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Paul Keane reports from Parnell Park
A STUNNING HAT-TRICK from St Vincent’s man Sean Lowry helped Dublin to a whopping 18-point win over Wexford at Parnell Park, securing their Dioralyte O’Byrne Cup final place.
Dessie Farrell went with a largely rookie Dublin group again with only three starters who’d actually played in the Championship before – including the terrific Niall Scully – but they still cruised to a monstrous win.
Luke Breathnach, who played in last year’s O’Byrne Cup and starred for the U20s in 2023, impressed again with 1-4 overall.
Scully was the other Sky Blues goal-scorer and finished with 1-1 to help secure a final date with holders Longford next Saturday, a repeat of the 2008 decider.
Wexford’s campaign is over and they will lament a poor second-half performance which saw them fail to score from play until top scorer Ben Brosnan, who struck 0-9 overall, pointed in stoppage time.
Farrell made five changes in all to his Dublin lineup from the battling quarter-final win over Offaly in Gracefield seven days ago.
Ben Millist and Senan Forker came into the half-back line while Killian McGinnis, who struck 0-2 against the Faithful, Scully and Breathnach were all recalled in attack.
Breathnach and substitutes Kieran McKeown, Killian O’Gara and Gavin Sheridan weren’t part of the panel at all against Offaly.
As for Wexford, boss John Hegarty had already looked at 29 different players across their previous wins over Wicklow and Kildare.
He made seven changes from the quarter-final defeat of Kildare with goalkeeper Anthony Larkin, Conor Carty, Cathal Walsh, Eoghan Nolan, Jonathon Bealin, Kevin O’Grady and Brosnan brought into the team.
Brosnan, chasing the all-time appearances record in Wexford, previously hit 1-2 as a sub against Kildare and 1-7 against Wicklow so travelled to the capital in strong form.
The 36-year-old was on hand to punish Dublin for foul play with four first-half points, three of which came from frees. Wexford pressed hard on Dublin’s kick-outs and a couple of Brosnan scores from frees came off that tactic.
Walsh, who wore number six for Wexford but started at midfield, burst through for a goal before half-time also. He beat Dublin full-back Liam Howley for pace down the left and crashed a left-footed shot across goalkeeper David O’Hanlon to the net.
But Dublin were largely on top throughout the half with Lowry’s two goals and one in between from Breathnach leaving them 3-6 to 1-6 up at the break. Breathnach also had a goal chance that struck the outside of an upright in the 19th minute.
Brosnan clipped over a couple of points from frees after the restart for Wexford but they didn’t score again until the 61st minute.
Dublin ran riot in between, blasting an unanswered 1-8 to cruise to a surprisingly comfortable 18-point win.
Scully palmed in Dublin’s fourth goal in the 53rd minute and Lowry, who played for Dublin in last year’s National League, completed his hat-trick following a clever one-two with substitute Eoin Wilde in the 62nd minute.
Dublin scorers: Sean Lowry 3-0, Luke Breathnach 1-4, Niall Scully 1-1, David O’Hanlon 0-4 (0-3 45, 0-1f), Killian McGinnis 0-2, Brian O’Leary 0-2 (0-1f), Kevin Lahiff 0-1, Ben Millist 0-1, Peter Duffy 0-1, Cian Dunne 0-1.
Wexford scorers: Ben Brosnan 0-9 (0-7f), Cathal Walsh 1-0, Tom Byrne 0-1, Cian Hughes 0-1.
1. David O’Hanlon (Na Fianna)
2. Liam Smith (Ballinteer St John’s), 3. Liam Howley (Clontarf), 4. Eoin O’Dea (Na Fianna)
5. Ben Millist (Ballinteer St John’s), 6. Senan Forker (Castleknock), 7. Alex Gavin (Ballyboden St Enda’s)
8. Peter Duffy (Cuala), 9. Ethan Dunne (Skerries Harps)
10. Killian McGinnis (Skerries Harps), 11. Niall Scully (Templeogue Synge Street), 12. Kevin Lahiff (St Judes)
15. Sean Lowry (St Vincent’s), 14. Brian O’Leary (Na Fianna), 13. Luke Breathnach (Ballinteer St John’s)
Subs
17. Conor Dolan (Man O War) for Gavin (50)
25. Eoin Wilde (Skerries Harps) for McGinnis (57)
21. Eoghan O’Connor Flanagan (Skerries Harps) for Smith (58)
18. Cian Dunne (St Vincents) for Breathnach (59)
19. Kieran McKeown (Clontarf) for Forker (64)
1. Anto Larkin (Starlights)
5. Dylan Furlong (Sarsfields), 3. Gavin Sheehan (Gusserane O’Rahilly’s), 17. Conor Carty (Castletown)
8. Glenn Malone (Shelmalier), 19. Naomhan Rossiter (St Mary’s Rosslare), 4. Darragh Lyons (St James’)
6. Cathal Walsh (Monageer-Boolavogue), 9. Liam Coleman (Castletown – Captain)
10. Tom Byrne (Kilmore), 12. Jonathan Bealin (Castletown), 13. Kevin O’Grady (St James’)
15. Cian Hughes (Kilanerin), 11. Eoghan Nolan (Shelmalier), 14. Ben Brosnan (Castletown)
Subs
26. Conor Kinsella (Kilanerin) for Byrne (h/t)
23. Richie Waters (St Mogue’s Fethard) for O’Grady (h/t)
21. Niall Hughes (Kilanerin) for Nolan (h/t)
18. Graham Staples (Shelmalier) for Carty (h/t)
16. Rory Tubritt (Naomh Eanna) for Larkin (h/t)
24. Dean O’Toole (Kilanerin) for Waters (45)
2. Liam O’Connor (St Mary’s Rosslare) for Rossiter (50)
25. Graeme Cullen (Gusserane O’Rahilly’s) for Walsh (52)
20. Ryan Furlong (Sarsfields) for Malone (58)
22. John Roche (Gusserane O’Rahilly’s) for Bealin (68)
Referee: Eamonn O’Connor (Offaly)
Written by Paul Keane and posted on the42.ie
There is rapid testing on arrival in many European countries, I wonder why it’s not available here? There must be a political reason why the government isn’t even talking about its adoption. Any ideas?
@Giovanni Giusti: lack of willingness to spend the money. Lack of sufficient tests levels as it is. Lack of imagination when it comes to other testing methods.
@Aidan O’ Neill: Our public health experts don’t like antigen testing according to the Taoiseach
It will take time? Why is that? Why does everything have to take an eternity and why should we be dependent on the U.K. ‘s acceptance ? I couldn’t care less what the U.K. do or not.
@Isabel Oliveira: you should Isabel. They generate massive income into this country through trade, tourism and diaspora travel. You don’t have to like but you need to understand the economics.
@Gary Sheahan: the uk will shortly be outside the EU, we will not. We need to adopt this system regardless of their stance. Our hospitality sector depends significantly on US visitors as well. They won’t be party to any EU system, so why should the UK be treated any different. Ryan needs to get the finger out and align us to EU system ASAP.
@Hugh Corcoran: The UK left the EU in January.
@Hugh Corcoran: our open border with the UK could force countries to treat us as one block so we would be on the red list everywhere!
@Isabel Oliveira: could it be that if the UK remain outside the system yet we still want to facilitate travel there, the Irish rating would not be allowable under EU system as UK travel should affect our rating due to UK potential rating?
It changes so often I wouldn’t be booking anything
Get it done NOW – time is not on our side – ACTION
They can still implement the first half (i.e. using the criteria for red and amber countries) from next week onwards while waiting to get testing in place.
@Dr Pablo Rojas Coppari: they won’t do that for one simple reason. The UK would be admitted. Other politics in place that are bordering on xenophobic
The bicycle man won’t accept it, he just doesn’t want people flying or traveling by car.
You know what would rid us of this virus? If every single one of us took some personal responsibility and just limited their contacts to 3 or 4 people outside of their own household for 4 weeks. It would be almost gone or at least down to extremely low levels of infection. Business and livelihoods would be saved, but oh no, people are far to fhckin selfish for that to happen.
I like the idea of rapid testing but of course what false positives would come through…which could block business or personal travel plans and no refunds would be available. I am glad I am not the one having to make these decisions!
@Seeking Truth: fast testing means a lot fewer cycles, so false positives are less likely. It’s irrelevant for us anyway as this government seems determined to keep us locked up and locked in
Airlines need to put in place a refund package for those who might test positive a few hours before their flights. If the don’t government must force them to by law.
@M Bowe: isn’t that what travel insurance is for?
@Kieran Frost: not covered under current policies
What’s the point in having orange?
@Bramer: it gives you an indication that countries may turn red. Which has implications for medium-term travel planning.
My job still wants me to take two weeks off to isolate if I go abroad. So none of these means anything.
If we are going to have another lockdown it should be done across europe at the same time. Then travel within Europe should be allowed. It could break the circuit on the continent also and maybe save the aviation industry
have your say