Leinster Senior Cup Report: Shelbourne 4 - 2 Wexford

Shelbourne ended a three-year run with a Leinster Senior Cup victory thanks to a deceptively comfortable 4-2 win over Wexford at Tolka Park.

Two from James English and an own goal from Ross Kenny added to Dayle Rooney's early opener saw the Reds romp to a 4-0 lead within 50 minutes before Andrew McCormack converted two penalties in quick succession to lend some respectability to the scoreline.

Wexford, in what was officially their first-ever competitive game following the dissolution of Wexford Youths last month, played in the latter's black away kit from last season and, for more than half the game, they played like a team that had ceased to exist.

The home side were dominant in every way for the entirety of the opening period, passing the ball around freely and finding space with ease as their First Division opponents chased shadows.

And there were just seven minutes on the clock when Owen Heary's side saw reward for their early endeavour, as the industrious Adam Evans' shot was deflected into the path of Rooney, who showed good technique to volley low and hard past Wexford keeper Corey Chambers.

Chambers had been a late call-up for Graham Doyle – who was listed on the official teamsheet – though he may have wished otherwise midway through the half as English rose unchallenged to meet Adam O'Connor's cross for an all-too-easy second.

Wexford fashioned a half-chance for Lee Duffy just before the half-hour, but he was always stretching to meet John McKeown's diagonal ball, and moments later Duffy had the ball in the net only for referee Neil Doyle to correctly call it back for a push on goalkeeper Dean Delany.

Less than ten minutes from the break, it was three for Shelbourne as a brilliant through-ball from Evans took Conor Sutton out of the game, and from Reece McEnteer's centre Ross Kenny put the ball into his own net under pressure from English.

James Brown replaced Adam O'Connor at half-time, and within three minutes he'd drawn a foul from Andrew O'Connor and earned his side a penalty, English sending Chambers the wrong way from the spot.

English would later claim the hat-trick despite not celebrating at the time of Kenny's own goal, but Owen Heary joked after the game the club couldn't afford to give him the match ball in either case.

Referee Doyle dished out five yellow cards during an otherwise unremarkable 20-minute lull before Wexford were slightly fortunately awarded a penalty as Brown hacked down fellow subsitute Sean Hurley right on the edge of the box.

O'Connor coolly dispatched it, and repeated the feat two minutes later as another substitute, Robert Bayly, was penalised for foul play in the act of defending a Wexford corner, finding joy to Delany's left once again.

The promised comeback never quite materialised, however, as the home side regained their shape and re-established their superiority, though a long-range drive from Adam Hanlon very nearly forced a grandstand finish only for Delany to pull off an impressive full-stretch stop.

Shelbourne: Dean Delany; Adam O'Connor (James Brown 46), Derek Prendergast, Jack Tuite, Reece McEnteer; Niall Lanigan, James O'Brien (Robert Bayly 68), Lorcan Shannon, Adam Evans, Dayle Rooney; James English (Aaron Ashe 52).

Subs not used: Jamie Quinn (gk), Jason Caffrey, Alan Byrne, Jackson Ryan.

Wexford: Corey Chambers; Conor Sutton, Ross Kenny, Owen McCormack, Andrew O'Connor; John McKeown, Craig Wall (Thomas Croke 45+1), Adam Hanlon, Mark Slater (Sean Hurley 68), Shane Dunne; Lee Duffy (Craig Hayes 59).

Subs not used: Jamie Fox, Liam Donnelly, Dean George.