummey (60 mins), Luke Walsh for O’Callaghan (63 mins), Paul Crummey for McBride (63 mins), Sean Currie for Dónal Burke (64 mins), Kevin Burke for Madden (63 mins).

Wexford: Mark Fanning; Conor Devitt, Liam Ryan, Matt O’Hanlon; Connal Flood, Paudie Foley, Damien Reck, Jack O’Connor, Diarmuid O’Keeffe, Oisin Foley, Liam Óg McGovern, Kevin Foley; Paul Morris, Conor McDonald, Seamus Casey.

Subs: Mikie Dwyer for Kevin Foley (10 mins), Cathal Dunbar for Jack O’Connor (35 mins), Charlie McGuckin for Oisin Foley, Oisin Pepper for Morris (43 mins), Simon Donohue for Flood (47 mins), Billy Dunne for Casey (52 mins), Kyle Scallan for Devitt (59 mins), Aodhan Doyle for O’Keeffe (59 mins), Richie Lawlor for McDonald (61 mins), David Dunne for McGovern (61 mins).