Dublin have won another Leinster title crown with a less than convincing 2-12 to 1-12 win over Wexford.

After a first half in which neither side found too much form, a goal early on after the interval for Wexford injected some life into the game. However, two goals in replay from Pat Gilroy’s hard working and physical side was enough to ensure victory.

Bernard Brogan opened the scoring for Dublin with a magnificent point though Ciaran Lyng almost immediately leveled matters with a score of equal quality. Diarmuid Connolly and Brogan missed a handful of chances before Alan Brogan started his account – scoring with the help of a lay-off from Eoghan O’Gara – only to be pegged back to two apiece by a Ben Brosnan score.

Stephen Cluxton split the points with a free after 15 minutes and Dublin moved to double scores when Paul Flynn added his first on the day two minutes later. Bryan Cullen and Alan Brogan made it 0-7 to 0-2 before Wexford hit back with three points of their own to leave the minimum between the sides at the break.

Brosnan leveled the game on 41 minutes and the contest finally kick up a gear when Redmond Barry scored the match’s first goal two minutes later. The move started with PJ Banville who fed Barry and he rounded Cluxton to fire to an empty net.

Wexford supporters’ excitement was short lived, however. Points from Kevin McMenamon and Bernard Brogan followed, before a horrible own goal – goalkeeper Anthony Masterson tried to punch a high ball clear only for it to rebound off his own player into the goal – put Dublin back in front.

Alan Brogan added another point to his personal tally before James McCarthy effectively sealed the win with a second goal for the men in blue. This time the finish was top class as McCarthy beat his marker to blast an unstoppable effort to the back of the net.

Brosnan continued to hit the mark for his side – he finished the match with a tally of nine points – but Dublin kept their own scoreline ticking over and Wexford, who needed a goal in the final minutes to have any hope, just couldn’t find a way through their opposition.