Senior Footballers Progress to Dioralyte O’Byrne Cup final with win over Wexford

Sat, 13th January 2024

Pic thanks to Paul Lundy

DUBLIN 5-17

WEXFORD 1-11

Dublin progressed to the final of the Dioralyte O’Byrne Cup following their facile eighteen point victory over Wexford at Parnell Park on Saturday afternoon.

A brace of Sean Lowry goals and another from Luke Breathnach saw Dublin enjoy a deserved 3-6 to 1-6 interval lead and their dominance continued upon the restart as Niall Scully and Lowry heaped further punishment on their beleaguered opponents.

The visitors made an instant impact with wing-forward Tom Byrne bursting down the middle before splitting the uprights inside thirty seconds.

Dublin weren’t too slow in opening their own account as Kevin Lahiff found some space before kicking a fine score in the 2^nd minute to restore parity.

There was a lull in proceedings as both teams struggled to make inroads in attack before the hosts took the lead for the first time in the 10^th minute as David O’Hanlon slotted over a ‘45’ with consummate ease.

The evergreen Ben Brosnan levelled matters for Wexford in an instant but the visitors found themselves three points in arrears by the 12^th minute as Niall Scully’s superb pass allowed Sean Lowry the chance to fire home despite the best efforts of Anthony Larkin in the away goal.

A Ben Millist point added to Dublin’s lead with Cian Hughes replying for Wexford to leave three points between the teams by the 18^th minute.

Dublin could well have pounced for a second goal a minute later but some fine combination play between Luke Breathnach and Lowry saw the former’s shot deflect off the outside of the upright.

O’Hanlon did the necessary from the resultant ‘45’ and a Killian McGinnis point soon after hinted at the hosts pulling away.

To Wexford’s credit, they regrouped well with Brosnan converting two frees in quick succession but that fine work was undone as Conor Carty’s sloppy pass was seized upon by Ethan Dunne, who found Breathnach for the simplest of finishes beyond Larkin.

Breathnach added to his tally in the 30^th minute but from nowhere, the visitors were back in the hunt as Cathal Walsh strolled through unopposed and he produced a fine finish across O’Hanlon from eight yards.

However, any momentum that score might have generated was lost in added time as with Larkin away from his goal, Scully intercepted a pass at midfield with Senan Forker releasing Lowry for his second goal of the half.

The second-half took its time to settle with two frees from Brosnan cancelled out at the opposite end by a Brian O’Leary free and an excellent Niall Scully point.

Substitute goalkeeper Rory Tubritt was working wonders in trying to keep his side in contention as he denied Breathnach and Alex Gavin with sprawling saves as the contest began to slip away from Wexford.

It proved an all too brief stay of execution for the visitors as Breathnach showcased his pedigree with three points in as many minutes before Lowry turned provider in the 54^th minute as Scully palmed home from close range.

Another blistering counter-attack saw Lowry complete his hat-trick in the 62^nd minute after a one-two with Eoin Wilde as the hosts eased to a final spot against holders Longford next Saturday.

Scorers – Dublin: S Lowry 3-0, L Breathnach 1-4, N Scully 1-1, D O’Hanlon 0-4 (3 ‘45’, 1 f), B O’Leary (1f), K McGinnis 0-2 each, B Millist, K Lahiff, P Duffy, C Dunne 0-1 apiece. Wexford: B Brosnan 0-9 (7f), C Walsh 1-0, T Byrne, C Hughes 0-1 apiece.

Dublin: D O’Hanlon; L Smith, L Howley, E O’Dea; B Millist, S Forker, A Gavin; P Duffy, E Dunne; K McGinnis, N Scully, K Lahiff; S Lowry, B O’Leary, L Breathnach. Subs: C Dolan for Gavin (50), E Wilde for McGinnis (57), E O’Connor Flanagan for Smith (58), C Dunne for Breathnach (59), K McKeown for Forker (64).

Wexford: A Larkin; D Furlong, G Sheehan, C Carty; G Malone, N Rossiter, D Lyons; C Walsh, L Coleman; T Byrne, J Bealin, K O’Grady; C Hughes, E Nolan, B Brosnan. Subs: R Tubritt for Larkin (half-time), C Kinsella for Byrne (half-time), R Waters for O’Grady (half-time), N Hughes for Nolan (half-time), G Staples for Carty (half-time), D O’Toole for Waters (46), L O’Connor for Rossiter (50), G Cullen for Walsh (52), R Furlong for Malone (58), J Roche for Bealin (68).

Referee: Eamon O’Connor (Offaly).