O’Byrne Cup: Costello the hero for Dublin

Dublin 3-24 IT Carlow 2-8

Cormac Costello fired a brilliant 2-6 as holders Dublin moved within touching distance of the semi-finals of the Bord na Mona O’Byrne Cup.

Jim Gavin’s side were at their ease at the St Brigid’s club grounds and had victory virtually secured by half-time when they led by 17 points.

Gavin made five changes then and though the quality dipped in the second-half - they outscored the Students by just two points - he was happy to assess more fringe talent.

The lack of a real challenge from visiting IT Carlow made it difficult to judge how well Dublin’s players actually performed.

Many looked like world beaters with Mick Deegan, Shane Carthy and home favourite Paddy Andrews cutting the defence open with some sumptuous passes.

Costello was the player at the point of the sharpened attack and after finishing off a fine move for his first goal after 24 minutes then converted a second-half penalty.

All eyes were on Dublin’s full-back line following the news that AllStar Rory O’Carroll will spend this year travelling and working in New Zealand.

Jarlath Curley, full-back for St Vincent’s when they won the AIB All-Ireland club title, started in front of club mate and Dubs ‘keeper Michael Savage.

He performed well until being taken off at half-time with the goal that Dublin did concede being an unfortunate one. Savage thought he had done enough to keep Mark Sherry’s 15th minute shot out though the ball had apparently crossed the line before being cleared.

Dublin will wrap up their Group A campaign on Sunday when they play DCU. Those who will hope to earn a panel place throughout spring include Oisin Manning of St Jude’s who joined Curley and Eoin Culligan in the full-back line.

Niall Scully started at wing-back while Ciaran Reddin and Tomas Brady formed a new look midfield. Up front, Costello, who is bidding to regain his first team position, appears hell bent on forcing his way back in.

He kicked scores comfortably off both feet and was brilliantly assisted in attack by Andrews. St Brigid’s club man Andrews tore through the students during the first-half and claimed 1-3 before going off at the break.

His 26th minute goal was a cracker as he delicately lobbed the goalkeeper from the right of goals. Brady closed out the first-half scoring and Dublin led 2-16 to 1-2.

Much of their momentum appeared to be sapped by all the half-time changes. Deegan and Costello were best after the break with Deegan, who plays his club football in Meath, taking his tally to five points for the evening.

Dublin: M Savage; E Culligan, J Curley, O Manning; N Scully (0-1), P McMahon (0-1), J Small; C Reddin, T Brady (0-2); J Whelan (0-2), M Deegan (0-5), S Carthy (0-2); C Costello (2-6, 1-0p, 0-3f), P Andrews (1-3), C McGuire (0-2). Subs: J McCarthy for Brady h/t, N Walsh for Carthy h/t, A Caffrey for Andrews h/t, M Concarr for Small h/t, G Hannigan for Curley h/t, J Cooper for Reddin 45.

IT Carlow: R Sansom; I Ilunga, T Featherston, T O'Connell; A Dever, D Dunne, D Smyth; W Young, M Russell; C Conroy (0-2, 2f), K Ryan (0-2), E Buggie; C Healy (1-3), M Sherry (1-0), M Hurley. Subs: J Mitchell for Dunne h/t, N Kane (0-1) for O'Connell h/t, S McGraynor for W Young 53, D Aston for Russell 66, A O'Brien for M Hurley 69.

Referee: N Hand (Louth).

DCU 1-8 Wexford 1-2

DCU showed an ability to pick off long range points when assisted by the elements in the first half eventually helping them to a deserved six point victory over Wexford in their O’Byrne Cup senior football game played at St. Patrick’s Park, Enniscorthy on Wednesday.

Having got their campaign off to a winning start, DCU overcame the atrocious conditions of driving rain, wind and rain sodden pitch, to serve up some quality football. They never trailed in this game having swept into a 0-4 to 0-1 lead inside ten minutes with points through Mark Plunkett, Conor McHugh, David Mannix and Conor McGraynor, with a huge fifty-five metre free, while Kevin O’Grady managed a pointed free for the homeside in between.

Assisted by the driving wind and rain, DCU’s dominance of the opening half continued as they added a further three points to lead 0-7 to 0-2 at the interval, with O’Grady adding his sides second point just on the break.

DCU continued to control the ball superbly into the elements on the resumption, with a Conor McGraynor forty-fourth minute goal increasing their lead to eight points, 1-7 to 1-2, as their control of midfield curtailed the attacking movements of the homeside.

Wexford gave themselves a real chance when Jamie Carty found the net three minutes later but this proved their only score of the half. As the conditions deteriorated into a mudbath, with pools of water all over the pitch, only a single point was managed for the remaining twenty-three minutes through Mark Plunkett two minutes from the end.

DCU: P O'Donnell; E Smith, K Feely, C Mulligan; S Attride, C Moynagh, K Daly; M Quinn, S Carthy (0-1); M Plunkett (0-2), C Brehey (0-1), T Lahiff; C McHugh (0-2), C McGraynor (1-2), D Mannix (0-1). Subs: N Gavigan for Lahiff; S McCoy for Moynagh; D Ward for smith; C McNally for McGraynor; E Smith for Brehey.

Wexford: P Murphy; J Rossiter, N Rossiter, R Vallejo; B Malone, S Donohoe, T Rossiter; C Kehoe, S Byrne; K O'Grady (0-2), N Hughes, P O'Connor; B Brosnan, J Carty (1-0), S Ryan. Subs: B Power for O'Gray; R Tierney for O'Connor; J Connors for Vallejo; P Curtis for Hughes.

Referee: B Cawley (Kildare).

Laois 1-16 Carlow 1-9

Laois made it two from two under new manager Mick Lillis as they brushed aside neighbours Carlow with ease in their O’Byrne Cup clash.

The O’Moore men made a great start with early John O’Loughlin and Donie Kingston points but, Carlow, playing with the wind and rain at their backs hit back scoring 1-4 without reply.

Their goal coming after John O’Loughlin fumbled a 45 into the path of John Murphy who couldn’t miss.

However, the home side came roaring back to lead at half time. Paul Cahillane netted a peach of a goal while Gary Walsh, Kingston and O’Loughlin all kicked points to leave the score at 1-9 to 1-4.

The conditions began to tell in the second half as the pace of the game slowed down.

Gary Walsh was the stand out man as he kicked three points for a Laois side that was never really in danger.

Wing back Gary Kelly kicked two for Carlow as they attempted a mini revival but they could never get closer than four points.

In the end Laois won by seven and they travel to Navan on Sunday sitting top of the group.

Scorers – Laois: Donie Kingston (0-4), Paul Cahillane (1-1), Gary Walsh (0-5), John O'Loughlin (0-2) Kevin Meaney (0-1) Ruairi O'Connor (0-1) Evan Costello (0-1) Alan Farrell (0-1). Carlow: John Murphy (1-0), Darragh O'Brien (0-2), Brendan Murphy (0-1), Ed Finnegan (0-1f) Darren Lunney (0-2f) Jack Kennedy (0-1) Gary Kelly (0-2).

Laois : Graham Brody; Trevor Collins, Mark Timmons, Paul Cotter; Gareth Dillon, Darren Strong, Alan Farrell; John O'Loughlin, Danny O'Reilly; Nigel Murphy, Evan Costello, Martin Scully; Gary Walsh, Donie Kingston, Paul Cahillane. Subs: Kevin Meaney for Scully (HT) Damien O'Connor for Murphy (HT) Ruairi O'Connor for O'Reilly (45m) Tony Connolly for Dillon (51m) Shane Murphy for Cotter (56m) Jimmy McDonald for Brody (62m).

Carlow: Craig Kearney; Barry John Molloy, Daniel St Ledger, Henry Hegarty; Gary Kelly, Derek Hayden, Benny Kavanagh; Brendan Murphy, Murtough Ware; Ed Finnegan, Darragh O'Brien, Alan Kelly; Chris Blake, John Murphy, Danny Moran. Subs: Darren Lunney for Moran (40m) JJ Smith for Ware (47m), Jack Kennedy for O'Brien (48m) Paul Broderick for Blake (59m) Graham Power for Kavanagh (62m), Gary Dunne for Hegarty (65m).

Meath 0-11 UCD 2-8

Colm Basquel’s 58th minute goal proved decisive as UCD overcame Meath in Simonstown on Wednesday night.

In a match played in atrocious conditions the student boosted by a Tom Hayes goal led throughout the opening quarter.

Meath had the advantage of the strong breeze throughout the first half and drew level on 20 minutes through Eamon Wallace. Sean Tobin then put them ahead and they eventually led 0-8 to 1-3 at the break.

Eoin Lowry’s 50th minute point eventually drew the sides level.

The goal give the students a cushion but they had a let off in the final minute when Donal Keogan’s rasping shot crashed off the crossbar.

UCD finished with 14 after sub Luke Kelly was dismissed on receipt of a second yellow card late on.

Meath: P O'Rourke; B Tormay (0-1), M Burke, S Carty; P Geraghty, C Finn, A Douglas; C O'Brien, A Tormey; S Tobin (0-3, two frees), B O'Brien (0-1), C O'Sullivan (0-1); E Wallace (0-1), M Newman (0-2, one free, one '45) D Lenihan (0-2). Subs: D Keogan for Carty, S McEntee for Douglas, G Reilly for O'Sullivan, D McDonagh for Newman (all half-time), H Rooney for C O'Brien (50), M Battersby forB O'Brien (58).

UCD: C Honan; R McDaid, D Hyland, B Byrne; M Cahalane, D Byrne, S O'Dea; D Murphy, B O'Sullivan; C McCarty 0-1, C Basquel (1-0), D Fitzpatrick; T Hayes (1-1), J Heslin (0-2 two frees), J McEntee (0-2). Subs: L Casey (0-1) for Fitzpatrick, M Fitzsimons for Cahalane (both half-time), P Kingston for O' Sullivan (45), E Lowry (0-1) for McCarty (48), L Kelly for O'Dea (48).

Referee: S Johnson (Louth).

Westmeath 0-14 Longford 1-10

An injury-time point by Denis Corroon enabled Westmeath to record their second win in this year’s O’Byrne Cup defeating neighbours Longford in what was a classic game of two halves, played in persistent heavy rain on the all-weather pitch at St Loman’s Lakepoint Park in Mullingar on Wednesday.

Wind-assisted Longford dominated the first half with Brian Kavanagh and Barry McKeon on form from frees punishing Westmeath indiscipline. A fine individual goal by midfielder Michael Brady in the 16th minute put his side five points clear (1-4 to 0-2). Six minutes later, Paddy Collum pulled off a great save at the other end from John Connellan. Kavanagh rounded off the scoring in the opening half with a sublime point from play and Longford led by 1-10 to 0-3 at the break.

Denis Connerton’s charges failed to score in the second half as Westmeath patiently whittled away the deficit with Ger Egan, Callum McCormack and Kieran Martin on song in attack. Longford continued to play a defensive game and they looked likely to hold on until a last-gasp free from Martin levelled the scoring. In added-time, Corroon slotted over a fine point to win the day for Tom Cribbin’s men.

Westmeath: S Gallagher; J Donohue, F Boyle, K Maguire; J Gonoud, A Stone, J Dolan; S Flanagan, D Daly (0-1); R Foley (0-1), G Egan (0-4, four frees), D Corroon (0-1); K Martin (0-4, two frees), J Connellan, C McCormack (0-2). Subs: D Lynch for Daly (inj., 25), J Egan for Donohue (44), T Watts for Flanagan (45), D Conway for Foley (55), L Dolan (0-1) for Lynch (58), S Corcoran for Connellan (inj., 61)

Longford: P Collum; D Masterson, F Battrim, C Smyth (0-1); S Doyle, D McElligott, P Foy; M Brady (1-0), B Farrell; J McGivney, B Kavanagh (0-4, three frees), D Gallagher (0-1); B McKeon (0-2, two frees), A Dalton (0-2), D Brady. Subs: P McKeon for Doyle (44), B Gilleran for McElligott (47), F McGee for Gallagher (51), L Moran for Dalton (61), M Hughes for B McKeon (67), P McGee for Masterson (inj., 69).

Referee: M Deegan (Laois).

DIT 2-11 Offaly 0-10

DIT got their O’Byrne Cup campaign back on track with a deserved win over Offaly last night.

Played at the Meath GAA training grounds in Dunranny, DIT finished strongly to claim the points.

It was a horrific night for football with bitter cold, driving rain and a swirling wind on an exposed pitch and good football was a near impossibility.

DIT, however, coped that bit better in the conditions and they appeared to be more highly motivated than Offaly. They certainly showed the greater intensity and they were that bit sharper.

Offaly missed too many early chances and DIT led by 0-4 to 0-1 after 22 minutes. They were still three points up when a goal from Ryan Connolly gave them a 1-6 to 0-3 half time lead.

Offaly played their best football early in the second half and five unanswered points had the deficit back to a point after 43 mintes.

DIT weathered the storm very impressively as Offaly ran out of steam. They kicked the next four points and were already destined for the win when they got their second goal - it arrived courtesy of Killian O’Gara with twelve minutes remaining after a fine passing move opened up the Offaly defence.

The winners comfortably closed out the deal from here as the weather went from bad to wore.

DIT: C Cashman; C Boyle, R McGowan, K O'Brien; G O'Reilly, D Nelson, B Power; G Guilfoyle (0-1), E O'Connaighle; L Irwin (0-2), B Mahon (0-4, 4f), K O'Gara (1-3); R Connolly (1-0), T O'Connor, E Flanagan. Subs - S Clayton for Nelson (H/t), C Madden (0-1) for Connolly (H/t), S Cunningham for O'Brien (Black card, 43m), C Lynn for O'Gara (60m), K Doherty for Flanagan (67m);

Offaly: A Mulhall; B Darby, J Lawlor, R Slammon; L Colgan, J Moloney, J Nally; J Gethins (0-1), M Brazil; A Sullivan (0-02), W Mulhall, K Mullaney; D Hyland, N Dunne (0-6, 4f and 1 '45'), S Dooley (0-1). Subs -J Evans for Mullaney (43m), J McPadden for Slammon (49m), P McPadden for Hyland (49m), O Cusack for Sullivan (60,m), R McNamee for Brazil (60m).

Referee: N McKenna (Kildare).

Louth 2-11 Kildare 0-8

James Califf was the start of the show as Louth recorded their first win of the Bord na Móna O’Byrne Cup and did so in convincing fashion in accounting for Kildare at Hawkfield.

The visitors inflicted most of the damage in the first half, punishing Kildare for their wastefulness and pouncing for two goals from Califf and Barry Flanagan to lead by 2-5 to 0-5 at half time, despite having played into the strong wind and heavy rain.

They controlled proceedings well in the second half and it took Kildare 25 minutes to record their first score of the second half, a point from Eddie Heavey.

Both sides produced some good football in the opening period, despite the testing meteorological conditions.

Heavey might have had a goal from the very first attack and Rob Kelly had a shot splendidly saved by Craig Lynch.

Instead, it was Louth who found the net, as Califf produced a wonderful finish off the inside of the upright for a 10th minute goal.

Flanagan pounced 15 minutes later after full-back Luke Flynn failed to deal with a difficult high ball, and with Califf adding four points - including a superbly-struck 45 into the wind - Colin Kelly’s charges were in control.

While Mikey Conway scored one spectacular point from play, Kildare were reliant on three points from Ray Cahill frees to remain in touch and they offered little threat after the resumption.

Louth pulled clear in the second half thanks to four more points from Califf, who finished with a tally of 1-8 and were worthy victors.

Both teams finished with 14 men after Eoin Powderly and Ronan Holdcroft were shown red cards following an off-the-ball altercation.

Scorers - Louth: J Califf 1-8 (0-4fs, 0-1 45); B Flanagan 1-0; R Holdcroft 0-2(1f); J McEneaney 0-1. Kildare: R Cahill 0-4(fs); M Conway, E Callaghan, E Heavey, C McNally 0-1 each.

Louth: C Lynch, P Rath, D Finn, K Toner, D Maguire, E Lafferty, K McLoughlin, J Califf, T Durnin, D Byrne, C McKeever, Cathal Bellew, A Reid, B Flanagan, R Holdcroft. Subs: J McEneaney for Flanagan BC (43), G McSorley for McLoughlin (48), D McMahon for Bellew (55), M Rafferty for McKeever (67), Ciaran Bellew for Maguire (68).

Kildare: C Heeney, E Powderly, L Flynn, O Lyons, S McNally, E Bolton, K Murnaghan, Daryl Flynn, M Byrne, P O'Neill, M Conway, E Heavey, E Callaghan, R Kelly, R Cahill. Subs: Daniel Flynn for Daniel Flynn BC (29), R Houlihan for Murnaghan (46), C McNally for O'Neill (46), É O'Connor for Conway (50), P Kelly for L Flynn (55), F Dowling for Callaghan (57).

Referee: S Culhair.

Wicklow 0-9 NUI Maynooth 1-15

The Maynooth students dished out a football lesson to Wicklow as they racked an eight points win in their O’Byrne Cup game at Ballinakill on Wednesday.

The game was played in driving rain and on a slippery pitch which made good football almost impossible .

The students mastered t he conditions the better in the first half as the dished out a mastercalss in football to lead 1 -12 0-3 at the break.

The goal was drilled brilliantly to the net by Ronan Kennedy in the run up to half time and he also slotted over three neat points during the game .

Centre forward Neil Flynn chipped in with five points and full forward Joey Wallace added three more .

Wicklow tried to stage a fight back in the second half but realistically they were never going to overhaul the Maynooth lead.