Dubs open title defence with easy win over Carlow

Dublin began their defence of the Leinster Minor Football Championship with a facile 2-21 to 0-4 first round win over Carlow in Dr Cullen Park on Saturday.

The visitors struggled at times in the opening half although three Gavin Burke points helped them to a 0-7 to 0-1 interval lead with Chris Blake kicking Carlow’s solitary score from a 23th minute free.

Andrew Beaton landed two points for the hosts after the restart but Dublin soon began to pull clear thanks to three points apiece from dual players Conor McHugh and Cormac Costello.

Burke goaled from McHugh’s pass in the 51st minute to effectively settle the contest and Shane Cunningham’s goal a minute later added to by four further points from McHugh ensured a comfortable progression for Dessie Farrell’s men.

At Haggardstown, Louth produced a storming second-half display to overwhelm Westmeath by 2-10 to 0-6.

The visitors led by 0-6 to 0-3 at the break but were held scoreless for the second-half as the excellent Stephen Kilcoyne netted in the 50th minute with substitute Cian Doyle punching home to ensure a ten point win for the Wee County.

Kildare were another team to turn on the style in the second-half with Wayne Fitzpatrick scoring 2-5 in their 3-19 to 0-10 win over Wexford in Newbridge.

The hosts led by 0-7 to 0-6 at the interval but their greater fitness told upon the restart with powerful midfielder Paschal Connell netting either side of Fitzpatrick’s strikes.

Elsewhere, Barry Dardis’ penalty was the pivotal score in Meath’s 1-11 to 0-11 win over Longford while goals from Michael O’Connor and Pat Phelan saw Wexford home by 2-5 to 1-6 over Laois.

* Leinster MFC: Kilkenny 1-0 Offaly 8-30; Carlow 0-4 Dublin 2-21; Louth 2-10 Westmeath 0-6; Longford 0-11 Meath 1-11; Kildare 3-19 Wexford 0-10; Wicklow 2-5 Laois 1-6.