DUBLIN 3-21 WEXFORD 2-15
Dublin hurlers emerged from Wexford Park as nine-point victors over Wexford to move to the top of the Allianz NHL Division 1 on Sunday afternoon.
However, it was a victory which came at a cost as Stephen Hiney was stretchered off in the second half with a suspected crucuiate knee injury.
David O’Callaghan was Dublin’s scoring hero, prospering from the work of Ryan O’Dwyer to grab all three goals on his way to a personal haul of 3-1.
The St Mark’s man, who had missed the victory over Offaly owing to flu, bounced back in style and shouldered the chief score-taking duties in the absence of Conal Keaney (flu).
Dublin were by far the more skillful and assured team over the 70 minutes and should have led by more than 2-10 to 2-5 at the interval but for a few defensive lapses.
However, the industry and free-taking ability of John McCaffrey insured their was no let up by the Dubs on the restart and O’Callaghan completed his hat-trick five minutes into the second half.
Playing into the wind after the change of ends Dublin deployed Daire Plunkett as an extra defender, a role his completed to good effect as Dublin ensured top spot in Division 1.
SCORERS – Dublin: D O’Callaghan 3-1, R O’Dwyer 0-6 (0-4f), J McCaffrey 0-5 each (0-4f), P Carton 0-2, S Lambert, J Boland, C McCormack, D Plunkett, P Schutte, P Ryan, S Ryan 0-1 each. Wexford: J Berry 1-7 (0-7f), G Sinnott 1-1, R Jacob, PJ Nolan 0-2 each, D Redmond, H Kehoe, S Banville 0-1 each
DUBLIN – G Maguire; N Corcoran, T Brady, S Lambert; S Hiney, J Boland, S Durkin; J McCaffrey, L Rushe; D Plunkett, L Ryan, C McCormack; D O’Callaghan, D O’Dwyer, P Carton Subs: O Gough for Lambert (ht), S Ryan for L Ryan (ht), P Schutte for Hiney (48, inj), P Ryan for Carton (63), C Clinton for McCormack (68).
WEXFORD – N Carton; P Roche, M O’Hanlon, C Kenny; L Prendergast, D Stamp, B Hobbs; H Kehoe, B Doyle; T Waters, E Quigley, S Banville; R Jacob, G Sinnott, J Berry. Subs: M Jacob for Hobbs (25), PJ Nolan for Waters (41), D Redmond for Quigley (55), E Martin for Banville (68), J Leacy for Doyle (68)
REF – Michael Wadding (Waterford).
