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DUBLIN 2-16
WICKLOW 2-14
Dublin progressed to the last four of the Leinster Senior Football Championship whennarrowly accounting for Wicklow by two points in their provincial quarter-final at Echelon Park, Aughrim on Sunday afternoon.
To say that this was no picnic in the garden would be an understatement as Dublin rode their luck to a large degree with the hosts spurning a number of gilt-edged chances in the second-half to force extra-time at the very least.
That Dublin managed to progress was down to Wicklow’s profligacy after the break and also the excellence at the opposite end of Paddy Small, with the Ballymun Kickhams attacker leading the way with 1-6 from open play.
Sean Bugler also popped up with scores at crucial times, especially in the third quarter as Dublin found themselves in arrears as the hosts plundered 1-2 in quick succession to seize control of the contest.
It was Bugler that opened the scoring within ten seconds but Wicklow, who impressed in last week’s win against Carlow, replied soon after as Eoin Darcy fired home a penalty following a foul by Páidí White.
A Con O’Callaghan free and a Small point kept Dublin in the mix but their struggles at midfield saw the hosts maintain a deserved lead through points from Oisín McGraynor and Cian Deering.
That margin was maintained for the majority of the half as the visitors offered a greater threat in the second quarter with Killian McGinnis unlucky to see his powerful shot cannon to safety off the crossbar in the 23rd minute.
Small offered some encouragement with a brace of two-pointers and McGinnis added another to edge the Dubs in front by the slimmest of margins approaching the break.
Crucially, Dublin had one final attack and they made the most of it as Charlie McMorrow raced through from deep and clinically availed of the overlap when firing low into the corner past the exposed Mark Jackson.
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