Dublin vs Wicklow Masters GAA

Dublin 5-16

 

Wicklow 0-9

 

Eoin Horkan

 

St Brigid’s GAC Dublin

 

After a strong first half performance from the Wicklow Masters side, they were eventually beaten with three late Dublin goals putting a gloss on hard working performance from the Wicklow men.

 

After a cagy opening couple of phases of play it was the home side that troubled the scoreboard first when Niall Crossan fired over. Within minutes Wicklow sharpshooter Tony Darcy slotted over two efforts from play to give his side the lead within seven minutes. The Garden County men were gaining a foothold in the tie after Darcy added another effort from open play after Kevin Golden had leveled the tie. As the away side pushed forward, Dublin defended stoutly and against the run of play fired in the first goal of the tie through Crossan, who added to his tally. After another play broke down Dublin wingback, Dave Mooney, found himself in the right place to find the net. The final score of this purple patch came from the other wingback, Alan  Daly, who raised a white flag.

There was ten minutes left in the half when a Darcy free narrowed the gap, Dublin responded with two more minors - the first from full forward Tommy Brennan, before they unleashed Bernard Brogan of the bench to extend their lead. The final scores of the half came from a dead ball from Darcy again before Ciaran MacFhearghusa ensured his side would go in seven points up.

After the interval Dublin gained a complete foothold as Borgan added two more white flags, one from play and another from a dead ball. Wicklow's response came through the boot of center forward - Conor Parsons, who was playing his second match in two weeks.

After the gap was narrowed Dublin started to empty their bench, this is when they took full control raising four white flags in a row as Crossan, Brennan and Golden added to their tally before Kevin O’ Caroll finished off this scoring spree. The noisy neighbors narrowed the gap as Peter O’Brien drove forward to hit an outrageous score. With twelve minutes left in the tie the boys in blue kept the pressure on with points from  MacFhearghusa and two from Ciaran Slane. With their final attacks of the tie, Denis Bastick and Dabhac Dineen found the back of the net before Crossan finished the scoring for his side.

Not to be outdone, Willie O’ Hagan drove over the final two points of the tie from frees to narrow the gap slightly. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Dublin: Stephen Moore; Shane Harkin, Brian Kirby, Felim Condron; Alan Daly(0-1), Stephen Mullen, Dave Mooney(1-0), Ross McConnell, Dabhac Dineen(1-0); Ciaran Slane (0-2), Kevin Golden (0-2), Kevin O’ Carroll (0-1); Ger Vickery, Tommy Brennan (0-2fs), Niall Crossan (1-3).

Subs Used: Ciaran Murray, Cormac Donohue, Ciaran MacFhearghusa (0-2), Gary O’ Connell, James O’ Connor, Bernard Brogan (0-3 2fs), Andy Farrell, Trevor Connolly, Jimmy Keogh, Brian Keogh, Denis Bastick(1-0),Ian Clarke, Niall Ryan.

 

 

Wicklow: Mervyn Travers; Peter O’ Brien (0-1),Brian Nolan, Patrick Egan; Alan Nolan, Paddy Dalton, David Cullen; Eoin Burke, Barry Sheehan; Jonathan Behan, Conor Parsons (0-1), Alan Ellis; Tony Darcy(0-5 2fs), Ray Stapelton, Willie O’Hagan (0-2fs)

Subs Used: Michael O’ Neill, Seamus McGraynor, Derek Daly, Tony Hannon, Johnny Mooney.

 

Referee Peter Farrell (Johnstownbridge)