A CROKE OF GOLD
Dubs move to HQ pays off after Burke haul FROM CROKE PARK
GAA DUBLIN 1-22 WEXFORD 0-23
DUBLIN’S Croke Park gamble paid off with a big Round 3 win over Wexford last night to keep their Leinster and All-ireland hopes alives.
Only 9, 125 fans turned up at GAA HQ, just under the capacity of Parnell Park in a game where the visitors never led.
Two late pressure Donal Burke frees in a 13 point haul, with three coming from play, was key for Dublin.
Micheal Donoghue’s side were by far the more efficient, hitting seven wides compared to Wexford’s 19 -11 of those coming in the second half.
When Wexford went man to man for the final 25 minutes they really turned the screw, coming from 1-18 to 0-16 back on 57 minutes to almost nick a draw with Rory O’connor immense in the final quarter.
Many had questioned Dublin’s decision to move two of their games to Croke Park, but this was the perfect response with Galway still to come at the Jones’ Road venue.
Wexford weren’t helped by losing centre back Damien Reck and full back Liam Ryan to injury in the course of the second half, while Diarmuid O’keeffe also missed out.
Eight first half wides did them no favours either in a cagey opening 35 minutes that Dublin controlled.
Wexford started with Lee Chin out the field, Cathal Dunbar at midfield and Kevin Foley as the sweeper, while Dublin countered with Conor Burke as their spare man.
It was tit for tat all day until Dublin struck for a goal in the 18th minute, when Cian O’sullivan appeared to get a flick to Donal Burke’s long free from under the
Hogan Stand to hit the net. Dublin lost Ronan Hayes to injury after eight minutes, with Paul Crummey coming into the home side’s attack.
The home side were fortunate in first half stoppage time when Danny Sutcliffe went in late when already on a yellow card, but referee Thomas Walsh let the challenge go.
Earlier Eoghan O’donnell was somehow yellow carded on 12 minutes after standing his ground, when the free should have gone the other way.
The score at the break was Dublin 1-9 Wexford 0-10.
But as Wexford abandoned their sweeper, threw in Conor Mcdonald and pushed up, they suddenly sprung to life and began to create goal chances.
They were level on 73 minutes before Burke had the final say to send Dublin top of the group.