Sport

Wicklow hold firm as Dublin fail to take chances

Wicklow 0-9 Dublin 0-6:  DESPITE DOMINATING possession for long stretches of an error-strewn game at Parnell Park yesterday, …

Mon Jan 12 2009 - 00:00

Wicklow 0-9 Dublin 0-6: DESPITE DOMINATING possession for long stretches of an error-strewn game at Parnell Park yesterday, O'Byrne Cup holders Dublin crashed out of the competition at the hands of Mick O'Dwyer's Wicklow.

Both teams were under strength for this quarter-final with the majority of the capital's senior squad unavailable it was left to Jim Gavin and 10 of his under-21s to take on a Wicklow side fielding four players from that age group.

Wicklow started the quicker with points from Paul Earls, John Kinch and Darren Hayden and a Tony Hannon free-kick easing them into the lead with a solitary response from Dublin midfielder John Sheanon.

The fare was scrappy and Wicklow corner-forward Dean Odlum was yellow carded for a needless foul on 10 minutes and had to be replaced while Dublin's John O'Brien scored from an angle before the impressive Hannon restored Wicklow's half-time advantage to 0-5 to 0-2.

READ MORE

Hannon and Kinch then stretched Wicklow's lead to five points before Dublin assumed control and attacked the Wicklow goal relentlessly.

Gavin had thrown Bernard Brogan, the sole star name in the Dublin panel, into the fray on 23 minutes in an attempt to spark some life into the forward line and the half-forward flashed a low shot wide with a goal on.

Dublin were huffing and puffing but the away defence stood firm, Dean Rock scoring two points, the first a free, the second coming when Brogan drove another daisy cutter against the post before Rock pointed from the rebound.

Son of Dublin legend Barney Rock, the impressive young full forward, closed the gap further before substitute Derek Byrne brought them within two points, but Hannon landed a late free at the other end to secure Wicklow's victory.

Wicklow: M Travers; C Hyland, S Kelly, A Byrne; P McWalter, E Keogh, L Glynn; T Hannon (0-5, five frees), P Brophy; D Hayden (0-1), J McGrath, A McLoughlin; D Odlum, P Earls (0-1), J Kinch (0-2). Yellow cards: F Clune for Hannon (70 mins), D Siney for Odlum (10 mins).

DUBLIN: D McDonnell; C Moore, G O'Connell, D Daly; J Cooper, C Deasy, D Lally; D O'Mahony, J Sheanon (0-1); J O'Brien (0-1), C Morley, D Kelly; T Furman, D Rock (0-3, two frees), C Carthy. Subs: B Brogan for Carthy (23 mins), J O'Connor for Sheanon (42 mins), N Devereux for Deasy (44 mins, N Collins for Morley (49 mins), D Byrne (0-1) for Kelly (53 mins).Yellow card: B Kirby for O'Connor (51 mins).

Referee: C Reilly (Meath).