Dublin North and South suffer at second round stage
HURLING: LEINSTER PP SENIOR ‘A’ ROUND-UP
By Daire Walsh
THERE was disappointment for the Dublin North and Dublin South senior sides last Saturday afternoon, as both teams suffered reversals at the second round stage of the Corn Ui Dhuill competition.
Dublin North’s encounter with Laois Schools in Rathdowney was a closely-contested fixture for the most part, and even though full-forward Stephen Bergin recorded a 28th-minute major for the O’Moore boys, a brace of points by AJ Murphy and centre-forward Eoin Conroy ensured that there was only three points separating the teams upon the resumption.
Indeed, when Eoin O Conghaile found the back of the Laois net in the early moments after the restart, it looked like North were poised for a strong second period showing, but thanks to the dead-ball accuracy of Mark Kavanagh, as well as a second Bergin goal, Laois established a comfortable eight-point cushion.
Half-forward Sean O Riain kept Dublin North in touch when he registered his side’s second goal, but with Kavanagh bringing his overall tally to 0-11, Laois Schools held out for a five-point triumph (2-13 to 2-8).
At the same time in Bunclody, Dublin South were up against a Wexford Schools outfit that were competing in the competition for the first time.
Because of this, the Slaneysiders were eager to impress and, with half-forward Alan Murphy in top form, they brought a commanding 1-9 to 0-2 lead into the second half.
This left South with a mountain to climb when the action re-commenced, but despite the best efforts of Round Towers Clondalkin’s Gary Quinlivan, a plethora of points by Murphy propelled Wexford Schools towards a 3-24 to 0-6 success.