Unchanged U20 selection for Leinster U20FC final

Fri, 6th March 2020

Dublin have named an unchanged starting 15 for Friday night's EirGrid Leinster U20FC final against Laois at Netwatch Cullen Park, Carlow (7.30).

The Dubs have beaten Wicklow, Longford and Meath to reach Friday's provincial decider and are hoping to retain the title they secured when overcoming the same opposition last year.

The O'Moore County have played a match less - they defeated Wesmeath 4-3 on penalties after drawing 0-13 to 1-10 after extra-time in their quarter-final before impressing in their 1-7 to 0-4 semi-final victory over Kildare.

Dublin have scored 6-41 and conceded 1-23 in their three games in the Leinster Championship to date with Ciarán Archer (1-10, 0-4f), Lorcan O'Dell (2-4), Luke Swan (1-4, 0-1f), Kieran McKeon (0-5) and Pádraig Purcell (0-5) their top scorers.

Tom Gray's men put in a hard-working shift in their provincial semi-final victory over Meath in Parnell Park two weekends' ago.

The Dubs laid the platform for the victory in the opening half as they led 1-8 to 0-3 at the half-time interval having played with the elements.

Dublin's work-rate did not relent in the second period as they ran out comfortable 13-point victors.

The Royal County's quest was hindered by absence of senior footballer Shane Walsh, owing to injury, and in his absence their attack lacked a focal point.

Dublin and Laois clashed earlier this season when they met in the John Kerins Cup Round 3 at the Laois GAA Centre of Excellence when an injury-time goal from Ciarán Archer gave the boys in blue a 2-10 to 1-10 victory.

Both selections on that occasion will bear little resemblance to Friday's particulary as the highly-rated Laois trio of Seán O'Flynn, Ronan Coffey and Mark Barry did not line out for the O'Moore County.

DUBLIN (U20FC v Laois)

1 Josh O'Neill St Vincent's
2 Alan Murphy Lucan Sarsfields
3 Adam Rafter Na Fianna
4 Josh Bannon St Sylvester's
5 Rory Dwyer St Margaret's
6 Adam Waddick Thomas Davis
7 Lee Gannon Whitehall Colmcille
8 Killian McGinnis Skerries Harps
9 Evan Caulfield Clanna Gael Fontenoy
10 Mark Lavin Lucan Sarsfields
11 Lorcan O'Dell Templeogue Synge St
12 Seán Foran Whitehall Colmcille
13 Ciarán Archer St Maur's
14 Luke Swan Castleknock
15 Kieran McKeon Clontarf

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LAOIS (v Dublin): Matthew Byron; Michael Dowling, Alex Mohan, Neil Keane; Seán O’Flynn, Gary Saunders, Jack Lacey; Barry Howlin, PJ Daly; Ronan Coffey, Jack Owens, Damon Larkin; Colin Slevin, Daragh Galvin, Mark Barry.

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2020 EirGrid LEINSTER U20FC

First Round 1 Wicklow 1-7 Dublin 1-17; 8.2.2020 Aughrim

Quarter-final 2 Dublin 3-10 Longford 0-9; 15.2.2020 Parnell Park

First Round 3 Carlow 2-9 Wexford 3-8; 7.2.2020 St Patrick's Park, Enniscorthy

Quarter-final 4 Wexford 1-5 Meath 1-12; 15.2.2020 St Patrick’s Park, Enniscorthy

First Round 5 Louth 0-9 Offaly 2-6; 8.2.2020 Dunleer–Lanneire GAA

Quarter-final 6 Offaly 0-9 Kildare 1-7; 15.2.2020 St Conleth’s Park, Newbridge

Quarter-final (rescheduled) 7 Laois 0-13 Westmeath 1-10 (Laois won 4-3 on pens, after extra-time); 17.2.2020 O’Moore Park, Portlaoise

Semi-final 8 Dublin 2-14 Meath 0-7 22.2.2020 Parnell Park

Semi-final 9 Laois 1-7 Kildare 0-4 21.2.2020 O'Moore Park, Portlaoise

Final Dublin v Laois 6.3.2020 Netwatch Cullen Park, Carlow 7.30