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Wexford bow out to Leinster champs

DUBLIN NORTH WEXFORD SCHOOLS 2-16 1-16

TWO GOALS from the livewire Diarmuid Breslin put paid to a valiant attempt from Wexford Schools as their Top Oil Leinster Post-Primary Schools Senior hurling ‘A’ Corn Uí Dhúill campaign came to a halt in round two of the group section after a 2-16 to 1-16 defeat to old adversaries Dublin North on the astroturf pitch at D.C.U. on Saturday.

The Metropolitans claimed a first-ever Leinster title in last year’s competition when they beat standard-bearers St. Kieran’s back in February, and Dublin schools have generally had the psychological edge on Wexford since the inception of the combined format.

Dublin South were comfortable 3-24 to 2-13 winners when Wexford travelled to Abbotstown last year, and three points was also the difference when Dublin North edged it by 3-9 to 1-12 at the Ferns Centre of Excellence in January, 2017.

Wexford developed a 0-5 to 0-2 lead by the ninth minute, as two frees from Josh Shiel were supplemented by points from James Byrne, Niall Murphy and Richie Lawlor.

It was 0-6 apiece at the start of the second quarter as two frees from the accurate Darragh Power and efforts from Breslin and Darragh McLoughney kept Dublin North ticking along, but two more frees from Shiel had Wexford holding the slightest advantage approaching the interval.

However, Dublin North pounced for a game-altering goal from nothing, as the ball broke off Ben McSweeney for Breslin to slap low to the net to turn the tables by 1-8 to 0-10 at half-time.

Eamonn Doran was a ball of positive energy on his introduction for the new half, and he pointed pretty much from his first touch to move Wexford to within one.

Although Dublin hit the next two scores, Tadhg O Ceallaigh picked off a nice point from midfield, and Doran seized on a bounced pass from Shiel to split the posts.

The former also played a crossfield pass for Byrne to point, while Shiel made it 0-14 to 1-10 when converting a free after a chop on Lawlor on 41 minutes.

Power levelled from a ‘65 before playing in to Breslin, who sped clear prior to flashing across James Lawlor for the decisive goal on 47 minutes (2-11 to 0-14).

To their immense credit, Wexford battled into the lead one last time, as Doran landed his third point, while Lawlor shrugged off a couple of opponents before unleashing a bullet into the top corner for a 1-15 to 2-11 lead with eleven minutes remaining.

Unfortunately, they were outscored by 0-5 to 0-1 before the end, with three frees from Power and one each from Breslin and the highly-rated Luke Swan, who was a peripheral figure throughout for the victors, denying Wexford.

It must be noted that they were handicapped by the absence of Ben O’Connor (scorer of 3-5 versus Antrim one week earlier) and Paudie Hughes, who were playing in an Under-20 hurling final for their club on the same day.

Wexford Schools: James Lawlor (F.C.J. Bunclody); Rory Scallan (Enniscorthy C.B.S.), Paddy O’Hagan (F.C.J. Bunclody), Alan Doyle (F.C.J. Bunclody); Kyle Scallan (Wexford C.B.S.), Cian Molloy (Gorey C.S., 0-1), Seán Dowling (Gorey C.S.); Jack Kirwan (Enniscorthy V.C.), Tadhg O Ceallaigh (F.C.J. Bunclody, 0-1); Seán Cooper (Meanscoil Garman), Niall Murphy (F.C.J. Bunclody, 0-1), Richie Lawlor (Wexford C.B.S., 1-1); James Byrne (F.C.J. Bunclody, 0-2), Josh Sheil (Wexford C.B.S., 0-7 frees), Glen Murphy-Butler (Wexford C.B.S.). Subs. - Eamonn Doran (Gorey C.S., 0-3) for Murphy-Butler (HT), also Darragh Hayes (Enniscorthy C.B.S.), Niall Hickey, Cathal Dunbar (both F.C.J. Bunclody), Aaron Byrne, Darragh Canavan, Ollie Gahan, Cillian Doyle (all Gorey C.S.), Joe Barrett, Emmett Nolan (both Wexford C.B.S.).

Dublin North: John Sammon; Tom Cullen, Eoin Carney, Irinel Popa; Matt Barr, Kevin Byrne, Conor Scully; Cillian Hayes, Darragh Power (0-8, 6 frees, 1 ’65); Ben McSweeney (0-1 free), Darragh McLoughney (0-1), Liam Foley (0-1); Diarmuid Breslin (2-3), Luke Swan (0-1), Conor Chawke (0-1).

Referee: Kevin Brady (Louth).