CUALA 3-17 ST MARTIN'S (Wexford) 0-15
Reigning All-Ireland and provincial champions, Cuala, cruised to an impressive 11-point victory over Wexford's St Martin's in Sunday's AIB Leinster Club SHC semi-final in Parnell Park.
The Dublin champions progress to face Offaly's Kilcormac/Killoughey, victors over Carlow's Mount Leinster, in the provincial decider on Sunday, December 3 in O'Moore Park, Portlaoise.
The Cuala defence were never under sustained pressure and Seán Moran, Cian O'Callaghan, Paul Schutte and Oisín Gough dealt with the few dangers close to goal that occurred.
Despite struggling to kickstart their scores in the early stages the Dalkey side always looked the more potent side and and two-goal salvo just before the 20th minute of the first half put Mattie Kenny's men on the road to victory.
They eased out comprehensive winners in the second half and were well on top by the 50th minute, when leading 3-14 to 0-10, the Wexford side had two players dismissed in quick succession.
Sub Michael Codd was first to go on a straight red card and he was quickly followed by Jack O'Connor on a double-yellow.
Cuala had an early Jake Malone goal disallowed in the opening half as the direct running of Con O'Callaghan had alarm bells ringing in the St Martin's defence, however, they were not translating that into scores on the board and Martin's through the freetaking of Joe Coleman led 0-5 to 0-3 after 17 minutes, with Nicky Kenny hitting two of the Cuala points and the accuracy of freetaker David Treacy adding the other.
Then the game swung Cuala's way.
Colum Sheanon fired over a point after being fed by Con O'Callaghan and then within two minutes the southsiders were 2-4 to 0-5 clear.
Malone swept the first goal to the net following Con's original incision and clever side-foot of the sliotar along the ground to his team-mate and then O'Callaghan batted the ball to the net at the end of a searing run through the heart of the Martin's defence.
By the break Cuala were 2-7 to 0-8 in front and in fact it should have been more.
As the second half progressed Martin's left O'Callaghan isolated one-on-one inside and Cuala didn't need any more invitation to fire the ball directly into their target man.
Three quick points, all from play, by Con had his side 2-14 to 0-10 in front before Cuala's No 14 fended off two defenders before bypassing Martin's keeper Luke White with a short stick-pass to Colm Cronin to 'walk' the ball into the net.
Thirteen points clear Cuala were looking at the next round particularly when the Wexford men were reduced to 13 players with the two sendings-off in quick succession.
Con O'Callaghan was called ashore in the 51st minute, to a loud ovation, and as the game petered out Cuala subs Niall Carty and Brian Fitzgerald both added to their tally.
SCORERS - Cuala: Con O'Callaghan 1-3, D Treacy 0-6 (0-4f, 0-1 '65'), J Malone, C Cronin 1-1 each, N Kenny 0-3, C Sheanon, B Fitzgerald, N Carty 0-1 each. St Martin's: J Coleman 0-11 (0-8f, 0-1 sideline), Joe O'Connor, Jack O'Connor, D Codd, D Waters 0-1 each.
CUALA: S Brennan; O Gough, Cian O'Callaghan, S Timlin; J Sheanon, S Moran, P Schutte; D O'Connell, S Treacy; C Sheanon, C Cronin, J Malone; N Kirwan, Con O'Callaghan, D Treacy. Subs: N Carty for Con O'Callaghan (51), C Waldron for Cronin (51), R Tierney for Cian O'Callaghan (53), S Stapleton for C Sheanon (57), B Fitzgerald for Kenny (57).
ST MARTIN'S: L White; W Devereux, C Firman, P Kelly; D Waters, A Maddock, B O'Connor; H O'Connor, M Maloney; J Firman, Jack O'Connor, Joe O'Connor; C Lyng, J Coleman, M Coleman. Subs:D Codd for M Coleman (ht), M Codd for J Firman (40), B Maddock for B O'Connor (50), P Dempsey for Devereux (61).
REF: D Hughes (Carlow).