Minor footballers cruise into Leinster final

Thu, 10th July 2014

Dublin's minor footballers had it all their own way as they outclassed Offaly in Thursday night's Electric Ireland Leinster MFC semi-final at O'Connor Park, Tullamore.

Cyril Kevlihan's (pictured) men had their passage to the provincial decider against Kildare in Croke Park on Sunday week (12.00) as good as booked by half-time as they led 3-7 to 0-3 at the break.

It got worse for the hosts on the restart as Con O'Callaghan and Chris Sallier both added their second goals of the night within three minutes of the restart.

Offaly's tactics could not have backfired any worse from their perspective. They deployed an extra defender but all it achieved was to invite trouble as they failed to either find the extra man on their kickouts or work the ball safely out of defence.

The tackling of the Dublin team throughout the park was impressive as they forced Offaly into mistakes on numerous occasions.

Dublin held the upperhand at centrefield through Andrew Foley and Eoghan McHugh and what they didn't win clean was generally swept up on the break by the Dublin half-forwards.

Time and again Dublin carved through the middle of the Offaly defence and could in fact have led by more at the break.

O'Callghan, who finished with an individual tally of 2-6 (0-3f), scored Dublin's first goal in the sixth minute when he outpaced his marker before clinically firing to the net at the near post with his left foot.

In the closing three minutes of the opening half Dublin tagged on two further goals through Sallier and Aaron Byrne to carry a comprehensive 13-point lead into the break.

The two goals on the restart turned Offaly's night from very bad to worse as the game was over as a contest well before the finish.

Offaly's night was typified by Rian McBride's goal ten minutes from time when their keeper Cain Brereton fumbled a point effort form Sallier and the St Vincent's dual player was on hand to sweep the ball to the net.

SCORERS - Dublin:

C O'Callaghan 2-6 (0-3f), C Sallier 2-2, A Byrne, R McBride 1-0 each, C Basquel 0-2, W Egan 0-1 (0-1 '45').

SCORERS - Offaly:

D Hyland 0-3 (0-3f), A Mangan 0-2, A Mahon 0-1.

DUBLIN:

E Whelan; C Murphy, J Mullins, E Murchan; A Fee, S Clayton, G O'Reilly; A Foley, E McHugh; W Egan, C Basquel, J Burke; A Byrne, C O'Callaghan, C Sallier.

Subs:

D McIlgorm for Foley (33 min), C Kavanagh for O'Reilly (42), R McBride for O'Callaghan (46), A Elliott for Burke (50), B Howard for Sallier (53), D Monahan for Murphy (54).

OFFALY:

C Brereton; Aaron Whelan, James Lalor, Clint Horan; Jack Egan, Adam Mahon, Colm Doyle; Cathal Mangan, David Maloney; Ryan Heavin, Paddy Dunican, Jack Walshe; Dylan Hyland, Ruairi McNamee, Adam Mangan. Subs: C Kiely for Egan (16), S Tierney for McNamee (17, injured), P O'Toole for Horan, J Evans for Heavin (both half-time), C Brazil for Maloney (35), C Farrell for Dunican (41).