Senior footballers progress to Leinster decider

Sun, 29th June 2014

DUBLIN 2-25 WEXFORD 1-12

Dublin cruised into the Leinster SFC final after overcoming Wexford with an improved second half showing on Sunday in Croke Park.

The Dubs will face Meath in GAA headquarters on Sunday, July 20 as Jim Gavin's men upped their game in the second period to leave the Slaneysiders in their wake.

Sub Cormac Costello grabbed Dublin's first goal in the 46^th minute, following good approach play by Diarmuid Connolly and Michael Darragh Macauley, as the Whitehall Colmcille's man made a very positive impact following his introduction, while Paul Flynn hit the second in the 69^th minute. Dublin held the upper hand throughout, but did not turn possession into scores in the first half as Wexford keeper Shane Roche denied Paul Mannion on two occasions. Dublin led 0-10 to 0-6 at the break after a fairly lacklustre showing. However, as the second half progressed Dublin began to carve open the Wexford rearguard.

Just over ten minutes from time Daithí Waters raised Wexford hopes with he finished clinically to the net to make it 1-18 to 1-11 but Dublin reacted with two points from sub Tomás Brady and another from Diarmuid Connolly. Dublin closed out the game on the up with points from Flynn, Eoghan O' Gara, Costello (two) and Flynn's goal.

SCORERS - Dublin:

C. Costello 1-5 (0-2f), P. Flynn 1-2, D Rock 0-4 (0-4f), P Mannion 0-3, D Connolly (0-1f), T Brady, E O' Gara 0-2 each, S Cluxton (0-1 '45'), P McMahon, N Devereux, MD Macauley, A Brogan 0-1 each.

Scorers - Wexford:

B Brosnan 0-6 (0-3f), PJ Banville 0-3, D Waters 1-0, C Lyng (0-1f), J Holmes, K O' Grady 0-1 each.

Players - DUBLIN:

S Cluxton, P McMahon, J Cooper, R O' Carroll, J McCarthy, K Nolan, N Devereux, MD Macauley, C O' Sullivan, P Flynn, D Rock, D Connolly, P Mannion, A Brogan, K McManamon. Subs: C Costello for Rock (ht), E O' Gara for Brogan (47), J McCaffrey for Nolan (50), T Brady for O' Sullivan (59), M Fitzsimons for Devereux (63), B Cullen for Macauley (68).

Players - WEXFORD:

S Roche; C Carty, G Molloy, R Tierney; M Furlong, B Malone, A Flynn; D Waters, P Byrne; K O' Grady, PJ Banville, T Rossiter; C Lyng, B Brosnan, J Holmes. Subs: C Kehoe for Holmes (51), M O' Regan for Flynn (52), E Nolan for Byrne (57), D Dunne for Rossitor (60), C Kehoe for O' Grady (63), G Cullen for Banville (68).