Senior footballers record 23-point victory over Wicklow

Sun, 27th May 2018

DUBLIN 4-25 WICKOW 1-11

Reigning All-Ireland and Leinster champions, Dublin, got their provincial SFC off to an impressive start when cruising to a 23-point victory over Wicklow in Sunday's Leinster SFC quarter-final at O'Moore Park, Portlaoise.

The Dubs will face Longford, victors on Sunday over Meath, in their Leinster semi-final in Croke Park on Sunday, June 10 (4.0) with Carlow and Laois (2.0) meeting in the curtain-raiser.

Dublin had 11 different scorers and the outcome was decided by the break, following late first half goals from Ciarán Kilkenny and Con O'Callaghan, and in the second half Dublin introduced subs with Conor McHugh and Colm Basquel both getting on the scoresheet.

Paul Flynn also got championship action under his belt after missing the entire league campaign following a back operation.

Dublin took a 18-point lead, 4-13 to 1-4, into the half-time interval after concluding the opening half with two late goals in front of an attendance of 11,786.

As the game ticked into the last minute of normal time Stephen Cluxton made a save to deny John McGrath before the ball was swept forward the length of pitch for the influential Ciarán Kilkenny, operating for the most part close to goal, to fire past Mark Jackson.

Off the next attack Paddy Andrews placed Con O'Callaghan with a great pass and the Cuala man made no mistake.

Dublin's first goal came in the seventh minute when Brian Fenton arrowed to the net to give Jim Gavin's men a 1-3 to 0-0 lead, after earlier points from Dean Rock (free), Con O'Callaghan, off his left, and Kilkenny, fisted over.

With Fenton and Michael Darragh Macauley on top at centerfield and Kilkenny orchestrated moves up front the Dubs were always on top.

Dean Rock grabbed Dublin's second goal in the 15th minute following good work by Fenton to make it 2-6 to 0-0.

A Kilkenny point made it 2-7 before the Garden County opened their account with a James Stafford point following approach play by Saoirse Kearon.

Stafford was again on the mark in the 29th minute when after being moved into full-forward he flicked a ball to the net to make it 2-9 to 1-2.

SCORERS – Dublin: C Kilkenny 1-7, C O’Callaghan, B Fenton 1-3 each, D Rock 1-2 (0-2f), P Andrews 0-3, C McHugh (0-1f) 0-2, P McMahon, MD Macauley, B Howard, P Mannion (0-1 '45'), C Basquel 0-1 each. Wicklow: J Stafford 1-1, M Jackson (0-2f), D Hayden, T Smyth 0-2 each, D Healy, R Finn, M Kenny, S Furlong (0-1f) 0-1 each.

DUBLIN: S Cluxton; E Lowndes, M Fitzsimons, P McMahon; J McCarthy, J Cooper, B Howard; MD Macauley, B Fenton; N Scully, C Kilkenny, C O’Callaghan; P Mannion, D Rock, P Andrews. Subs: C McHugh for Rock (ht), E Murchan for Fitzsimons (ht), P Flynn for Macauley (41), D Daly for Mannion (42), C Basquel for Andrews (48), K McManamon for O’Callaghan (52)

WICKLOW: M Jackson; E Murtagh, R O’Brien, C Hyland; S Kearon, D Healy, J Crowe; R Finn, J Stafford; D Hayden, K Murphy, T Smyth; M Kenny, S Furlong, J McGrath. Subs: C McGee for Murphy (ht), D Fitzgerald for McGrath (h-t), C Healy for Kearon (50), P Merrigan for Crowe (53), B Kennedy for Stafford (58), D Keane for Smyth (68).

REF: C Branagan (Down).