Wexford crush Dublin South challenge
WEXFORD SCHOOLS DUBLIN SOUTH 1-19 1-7
WEXFORD BRUSHED past Dublin South with relative ease in the Top Oil Leinster Schools Senior hurling ‘A’ championship in the Ferns Centre of Excellence on Saturday after a dominant first-half display.
Assisted by the healthy breeze, Wexford made light work of the Dubliners as they stormed into a 15-point lead at the interval and held on with comfort in the second period.
Wexford were eager to make a fast start and make use of the weather conditions while they could.
Brody Murphy fired the Model boys ahead within 60 seconds before Jack Doran and Tom Kinsella added points soon after.
An exchange of Cian Molloy and Jack Kielty points were followed by Wexford’s only goal of the game, when Murphy robbed a Dublin defender before side-stepping another and finishing low past Joe Murray.
Murphy’s major kick-started a wave of constant Wexford attacking, and Glen Murphy-Butler and Kinsella both slotted over doubles before the 20-minute mark (1-8 to 0-1).
It didn’t get any better for Dublin after that. Adam Drewett scored their second and final point of the half, while Kinsella, Richard Lawlor and Joe Barrett continued the home side’s onslaught.
The second-half was far less eventful. Now aided by the breeze, Dublin began to match Wexford who could afford to take their foot off the gas.
Kinsella and Charlie Kerr exchanged scores before Kielty finished emphatically into the top left corner to give the travelling Dublin support a rare cause for celebration (1-15 to 1-3).
Wexford picked off a few more scores as the half went on, which ensured that Dublin had no real belief that a comeback might be on the cards.
Kinsella was again at the heart of the point-taking, scoring twice more before fulltime to bring his tally for the day to nine points.
Ciarán Regan and Murphy were also on the scoresheet again.
They both pointed in the closing minutes to maintain Wexford’s advantage after an Evan Dowling triple had made the scoreline a little more respectable for the capital crew.
Wexford will now face Dublin North in a lucrative winner-takes-all clash, because the victors will qualify for the group stages proper where they will be paired off with St. Peter’s, Coláiste Eoin (Stillorgan) and St. Kieran’s (Kilkenny).
Good Counsel are on the other side of the draw, along with Borris V.S., their first opponents on December 11, and Kilkenny C.B.S. whom they will meet on January 15.
The Peter’s schedule is: home to Coláiste Eoin, December 11; away to St. Kieran’s, January 8; home to Wexford Schools or Dublin North, January 15.
This is a new format for the current campaign, aimed at providing more games for the participants.
Wexford: Darragh Hayes (capt.); Daragh Canavan, Kyle Scallan, Joe Barrett (0-1); Cian Browne, Cian Molloy (0-1), Eamonn Doran; Josh Shiel, Jack Doran (0-1); Tom Kinsella (0-9, 2 frees), Richard Lawlor (0-2), Ciarán Regan (0-1); Glen Murphy-Butler (0-2), Brody Murphy (1-2), Eoin Kavanagh. Subs. - Johnny O’Toole for Murphy-Butler (29), Jason Gordon for Kavanagh (41), Robert Murphy for Regan (50), Charlie McClair for Doran (55), Rory Lynch for Canavan (58), also Derry Mahon, Eddie Kelly, Ciarán Doyle-Meagher, Dean Roberts, Adam Fenlon, Matt Rossiter, Cathal Roche, Joe Whelan, Darren Kelly.
Dublin South: Joe Murray; Dan Ryan, Conor Burke, Joe Kenny; Fergal Kibane, Adam Waddick (capt.), Bryan Keogh; Conor Nolan, Davy Crone; Sam Stewart, Pearce Christie (0-1), Charlie Kerr (0-1); Jack Kielty (1-1), Adam Drewett (0-1), Evan Dowling (0-3, 2 frees). Subs. - Dylan Kelly for Stewart (18), Dara Byrne for Keogh (41).
Referee: Eamonn Mansfield (Kilkenny).