KILLIAN O’GARA, NO stranger to O’Byrne Cup duty with Dublin, did his chances of more regular activity this season no harm at all with 1-4 in their season opener.
Going with a new look group – which included Ger Lyons as the stand in manager for the pre-season competition – Dubs boss Dessie Farrell, who was also present on the sideline in Baltinglass, opted to use the season opener to assess all his options and will have been pleased with what he saw from full-forward O’Gara in particular.
A game that hung in the balance for almost 40 minutes was ultimately decided by a burst of scoring midway through the second-half when Dublin soared clear.
O’Gara, who previously played in the 2018 and 2020 competitions, got the first goal, Colm Basquel the second and just like that Oisin McConville was resigned to defeat in his first game as Wicklow manager.
Not that the Armagh great will be overly concerned about the setback though his side was opened up largely at Dublin’s ease in the final 20 minutes or so.
Wicklow will return to action on Saturday against Offaly in Round 2, away, while Dublin will also face the Faithful in their next game on Wednesday.
Dessie Farrell after the game with Oisin McConville. Ben Brady / INPHO
Ben Brady / INPHO / INPHO
Fielding a team with just one player who featured in last year’s Championship, attacker Brian O’Leary, tournament holders Dublin essentially went with an U-23 squad.
Wing-back CJ Smith was the only Dubliner who played in last year’s National League though Lyons did have seven players in his lineup who were involved in the 2022 O’Byrne Cup success.
McConville opted to assess all his options too and it made for a cagey, low scoring encounter that was tied twice in the opening half.
Dublin suggested that they may put on the after burners when they sniped three points in a row between the 22nd and 27th minutes but that was as good as it got for them.
O’Gara was the Sky Blues’ most potent forward and put in a big shift for 60 minutes, dropping deep into defence at times and typically involved in their most threatening attacks.
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Playing into a stiff wind, Dublin worked the ball initially through the hand cleverly and were aided by hard running wing backs Adam Fearon and Smith who offered plenty going forward.
Dublin hit the interval with a narrow 0-6 to 0-5 lead and while the sides were level again briefly at 0-6 apiece, it was all about the power and quality of the visitors from there on.
Dublin introduced 10 subs in all while Wicklow made eight changes. The switches appeared to take from Wicklow though Dublin, if anything, improved as the game wore on and there were late scores from subs Sean Kinsella and Karl Lynch-Bissett.
*****
Tonight’s other O’Byrne Cup games saw Kildare defeat Wexford 1-18 to 0-11 in Enniscorthy, Darragh Kirwan scoring 0-6 and Paddy Woodgate contributing 1-3, while Mark Rossiter hit 0-9.
Meath staged a second-half recovery to defeat Carlow 0-16 to 1-9 at Netwatch Cullen Park. Diarmuid Moriarty was their top scorer with 0-4, while Matthew Costello scored 0-3.
Elsewhere Longford defeated Laois by 3-18 to 0-13, while Louth overcame Westmeath by 1-8 to 0-9.
While in the Dr McKenna Cup, Tyrone defeated Fermanagh 0-17 to 1-7 and Armagh were 2-20 to 2-8 victors against Antrim.
*****
Scorers for Dublin: Killian O’Gara 1-4 (0-2f), Colm Basquel 1-0, Mark Lavin 0-3, Ross McGarry 0-2, Killian McGinnis 0-1, Brian O’Leary 0-1, Adam Waddick 0-1, Luke Breathnach 0-1, Sean Kinsella 0-1, Karl Lynch Bissett 0-1.
Scorers for Wicklow: Kevin Quinn 0-4 (0-3f), Mark Jackson 0-2 (0-2f), Cathal Baker 0-1, Mark Kenny 0-1, Jack Kirwan 0-1.
Dublin
1. Hugh O’Sullivan (Ballyboden St Endas)
4. Ben Millist (Ballinteer St John’s), 3. Dara Newcombe (Lucan Sarsfields), 2. Darragh Conlon (Ballymun Kickhams)
5. Adam Fearon (Skerries Harps), 6. Greg McEneaney (Skerries Harps), 7. CJ Smith (Lucan Sarsfields)
10. Killian McGinnis (Skerries Harps), 9. Adam Waddick (Thomas Davis)
13. Mark Lavin (Lucan Sarsfields), 26. Alex Wright (St Sylvesters), 12. Ross McGarry (Ballyboden St Endas)
14. Killian O’Gara (Templeogue Synge Street), 11. Colm Basquel (Ballyboden St Endas), 15. Brian O’Leary (Na Fianna)
Subs
18. Luke Breathnach (Ballinteer St John’s) for McGarry (42)
24. Liam Smith (Ballinteer St John’s) for Smith (54)
19. Peter Duffy (Cuala) for O’Leary (56)
8. Conor Tyrrell (St Oliver Plunketts Eoghan Ruadh) for Fearon (56)
20. Kevin Lahiff (St Judes) for O’Gara (60)
22. Dean Robertson (Ballymun Kickhams) for Wright (62)
17. Josh Bannon (St Sylvesters) for Conlon (70)
21. Karl Lynch-Bissett (Naomh Mearnog) for McGinnis (70)
23. Robert Shaw (Castleknock) for Waddick (70)
25. Sean Kinsella (Fingal Ravens) for Basquel (70)
Wicklow
1. Mark Jackson (Baltinglass)
3. Malachy Stone (Barndarrig), 2. Tom Moran (Dunlavin), 4. Karl Furlong (Baltinglass)
14. Eoin Murtagh (Dunlavin)
5. Tom Maher (AGB), 6. Zach Cullen (Avondale), 7. Jacques McCall (Barndarrig)
8. JP Hurley (AGB), 9. Padraig O’Toole (Kiltegan)
10. Jack Kirwan (Baltinglass), 11. Mark Kenny (Ballymanus), 12. Cathal Baker (Avondale)
13. Kevin Quinn (Blessington), 15. Eoin Darcy (Tinahely)
Subs
17. Cillian McDonald (Tinahely) for McCall (38)
26. Fintan O’Shea (Eire Og Greystones) for Maher (38)
21. Craig Maguire (Blessington) for Hurley (45)
18. Joe Prendergast (Eire Og Greystones) for Baker (45)
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O'Gara shoots 1-4 as Dublin claim early O'Byrne Cup victory over Wicklow
Dublin 2-15
Wicklow 0-9
Paul Keane reports from Baltinglass
KILLIAN O’GARA, NO stranger to O’Byrne Cup duty with Dublin, did his chances of more regular activity this season no harm at all with 1-4 in their season opener.
Going with a new look group – which included Ger Lyons as the stand in manager for the pre-season competition – Dubs boss Dessie Farrell, who was also present on the sideline in Baltinglass, opted to use the season opener to assess all his options and will have been pleased with what he saw from full-forward O’Gara in particular.
A game that hung in the balance for almost 40 minutes was ultimately decided by a burst of scoring midway through the second-half when Dublin soared clear.
O’Gara, who previously played in the 2018 and 2020 competitions, got the first goal, Colm Basquel the second and just like that Oisin McConville was resigned to defeat in his first game as Wicklow manager.
Not that the Armagh great will be overly concerned about the setback though his side was opened up largely at Dublin’s ease in the final 20 minutes or so.
Wicklow will return to action on Saturday against Offaly in Round 2, away, while Dublin will also face the Faithful in their next game on Wednesday.
Fielding a team with just one player who featured in last year’s Championship, attacker Brian O’Leary, tournament holders Dublin essentially went with an U-23 squad.
Wing-back CJ Smith was the only Dubliner who played in last year’s National League though Lyons did have seven players in his lineup who were involved in the 2022 O’Byrne Cup success.
McConville opted to assess all his options too and it made for a cagey, low scoring encounter that was tied twice in the opening half.
Dublin suggested that they may put on the after burners when they sniped three points in a row between the 22nd and 27th minutes but that was as good as it got for them.
O’Gara was the Sky Blues’ most potent forward and put in a big shift for 60 minutes, dropping deep into defence at times and typically involved in their most threatening attacks.
Playing into a stiff wind, Dublin worked the ball initially through the hand cleverly and were aided by hard running wing backs Adam Fearon and Smith who offered plenty going forward.
Dublin hit the interval with a narrow 0-6 to 0-5 lead and while the sides were level again briefly at 0-6 apiece, it was all about the power and quality of the visitors from there on.
Dublin introduced 10 subs in all while Wicklow made eight changes. The switches appeared to take from Wicklow though Dublin, if anything, improved as the game wore on and there were late scores from subs Sean Kinsella and Karl Lynch-Bissett.
*****
Tonight’s other O’Byrne Cup games saw Kildare defeat Wexford 1-18 to 0-11 in Enniscorthy, Darragh Kirwan scoring 0-6 and Paddy Woodgate contributing 1-3, while Mark Rossiter hit 0-9.
Meath staged a second-half recovery to defeat Carlow 0-16 to 1-9 at Netwatch Cullen Park. Diarmuid Moriarty was their top scorer with 0-4, while Matthew Costello scored 0-3.
Elsewhere Longford defeated Laois by 3-18 to 0-13, while Louth overcame Westmeath by 1-8 to 0-9.
While in the Dr McKenna Cup, Tyrone defeated Fermanagh 0-17 to 1-7 and Armagh were 2-20 to 2-8 victors against Antrim.
*****
Scorers for Dublin: Killian O’Gara 1-4 (0-2f), Colm Basquel 1-0, Mark Lavin 0-3, Ross McGarry 0-2, Killian McGinnis 0-1, Brian O’Leary 0-1, Adam Waddick 0-1, Luke Breathnach 0-1, Sean Kinsella 0-1, Karl Lynch Bissett 0-1.
Scorers for Wicklow: Kevin Quinn 0-4 (0-3f), Mark Jackson 0-2 (0-2f), Cathal Baker 0-1, Mark Kenny 0-1, Jack Kirwan 0-1.
Dublin
1. Hugh O’Sullivan (Ballyboden St Endas)
4. Ben Millist (Ballinteer St John’s), 3. Dara Newcombe (Lucan Sarsfields), 2. Darragh Conlon (Ballymun Kickhams)
5. Adam Fearon (Skerries Harps), 6. Greg McEneaney (Skerries Harps), 7. CJ Smith (Lucan Sarsfields)
10. Killian McGinnis (Skerries Harps), 9. Adam Waddick (Thomas Davis)
13. Mark Lavin (Lucan Sarsfields), 26. Alex Wright (St Sylvesters), 12. Ross McGarry (Ballyboden St Endas)
14. Killian O’Gara (Templeogue Synge Street), 11. Colm Basquel (Ballyboden St Endas), 15. Brian O’Leary (Na Fianna)
Subs
Wicklow
1. Mark Jackson (Baltinglass)
3. Malachy Stone (Barndarrig), 2. Tom Moran (Dunlavin), 4. Karl Furlong (Baltinglass)
14. Eoin Murtagh (Dunlavin)
5. Tom Maher (AGB), 6. Zach Cullen (Avondale), 7. Jacques McCall (Barndarrig)
8. JP Hurley (AGB), 9. Padraig O’Toole (Kiltegan)
10. Jack Kirwan (Baltinglass), 11. Mark Kenny (Ballymanus), 12. Cathal Baker (Avondale)
13. Kevin Quinn (Blessington), 15. Eoin Darcy (Tinahely)
Subs
Referee: Kieran Harris (Kildare).
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Dublin GAA Leinster O'Byrne Cup Wicklow