Dublin 2-10
Longford 0-9
Paul Keane reports from Lakepoint Park, Mullingar
FIVE DAYS AFTER winning an All-Ireland club hurling medal with Cuala, Con O’Callaghan was the star with 2-5 tonight for the Dublin U21 footballers as they booked their place in the EirGrid Leinster final with a victory over Longford.
The Dublin senior footballer was on familiar ground, playing in the town of his father Maurice’s birth and lit up a wet and windy evening at Lakepoint Park.
His two-goal blast came in the third quarter of the game as Dessie Farrell’s four-in-a-row chasing side burned off Longford with a surge of scoring.
Dublin, playing against a strong wind, were in front narrowly by 0-4 to 0-3 at the break before they took over in the second half to run out winners by seven points in Mullingar.
O’Callaghan’s father actually played hurling and football for Westmeath in the 1986 championships and Con is clearly a chip off the block with a seamless transition from one code to another in a matter of just days.
He will be a marked man next Wednesday night when Dublin travel to Portlaoise to play Offaly in the provincial final. Chris Sallier had a strong game too, scoring three points from play, before being forced off with an apparent leg injury.
His replacement, Stephen Smith, kicked a neat score with his first touch, summing up a positive night for Dublin. Longford will curse their poor defending as both goals came from their own mistakes and they will also rue their errant kicking when they had the wind advantage in the first half.
Frank McNamee’s side fired six first-half wides, dropped a point attempt short and also had a 24th minute goal chance from Nigel Rabbitte blocked by Dublin defender Darren Byrne.
It meant that Dublin, with O’Callaghan and Sallier hitting a brace of points each, led 0-4 to 0-3 at half-time when they should have been behind.
Dublin killed off the game with that third quarter burst of scores that amounted to 2-3 without reply to effectively seal the win.
O’Callaghan intercepted a short kick-out for the first goal, just 80 seconds after the restart, and capitalised in the 39th minute when Longford defender Dessie Reynolds coughed up possession.
Longford, who contested the 2015 Leinster minor final, at least finished strong and scored the last four points of the game including two from top scorer David McGivney.
Scorers for Dublin: Con O’Callaghan 2-5 (0-3f), Chris Sallier 0-3, Brian Howard, Stephen Smith 0-1.
Scorers for Longford: David McGivney 0-4 (0-3f), Rian Brady 0-2 (0-1f), Darragh Doherty, Aidan McElligott, Dessie Reynolds 0-1.
Dublin
1. Evan Comerford (Ballymun Kickhams)
6. Sean McMahon (Raheny)
20. Declan Monaghan (Clontarf)
4. Darren Byrne (Raheny)
7. Cian Murphy (Thomas Davis)
3. Cillian O’Shea (Kilmacud Crokes)
2. Eoin Murchan (Na Fianna)
8. Andrew Foley (Clontarf)
10. Brian Howard (Raheny)
15. Tom Fox (Kilmacud Crokes)
11. Aaron Byrne (Na Fianna)
17. Glenn O’Reilly (Na Fianna)
22. Chris Sallier (Thomas Davis)
14. Con O’Callaghan (Cuala)
12. Dan O’Brien (Kilmacud Crokes)
Subs
9. Donal McIlgorm (Skerries Harps) for O’Reilly (45)
13. Stephen Smith (Skerries Harps) for Sallier (48)
18. Sean Bugler (St Oliver Plunketts Eoghan Ruadh) for Byrne (52)
24. Darragh Spillane (Cuala) for O’Brien (59)
23. Ben Shovlin (Kilmacud Crokes) for Foley (63)
Longford
1. Conor Gallagher (Grattan Og)
2. Kevin Sorohan (Rathcline)
3. Conor Farrell (Cashel)
4. James Mooney (Mullinalaghta St Columbas)
5. Cian Brady (Abbeylara)
6. Dessie Reynolds (Sean Connollys)
7. Russell Brady (Abbeylara)
8. David McGivney (Mullinalaghta St Columbas)
9. Shane Kenny (Rathcline)
10. Joe Kelly (Ballymahon)
11. Nigel Rabbitte (Abbeylara)
12. Peter Lynn (Grattan Og)
13. Rian Brady (Mullinalaghta St Columbas)
14. Daryl Carrigy (St Patrick’s Ardagh Moydow)
15. Aidan McElligott (Mullinalaghta St Columbas)
Subs
20. Cillian Lee (St Brigid’s Killashee) for Lynn (25)
23. Jayson Matthews (Mullinalaghta St Columbas) for Carrigy (h/t)
21. Conor Berry (Abbeylara) for Kenny (h/t)
17. Ronan Sweeney (Clonguish) for Russell Brady (41)
22. Darragh Doherty (Mostrim) for Kelly (41)
24. Sean Kelly (Carrickedmond) for Mooney (52)
Referee: Niall Ward (Westmeath)
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All the pressure on Offaly today and they were well deserved winners. Hopefully they will progress to senior level and they’ll compete in the All-Ireland series in 4/5 years time. Congratulations from a KK supporter
@Niall Egan: Fancied Offally to win this. Especially after the heartache of losing a minor and under 20. Some very good hurlers coming through.
@Ray Ridge: Brilliant
What a team…the most likeable team in the gaa at the moment.. thank you Leo..
There won’t be a bunker raked in esker hills tomorrow
Some group of hurlers just shows what can be done when everyone is on the same page, Workrate, teamwork, determination, skill and bottle in abundance they have it all.
Go on The Faithful county
Congrats to Offaly. They completely out hurled Tipp and could have won by much more.
Screeney is a class act and we all know that already. Dan Bourke was my man of the match. Imperious at centre forward. His goal put the game to bed just when Tipp had responded well to the first Offaly goal and looked like the game would go to the wire.
The joke among Tipp fans leaving the ground was at least the traffic won’t be bad leaving with all the Offaly fans celebrating back on the pitch.
It was the best atmosphere at a game in years thanks to the great Offaly support.
Enjoy the celebrations in Birr, Banagher, Tullamore and the rest of Offaly. Third time is a charm as someone else posted and this team are great champions.
Super atmosphere in KK,the place was mega.great game of hurling and Offaly never looked like they were going to come 2nd this evening.commiserations to a very good Tipperary team who had us on the edge of our seats at times alright but congratulations to the Faithful ! Up Offaly
Delighted for Offaly and Leo as well. Great stuff!
A Limerick man over a swashbuckling Offaly side winning an AI, Leo should get the senior job in a few years time with the majority of that side breaking through.
@colmkearney39@hotmail.com: the legend Eamon Cregan was also an adopted Limerick man and wiped the floor with his own county to bring glory to the Offaly senior team.
Better team won, no complaints, hopefully a few players from both set ups make the step up to senior level over the next few years.
What a brilliant atmosphere at the game, despite being on the losing side, just home watching the Saturday game, could have done with more coverage, interviews etc.