U20 Hurlers Beat Offaly To Qualify for Leinster Semi Final

Image courtesy Eamon O'Callaghan

DUBLIN 4-23

OFFALY 0-15

Dublin dominated from the outset as they eased past Offaly by twenty points in their Fulfil Leinster Under 20 Hurling Championship Round 3 encounter at Glenisk O’Connor Park on Wednesday night.

Having overcome both Meath and Laois earlier this month, the Dubs produced their most complete display of the campaign to date with their reward a provincial semi-final in three weeks’ time.

Despite electing to play against the elements in the first-half, the visitors led by 2-12 to 0-9 at the break with goals from Tommy Cullen and Darragh Kilduff helping create a sizeable lead.

The chances continued to come after the break with substitute Senan Bolger adding a brace of goals in the final quarter to see Dublin home with a fair degree of comfort.

Early points from Callum Graham and Mícheál Tierney saw Dublin settle into the tie before a 6th minute free from Odhrán Fletcher opened the home account.

Aron Gargan and James O’Sullivan traded points soon after before the visitors pounced for the game’s opening goal in the 8th minute as Cullen raced clear down the right flank and after exchanging passes with Gargan, he swept home from close range.

Dublin pushed six points clear by the end of the first quarter through successive points by Cathal O’Flynn, Graham and Kilduff with the hosts keeping on their coattails thanks to scores at the opposite end by Darragh Scully and Fletcher.

James Norris was rewarded for a typically industrious display as he clipped over a brace of points while Gargan was equally bright as he added two further scores to his earlier point as Dublin’s pace caused numerous headaches for the Offaly defence. 

Fletcher showed his threat from open play with two points in quick succession but Kilduff was becoming increasingly influential as he gathered a Joe Sheppard delivery before plating a clinical finish beyond the helpless Matt Watkins in the 29th minute.

Leading by nine points at the turnaround, Dublin resumed in a similarly dominant manner with Daniel O’Kelly and Graham both on target before Cullen landed a superb score from distance.

Offaly were far too reliant on Fletcher for scores as he clipped over his third point from play in the 37th minute but he proved an isolated success for the hosts as O’Kelly added a trio of frees to extend the Dublin lead to double scores towards the end of the third quarter.

Watkins made two superb saves to deny both Graham and Gargan and the former should have added a third goal in the 46th minute but he dragged his shot wide of Watkins’ right-hand upright.

Those missed chances mattered little as Norris and Kilduff added to their personal tallies and while Graham struck the crossbar in the 56th minute, Bolger was on hand to crash the rebound into the empty net.

Bolger was equally fortuitous three minutes later as his mishit shot deceived Watkins to float into the net as Dublin cruised home courtesy of late points by Luke Hayes and George O’Toole.

Scorers – Dublin: D Kilduff 1-3; S Bolger 2-0; D O’Kelly 0-5 (4f, 1 ‘65); T Cullen 1-1; C Graham, J Norris, A Gargan 0-3 each; M Tierney 0-2; C O’Flynn, L Hayes, G O’Toole 0-1 apiece. Offaly: O Fletcher 0-10 (6f, 1 ’65); G Maher (1f), D Scully 0-2 each; J O’Sullivan 0-1.

Dublin: S O’Neill; L Mooney, W Wheatley, C Quinn; T Cullen, J Sheppard, C O’Flynn; K Costello, M Tierney; G O’Toole, D O’Kelly, J Norris; C Graham, A Gargan, D Kilduff. Subs: F Codd for Costello (half-time), R Duffy for Quinn (44), S Bolger for O’Kelly (44), L Hayes for Mooney (Temp, 50), D Durkin for Sheppard (53), J Kennedy for O’Flynn (57).   

Offaly: M Watkins; S Óg Foley, H Sweeney, J McLoughney; A Hogan, J O'Sullivan, B Guinan; S Carey, G Maher; M Mulrooney, L O'Riordan, M Ryan; O Fletcher, P Lyons, D Scully. Subs: O Carroll for Óg Foley (half-time), N Standish for Ryan (45), A Cleary for McLoughney (52), D Hollywood for Lyons (57).    

Referee: Matthew Redmond (Wexford).