Leinster SHC: Dublin earn vital victory

Leinster Senior Hurling Championship

Dublin 2-21 Wexford 0-20

By Ronan Fagan at Chadwicks Wexford Park

Dublin controlled Saturday’s crunch third round duel with Wexford at sunny but blustery Chadwicks Wexford Park to gain a foothold in the pursuit of qualification.

Cian O’Sullivan and David Purcell burst the Wexford net with first-half goals as the Sky Blues, aided by a strong wind, forged a commanding 2-13 to 0-10 interval advantage before a crowd of 7,816.

John Hetherton had an early second-half goal chance cleared off the line on an afternoon when Niall Ó Ceallacháin’s men fluffed a couple of other major opportunities.

But they showed themselves fit to go deep into the summer, although they have demanding engagements with Galway and Kilkenny to come in Leinster first.

Wexford, meanwhile, are in danger of missing out on the knockout stages for the second year running as they struggled to recover from the chastening defeat to Kilkenny.

While the sides shared the first four points – Donal Burke and Cian O’Sullivan for Dublin, as Lee Chin (free) and Conor Hearne struck back – the Sky Blues settled purposefully with the strong wind at their backs.

They hit Wexford hard between the eighth and 16th minutes when adding 1-4 without reply to surge clear by 1-6 to 0-2.

With Liam Rushe steadying the Dublin defence from centre-back in his first start in over four years, three Burke additions from placed-balls and a John Hetherton point decorated the Dublin surge, which was crowned when David Purcell turned over a short Wexford puck-out to the left wing and burst between two defenders before stitching the net.

Lee Chin eventually ended the home-side’s 12 minute scoring drought with a pair of points (one free) after 18 minutes.

Dublin went close to a second major blow moments later though – David Purcell on the left end-line sending Fergal Whitely through only to be denied by Mark Fanning at the expense of a ’65.

But the metropolitans bagged a second goal after 32 minutes – Cian O’Sullivan immaculately controlling Conor Burke’s long delivery to the front edge of the square before whipping to the net (2-12 to 0-7).

Embattled Wexford did raise three of the remaining four scores of the half – Lee Chin (two) and Ross Banville – but there was no hiding the predicament they were in as they broke in arrears by 2-13 to 0-10 with their qualification prospects in serious danger.

Three Wexford points inside four minutes of the resumption from Chin frees failed to re-energise the home challenge.

Indeed, rival sharpshooter Burke snapped back with three placed-ball scores (2-16 to 0-13), with John Hetherton having seen his connection on a cross from Brian Hayes cleared of the goal-line by Darragh Carley.

While Wexford captain Jack O’Connor caused some hustle and bustle in the Dublin area after his emergence from the bench, Dublin remained in control as they increased their qualification prospects with this sure-footed showing.

Scorers for Dublin: Donal Burke 0-15 (7fs, 2 ’65), Cian O’Sullivan 1-3, David Purcell 1-0, Brian Hayes 0-2, John Hetherton 0-1

Scorers for Wexford: Lee Chin 0-14 (13fs), Ross Banville, Simon Roche 0-2 each, Conor Hearne, Kevin Foley, Darren Codd, Jack O’Connor 0-1 each

Dublin: Eddie Gibbons; Eoghan O’Donnell, Paddy Smyth, Paddy Doyle; Chris Crummey, Liam Rushe, Conor Burke; Brian Hayes, Conor Donohoe; Fergal Whitely, Darragh Power, Donal Burke; David Purcell, John Hetherton, Cian O’Sullivan.

Subs: Conor McHugh for O’Donnell (38), Conal O’Riain for Power (49), Ronan Hayes for Purcell (60), Conor Groarke for Hetherton (72), Ollie Gafney for Whitely (70+5).

Wexford: Mark Fanning; Darragh Carley, Liam Ryan, Conor Foley; Simon Donohoe, Richie Lawlor, Damien Reck; Diarmuid O’Leary, Conor Hearne; Ross Banville, Lee Chin, Darren Codd; Cillian Byrne, Simon Roche, Kevin Foley.

Subs: James Byrne for Codd (47), Jack O’Connor (0-1) for C. Byrne (57), Eamon Wickham for Donohoe (63).

Referee: Shane Hynes (Galway).