Chris Sallier hits two goals as Dublin minors reach All-Ireland semi-final

DUBLIN 2-14 CORK 1-13 Two first-half goals from Chris Sallier proved decisive as Dublin booked a semi-final date on August 31st with Donegal in the Electric Ireland All-Ireland minor football championship.

Sallier netted in the eighth and 14th minutes to help establish a 2-6 to 0-8 lead for Dublin. Cork, beaten Munster finalists, were seven points down in the second half but Shane Kingston’s 54th-minute goal revived their challenge.

And they were just two points behind in the final minute before late scores from inspirational captain Con O'Callaghan and Colm Basquel sealed Dublin's win.

Basquel tapped over a second Dublin penalty deep in stoppage time for a four-point buffer, having struck the upright with his first penalty in the 57th minute.

Cried foul

Cork also cried foul for Sallier’s two goals – claiming fouls in the build-up to both.

Cork were punished for poor defending and turning over possession as Eoin Murchan surged half the length of the pitch to set up Sallier's first goal.

The second goal was also avoidable from a Cork perspective as David Lowney spilled possession on the Dublin 20 metre line.

The Leinster champions broke and when Seán Powter was beaten to the punch on the Kinane Stand touchline, Dublin were in on the Cork defence, with Sallier exploiting a two-on-one situation.

Cork forward Michael Hurley, younger brother of senior star Brian, was taken off on a stretcher with a serious ankle injury in the first half.

Dublin manager Cyril Kevlihan said:

“Fair dues to Cork, they came back, really came back and put it up to us but again, the character that’s in the lads; they stood firm and we had to dig it out at the end.”

Dublin were 2-6 to 0-8 clear at half-time before Shane Kingston, Cork's leading scorer, netted in the 54th minute to spark a revival that fell short. DUBLIN: E Whelan; D Monahan, J Mullins, E Murchan; A Fee, S Clayton, G O'Reilly; A Foley, E McHugh (0-2); W Egan, C Basquel (0-3, 0-1 pen), J Burke; A Byrne, C O'Callaghan (0-8, four frees), C Sallier (2-1). Subs: C Kavanagh for Browne (18 mins), A McGowan for Fee (23 mins), R McBride for Egan (36 mins), C Murphy for Foley (48 mins), B Howard for Byrne (54 mins). CORK: A Kidney; J Mullins, K Flahive, S Powter; S O'Donoghue (0-1), C Kiely (0-1), M Ó Duinnín (0-1); B Coakley (0-1), M Ó Deasuna (0-1, free); D Lowney, S Roynane (0-2), D Ó Duinnín (0-1, free); G Murphy (0-2), S Kingston (1-2), M Hurley (0-1). Subs: S O'Donovan for Lowney (16 mins), C O'Donovan for Hurley (27 mins), D O'Neill for Ó Deasúna (38 mins), D Buckley for S O'Donovan (45 mins), T Bushe for Coakley (52 mins), E O'Sullivan for Roynane (58 mins). Referee: J Henry (Mayo)