Senior footballers storm to O’Byrne Cup final victory

DUBLIN 2-16 LOUTH 1-10

Dublin are O’Byrne Cup champions for the ninth time after putting in a storming opening to the second half to defeat Louth in Sunday’s Bord na Móna decider at Drogheda.

After 25 minutes of the opening half Louth led 0-5 to 0-3 yet by the 53^rd minute the Dubs had powered 0-13 to 0-5 clear after putting together a string of 10 unanswered points.

Dublin had moved 0-6 to 0-5 in front by half-time but really impressed on the resumption.

Half-time sub Colm Basquel did not take long to make an impression with a point within two minutes of his introduction.

Points flowed from Conor Mullally, Paul Hudson (two frees), Conor McHugh, an excellent score form Ciarán Reddin and Hudson from play.

The Wee County rallied with scores from Páraic Smith and Sam Mulroy (two frees).

But whatever glimmer of hope Louth had ended with Colm Basquel’s 65^th minute goal.

The game finish in a welter of excitement with Louth goaling through Pádraig Rath, Emmett O Conghaile was dismissed on a second yellow card and then sub Killian O'Gara hit Dublin's second goal all in added time.

Dublin led 0-6 to 0-5 at the break after scoring the last three points of the opening half.

Páraic Smith opened the scoring for Louth in the fifth minute before Jason Whelan replied for the Dubs.

Two Ronan Holcroft points put the Wee County 0-3 to 0-1 clear before Louth keeper Craig Lynch made a good save to deny Niall Walsh of a goal.

But from the resultant ‘45’ Ciarán Reddin found the target to cut the gap.

Páraic Smith and Shane Cunningham exchanged scores with Smith hitting his third point to open up a 0-5 to 0-3 lead.

However, were more clinical over the close of the half with Man of the Match Niall Scully, Paul Hudson (free) and Reddin giving Dublin a one-point interval advantage.

Dublin also had keeper Evan Comerford to thank for a superb save in the 23^rd minute when he denied Tommy Durnin.

SCORERS – Dublin: P Hudson 0-6 (0-3f), C Basquel 1-1, C Reddin 0-3 (0-1 ‘45’), K O’Gara 1-0, J Whelan, S Cunningham, N Scully, C Mullally, C McHugh, R O’Brien 0-1 each. Louth: P Smith 0-5, P Rath 1-0, R Holcroft, S Mulroy (0-2f) 0-2 each, B Duffy 0-1.

DUBLIN: E Comerford; R McGowan, E O’Brien, J Smith; R Gaughan, C Reddin, C Mullally; J Whelan, R Hazley; N Scully, S Boland, N Walsh; C McHugh, S Cunningham, P Hudson. Subs: C Basquel for Boland (ht), E Ó Conghaile for Hazley (ht), T Shields for Mullally (39), G Sweeney for Walsh (51), K O’Gara for Cunningham (55), S Newcombe for Whelan (62), R O’Brien for McHugh (67).

LOUTH: C Lynch; P Ruth, P Reilly, K Carr; D Maguire, D McMahon, A Williams; T Durnin, A McDonnell; J Stewart, P Smith, B Duffy; C McKeever, J McEneaney, R Holcroft. Subs: R Burns for McEneaney (39), A Reid for McKeever (39), D Byrne for McMahon (42), E O’Connor for Durnin (48), S Mulroy for Holcroft (51), R Moore for McDonnell (65), R Nally for Smith (67).

REF: J Hickey (Carlow).

ROLL OF HONOUR: O'Byrne Cup