Minor footballers capture Leinster title

DUBLIN 3-16 KILDARE 1-12

Con O'Callaghan played the captain's role for the Dublin minor footballers as they captured the provincial crown for the 31st time in Sunday's Electric Ireland Leinster MFC final at Croke Park.

The dual ace compiled a personal tally of 1-6 (0-2f) and was the focal point of the Dublin attack during their best periods as the Dubs recovered from a slow start to run out comprehensive victors.

The Lilywhites led 0-4 to 0-1 inside ten minutes but O'Callaghan's excellent individual goal in the 14th minute brought Dublin to life.

While Kildare responded with a goal through full-forward Seán Dempsey it was the Dubs who held the upperhand from there to the half-time interval at which stage they had built up a 3-9 to 1-8 advantage.

The midfield partnership of Andrew Foley and Eoghan McHugh again provided the platform for victory while the direct ball to O'Callaghan on the edge of the square proved telling as his ball-winning ability coupled with his finishing prowess caused nightmares for Kildare.

Beside him the pace of Aaron Byrne helped made in roads as Dublin improved as the half progressed, much like how they have progressed as a unit throughout the summer.

After 19th minutes Colm Basquel finished to the net to make it 2-7 to 1-5 and three minutes later Byrne rifled a left footed effort to the net as Dublin extended their lead to 3-7 to 1-6.

The switch of Dublin corner-back Eoin Murchan out the field also strengthened Dublin's hand as his well-timed tackling and clever use of possession often put Dublin back on the attack.

Dublin played a good containment game in the second half knowing that if they did not concede a couple of goals they probably would have enough to prove victorious.

And so it proved to be with half-backs Aodhán Fee and Glenn O'Reilly to the fore as Dublin ran out ten-point winners and now face Cork in their All-Ireland MFC quarter-final.

DUBLIN: E Whelan; C Murphy, J Mullins, E Murchan; A Fee, S Clayton, G O'Reilly (0-1); A Foley, E McHugh (0-1); W Egan (0-2), C Basquel (1-2), J Burke (0-1); A Byrne (1-2), C O'Callaghan (1-6, 0-2f), C Sallier (0-1). Subs: D Monahan for Murphy (ht), A Elliot for Egan (47), D McIlgorm for Foley (51), B Howard for Sallier (54), A McGowan for Fee (58), C Kavanagh for O'Reilly (59).
KILDARE: T Foley; S Healy, M Hyland, A Scully; J Flynn, P Mescal, C Earley; E Boyle (0-2), C Kavanagh (0-1), E Flynn (0-1); C Hartley (0-1), R Feely; M Kelly (0-2), S Dempsey (1-5, 0-3f, 0-1 '45'), S Lawlor. Subs: B McCormack for Lawlor (ht), M Bursey for Feely (39), J Corrigan for Kelly (41), P Murray for Hartley (50), J Healy for Earley (57).
REF: J Hickey (Carlow).