DUBLIN 4-15 LOUTH 0-10
Four first half goals paved the way for a facile Dublin victory in this one-sided Bord na Móna O’Byrne Cup semi-final at Drogheda on Sunday afternoon.
The Dubs dominated throughout against an inexperienced Louth side as the boys in blue progress to next Saturday’s final against Kildare (1-12 to 1-9 victors over Offaly) at Parnell Park (7.0).
Two of the goals came inside a minute inside the opening quarter with Bernard Brogan on the mark on both occasions in the tenth minute as Dublin got off to a flying start to lead 2-4 to 0-2 after only 20 minutes.
In the 22nd minute Emmet O Conghaile raised Dublin’s third green flag when his point effort dipped under the crossbar as the Wee County’s defence found themselves under constant pressure with Denis Bastick and Declan O’Mahony on top at midfield and wing-back Jack McCaffrey breaking with telling effect from the middle sector.
In first half injury-time Paul Hudson fisted to the net to end confident move by Dublin that invovled Diarmuid Connolly, Paddy Quinn and Paddy Andrews as the Dubs led 4-8 to 0-7 at the interval.
Dublin used the second half to introduce a number of subs including newcomers like Shane Carthy, Paul Mannion and Cormac Costello – all members of this year’s U21 panel – with Costello contributing to the scoring tally with a 60th minute point.
That score came midway during a chain of six Dublin scores with Brogan accurate from frees and McCaffrey adding his second point from play.
SCORERS – Dublin: B Brogan 2-7 (0-6f), E O Conghaile 1-1, P Hudson 1-0, J McCaffrey 0-2, S Cluxton (0-1 ‘45’), P Andrews, P Quinn, D Connolly, C Costello 0-1 each. Louth: J McEneaney 0-5 (0-3f), D Reid 0-2, C Rafferty, S McCann, D O’Connor 0-1 each.
DUBLIN: S Cluxton; D Daly, T Brady, D Nelson; C Guckian, G Brennan, J McCaffrey; D O’Mahony, D Bastick; E O Conghaile, D Connolly, P Quinn; P Hudson, P Andrews, B Brogan. Subs: S Carthy for O’Mahony (ht), P Mannion for Andrews (ht), P Burke for Quinn (45), C Costello for Connolly (55), D Byrne for Brennan (57), K McManamon for Hudson (temp 66).
LOUTH: S Connor; J Carr, B Mulligan, J Bingham; A Reid, L Shevlin, D Byrne; C Rafferty, R Carroll; R Moore, J McEneaney, S McCann; D Reid, E O’Connor, D O’Connor. Subs: J O’Brien for Moore (23), G Hoey for Mulligan (ht), D Crilly for Byrne (ht), P Sheelan for McCann (45), C McGuinness for Rafferty (54).
REF: A Nolan (Wicklow).
ATT: 1,500 (approx).
