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DUBLIN 0-12
WEXFORD 2-15
Wexford pounced for two-second-half goals on their way to a nine-point victory over Dublin in their Electric Ireland Leinster Minor Hurling Championship Tier 1 encounter at Chadwicks Wexford Park on Saturday afternoon.
Having lost to Galway six days previously, the Dubs were keen to bounce back but despite some promising moments, they ultimately fell to defeat.
A strong finish to the first-half saw Dublin score four points on the bounce as they trailed by 0-7 to 0-6 by half-time but goals after the break by Sean O’Brien and Rhys Wickham saw them suffer their second successive reverse.
With the breeze at their backs, it was the hosts that started the brighter despite a number of early wides and they eventually opened the scoring through Jack Sheridan in the 3rd minute.
That lead was doubled three minutes later through Rhys Wickham and after a scoreless and scrappy period of six minutes, Wexford enhanced their lead thanks to Sean O’Brien’s 12th minute free.
Dublin were handed a boost as Finn O’Donnell, who impressed as a second-half substitute against Galway, clipped over a minute later and a long-range free from Rory Flannery brought the visitors to within a point by the end of the first quarter.
The hosts regained control of matters as an O’Brien free and a Jack Cullen score restored their three-point buffer as Dublin struggled to create chances into the wind.
The Dubs were indebted to goalkeeper Eoin McGuirk, who denied Wickham in the 21st minute although Jamie Kennedy was on hand to point from the rebound to move Wexford four points clear.
Another O’Brien free kept Wexford on the front foot but Dublin finished the half strongly as Sean Culleton and Flannery (free) added to the away tally.
Further scores arrived before the break through an excellent Conaill O’Sullivan effort and a Dan Ward free, leaving the visitors trailing by the bare minimum at half-time.
Flannery landed a superb levelling score within two minutes of the resumption but parity didn’t last too long as Kennedy responded with a tidy score soon after.
Tadhg Murnane and O’Brien traded points as the half progressed with frees from Flannery and O’Brien- the former converting another long-range effort to restore parity by the 40th minute.
Despite O’Donnell adding his second point from play, the hosts pushed two points ahead with Eoghan Whelan, Darragh Ryan (free) and Alfie Whelan all on target.
The pivotal moment of the contest arrived ten minutes from time as a Jamie Downey attempt dropped short, with O’Brien on hand to bundle to the net from close range.
Any hopes of an unlikely comeback were put to bed in the 55th minute as Wickham blasted to the net.
Scorers – Dublin: R Flannery 0-5 (4f); F O’Donnell, S Culleton 0-2 each; C O’Sullivan, D Ward (f), T Murnane 0-1 apiece. Wexford: S O’Brien 1-6 (0-5f); R Wickham 1-2; J Kennedy 0-2; J Sheridan, J Cullen, E Whelan, D Ryan (f), A Whelan, R Murphy 0-1 apiece.
Dublin: E McGuirk; D Murphy, P O’Connell, C Condon; D Fallon, R Flannery, D Ware; C O’Sullivan, R Duffy; F O’Donnell, L Hayes, T Murnane; C Kelly, D Ward, S Culleton. Subs: J Graham for Ware (39), S Gavigan for Murnane (46), D O’Connor for Kelly (50), D Brady for O’Donnell (53), C Mac Canna for Murphy (56).
Wexford: M Dempsey; T Kirwan, C Gethings, C Rochford; K Murphy, P Devereux, J Downey; D Ryan, E Kinsella; J Cullen, E Whelan, J Kennedy; S O’Brien, R Wickham, J Sheridan. Subs: A Whelan for Cullen (40), E Quinlan for Kennedy (46), L Cloke for Sheridan (48), W Kelly for Kinsella (57), R Murphy for Downey (61).
Referee: Brian Kearney (Kildare).