U20 Hurlers continue good form

DUBLIN 1-20 WEXFORD 0-15

A 49^th minute goal from Jamie Conroy proved telling as Dublin impressed after the break in overcoming Wexford by eight points in their ONeills.com Leinster Under 20 Hurling Championship Round 2 encounter at Parnell Park on Saturday afternoon.

After accounting for Galway a week previously, the Dubs looked in a precarious position at half-time as they led by just three points despite playing with the wind but they proved far more economical in the third quarter to seize control of matters.

A Diarmuid Ó Dúlaing free opened the scoring in the first minute and that lead was soon doubled when James O’Brien added an excellent score from midfield.

The visitors opened their own account thanks to Jack Redmond in the 5^th minute but with the wind at their backs, Dublin took advantage through another score from distance by impressive wing-back Conal Ó Riain.

Jamie Conroy added to Dublin’s lead in the 9^th minute but their opponents gradually settled into the game and reduced their arrears to the bare minimum following a brace of points by Cian Byrne.

Ó Dúlaing and Byrne traded scores as the half evolved with another cracking point from Ó Riain pushing his side 0-6 to 0-4 ahead by the end of the first quarter.

The Dubs doubled that advantage through a brace of Ó Dúlaing frees and an Ollie Gaffney score but a series of poor wides towards the end of the half undermined their challenge.

Colum Fitzgerald availed of an error from Dublin netminder Adam Langan to trim his team’s deficit before an Ó Dúlaing free ensured the hosts entered the break with a marginal 0-10 to 0-7 lead.

The hosts benefited from some poor shooting on Wexford’s part in the early stages of the second-half while Brendan Kenny made them pay for their profligacy with two superb points in quick succession.

Ó Dúlaing and Gaffney added to Dublin’s lead and they were well set for victory as Conroy gathered a long delivery from Seán Gallagher before coolly firing home beyond the helpless Derry Mahon in the Wexford goal.

The visitors added some consolation points through Redmond, Simon Roche and Darragh Carley but O’Brien had the last work with a sumptuous effort in added time to complete a noteworthy win for Dublin.

Scorers – Dublin: D O Dúlaing 0-9 (7f, 1 ‘65’), J Conroy 1-2, J O’Brien 0-3, C Ó Riain, O Gaffney, B Kenny 0-2 each. Wexford: C Byrne 0-5 (3f), J Redmond 0-3 (1f), C Foley (f), D Carley, C Fitzgerald, JJ Twamley, S O’Hagan, S Roche, T Brohan 0-1 apiece.

Dublin: A Langan; P Doyle, B Moorehouse Carroll, B Dunne; C Dolan, J O’Shea, C Ó Riain; J O’Brien, S Gallagher; B Kenny, D Ó Dúlaing, O Gaffney; C Donovan, J Conroy, N Clerkin. Subs: N Hogan for Clerkin (42), C Brennan for Kenny (54), S Crosbie for Donovan (55), D Geraghty for Moorhouse Carroll (63).

Wexford: D Mahon; D Carley, M Dundon, D Kehoe; C Murphy, C Foley, D Purcell; S Rowley, L Roche; C Fitzgerald, C Byrne, J Redmond; C Byrne Dunbar, L Murphy, JJ Twamley. Subs: S O’Hagan for Byrne Dunbar (half-time), T Brohan for Byrne (38), O Pepper for Fitzgerald (45), S Roche for Dundon (52) , O Ó Ceallaigh for L Roche (55).

Referee: Sean Cleere (Kilkenny).