Dublin destroy Wexford to book O'Byrne Cup final place

Dessie Farrell went with a largely developmental Dublin group but they still cruised to victory.

CLINICAL: Dublin's Sean Lowry scores a goal.

O’Byrne Cup semi-final: Dublin 5-17 Wexford 1-11

Sean Lowry of St Vincent's hammered a hat-trick of goals at Parnell Park as Dublin cruised through to the Dioralyte O’Byrne Cup final.

Dessie Farrell went with a largely developmental Dublin group again with only three starters – goalkeeper David O’Hanlon, the excellent Niall Scully and Brian O’Leary – with Championship experience but they still cruised to victory.

Luke Breathnach, who played in last year’s O’Byrne Cup and starred for the U-20s in 2023, impressed again with 1-4 overall.

Scully was the other Sky Blues goal-scorer and finished with 1-1 to help secure a final date with holders Longford next Saturday, a repeat of the 2008 decider.

Wexford’s campaign is over and they will lament a poor second-half performance which saw them fail to score from play until top scorer Ben Brosnan, who struck 0-9 overall, pointed in stoppage time.

Farrell made five changes in all to his Dublin lineup from the battling quarter-final win over Offaly in Gracefield seven days ago.

Ben Millist and Senan Forker came into the half-back line while Killian McGinnis, who struck 0-2 against the Faithful, Scully and Breathnach were all recalled in attack.

Breathnach and substitutes Kieran McKeown, Killian O’Gara and Gavin Sheridan weren’t part of the panel at all against Offaly.

As for Wexford, boss John Hegarty had already looked at 29 different players across their previous wins over Wicklow and Kildare.

He made seven changes from the quarter-final defeat of Kildare with goalkeeper Anthony Larkin, Conor Carty, Cathal Walsh, Eoghan Nolan, Jonathon Bealin, Kevin O’Grady and Brosnan brought into the team.

Brosnan, chasing the all-time appearances record in Wexford, previously hit 1-2 as a sub against Kildare and 1-7 against Wicklow so travelled to the capital in strong form.

The 36-year-old was on hand to punish Dublin for foul play with four first-half points, three of which came from frees. Wexford pressed hard on Dublin’s kick-outs and a couple of Brosnan scores from frees came off that tactic.

Walsh, who wore number six for Wexford but started at midfield, burst through for a goal before half-time also. He beat Dublin full-back Liam Howley for pace down the left and crashed a left-footed shot across goalkeeper David O’Hanlon to the net.

But Dublin were largely on top throughout the half with Lowry’s two goals and one in between from Breathnach leaving them 3-6 to 1-6 up at the break. Breathnach also had a goal chance that struck the outside of an upright in the 19th minute.

Brosnan clipped over a couple of points from frees after the restart for Wexford but they didn’t score again until the 61st minute.

In between, Dublin ran riot, blasting an unanswered 1-8 to cruise to a surprisingly comfortable 18-point win.

Scully palmed in Dublin’s fourth goal in the 53rd minute and Lowry, who played for Dublin in last year's National League, completed his hat-trick following a clever one-two with substitute Eoin Wilde in the 62nd minute.

Dublin scorers: S Lowry (3-0); L Breathnach (1-4); N Scully (1-1); D O’Hanlon (0-4, 0-3 45, 0-1f); K McGinnis, B O’Leary (0-1 free) (0-2 each); K Lahiff, B Millist, P Duffy, C Dunne (0-1 each).

Wexford scorers: B Brosnan (0-9, 7 frees); C Walsh (1-0); T Byrne, C Hughes (0-1 each).

DUBLIN: D O’Hanlon; L Smith, L Howley, E O’Dea; B Millist, S Forker, A Gavin; P Duffy, E Dunne; K McGinnis, N Scully, K Lahiff; L Breathnach, B O’Leary, S Lowry.

Subs: C Dolan for Gavin (50); E Wilde for McGinnis (57); E O’Connor Flanagan for Smith (58); C Dunne for Breathnach (59), K McKeown for Forker (64).

WEXFORD: A Larkin; D Furlong, G Sheehan, C Carty; G Malone, N Rossiter, D Lyons; C Walsh, L Coleman; T Byrne, J Bealin, K O’Grady; C Hughes, E Nolan, B Brosnan.

Subs: R Tubritt for Larkin, C Kinsella for Byrne, R Waters for O’Grady, N Hughes for Nolan & G Staples for Carty (all h/t) D O’Toole for Waters (45); L O’Connor for Rossiter (50); G Cullen for Walsh (52); R Furlong for Malone (58); J Roche for Bealin (68).

Ref: E O’Connor (Offaly).