After a three-week break, Dublin will resume their Allianz National Hurling League Division 1B campaign when they host Wexford at Croke Park next Saturday afternoon (5.00).
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Tue, 17 February 2026
The Dubs arrive into the encounter with two points from two games following their narrow Round 1 defeat to Clare and a comfortable victory against Kildare while Wexford have claimed full points from their three games against Antrim, Down and Carlow.
However, those wins were far from comprehensive as the Slaneysiders have failed to fully fire this year with former Dublin minor and Under 21 manager Sean Lane not overly impressed with what he has witnessed from Wexford to date.
“I think it’s fair to say that despite winning their three games so far, Wexford have looked vulnerable this season and they struggled to get over the line against both Antrim and Down.
“They weren’t great against Carlow in Round 3 either but in fairness to them, they finished that game well.
“The introduction of Lee Chin made a huge difference that night as Wexford blitzed Carlow in the last fifteen minutes and he is a hugely influential figure for them.
“They looked a much better team with him involved and you would expect him to start in Croke Park next weekend.
“Of course, with Rory O’Connor out travelling for the year, Wexford’s attack has lost a huge talent and probably places greater pressure on Chin in terms of generating scores.
“The likes of Simon Roche, who scored fourteen points against Carlow and Tomás Kinsella who added six points from play, are looking to step up and help fill the void left by O’Connor.
“I fully expect Wexford to be stronger than they have been so far this year and that they will throw the ‘kitchen sink’ at Dublin as it’s such an important match for both teams,” said Lane.
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Indeed it is with the common perception prior to the league starting that the vital two promotion spots would be fought out between Clare, Dublin and Wexford.
With Dublin losing in Ennis, that leaves little wriggle room for Niall Ó Ceallacháin’s side but Lane is confident that the Dubs have sufficient ability to take a positive step towards the top division next Saturday.
“I think it’s imperative for the team’s development that they get back to Division 1A as you have to play these types of competitive matches to gain experience against the top sides.
“It also acts as much better preparation for the Leinster Championship and it’s probably why we have seen quite a settled look to the Dublin team in the league so far.
“I always like to see young players come in and Conor Groarke has put his hand up but Dublin’s line-up has been relatively settled so far.
“With Eoghan O’Donnell back, the full-back line has an established feel with John Bellew and Paddy Smyth beside him and the whole defence is very recognisable.
“Further up the pitch, you’re always looking to increase your options and you’d probably be looking to get a couple more scoring forwards into the mix.
“Dublin have had a bit of a rest after being idle in Round 3 and that’s probably not a bad thing and I expect them to hit the ground running on Saturday and put in a good performance,” added Lane.
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To help clubs who wish to bring large juvenile groups to the games, the group ticket limit has been increased to 50 per transaction. Full details are available at am.ticketmaster.com/GAA/
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