MFC quarter-final: Dublin goals lower Banner

August 07, 2017

Dublin's James Doran scores a goal against Louth.
©INPHO/Tommy Dickson.

Dublin 2-11

Clare 0-10

Goals in the fourth minute of each half from Ross McGarry proved decisive as Dublin defeated Clare at O'Moore Park to set up an All-Ireland minor football semi-final showdown with Derry on August 27.

Boosted by McGarry's early strike, the Leinster champions raced into an early four-point lead, only for Clare - who suffered a 24-point defeat to Kerry in the Munster final - to hit back with five unanswered points and take the lead. But Dublin recovered to lead by 1-3 to 0-5 at the break and never looked back after McGarry struck for his second major shortly after the restart.

Karl Lynch-Bissett opened the scoring before Donal Ryan set up McGarry for his first goal to give the favourites an early four-point cushion. But Clare, who played a defensive game, rallied with unanswered scores from Gavin Cooney (two frees), Dermot Coughlan (two) and Gearoid Cahill to take a 0-5 to 1-1 lead after 20 minutes.

However, two McGarry frees edged Dublin back in front at half-time.

Cooney had the Banner back on level terms before Doran's 34th minute major propelled the Dubs into a 2-3 to 0-6 lead.

They added seven points without reply per McGarry (two), Sean Hawkshaw (two), Eoin O'Dea, Ciaran Archer and Fionnan O'Sullivan to stamp their authority on proceedings before Clare scored three of the last four points via Coughlan, Ross O'Doherty and Jack Sheedy.

Dublin - D O'Hanlon; D Maher, P O Cofaigh Byrne, L Flatman; K Kennedy, N Matthews, E O'Dea (0-1); D Ryan, M Tracey; K Lynch Bissett (0-1), J Doran, D Brennan; R McGarry (2-4, 0-3f), S Hawkshaw (0-2), D Lacey. Subs: F O'Sullivan (0-1) for D Brennan, C Archer (0-2, 1'45) for D Lacey, A Lynch for D Maher, A Byrne for D Ryan, H Ladd for R McGarry, G Nangle for K Kennedy.

Clare - S Ryan; J Sheedy (0-1), J O'Sullivan, J Miniter; D Ryan, F Donnellan, C McNelis; D Griffin, K White; S Rouine, R Phelan, D Coughlan (0-4, 3f); R O'Doherty (0-1), G Cooney (0-3, 2f), G Cahill (0-1). Subs: S Casey for G Cahill, C O'Donoghue for R Phelan, A Reynolds for D Griffin, P Kelly for J O'Sullivan, C Dillon for K White, C O'Brien for R O'Doherty.

Referee - B Cawley.


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