Dublin reeled off seven points without reply in the second half to help save their blushes at Enniscorthy’s St Patrick’s Park today.

Having been hit for two first-half Wexford goals and trailing by seven at half-time (0-4 to 2-5), Dublin took control of this O’Byrne Cup opener.

Half-time substitutes James McCarthy and Philly McMahon were influential before McMahon was black carded for a deliberate hand trip.

Dean Rock levelled the game in the 65th minute only for substitute PJ Banville to push Wexford ahead again two minutes later with their only score of the second half.

However, Rock was on his toes to point again and secure a draw.

Permitted to return to collective training on December 1 as opposed to Dublin who only received the green light on December 29, the difference in the respective teams’ preparations was evident in their first half play.

Dublin’s shooting was disappointing while the movement of the Wexford forward line was sharp on a soggy pitch.

Wexford’s first goal in the sixth minute, the first score of the game, was the result of some slack defending, Adrian Flynn able to thread a hand-pass through the middle of Dublin’s back-line and Ben Brosnan finished clinically past Michael Savage.

Their second in the 13th minute came via a Flynn penalty when Brosnan has been brought down by Conor Mullaly in the parallelogram.

It had followed an 11th minute penalty for Dublin, which saw Dean Rock’s shot saved by Anthony Masterson after Con O’Callaghan had been fouled.

Scorers for Wexford: B Brosnan, A Flynn (1-0 pen) (1-1 each); K O’Grady, R Vallejo, K Rowe, PJ Banville (0-1 each).

Scorers for Dublin: D Rock (0-6, 2 frees); J Whelan, C Reddan, P Andrews, C O’Callaghan, C Costello, S Carthy (0-1 each).

WEXFORD: A Masterson; J O’Connor, N Rossiter, R Vallejo; B Malone, S Donohue, K Butler; G Malone, C Kehoe; K O’Grady, A Flynn, N Hughes; K Rowe, J Carty, B Brosnan.

Subs for Wexford: T Rossiter for G Malone (black, 15); PJ Banville for K Butler (inj 42); S Ryan for K Rowe (45); S Doyle for J O’Connor (55), P O’Connor for N Hughes (68).

DUBLIN: M Savage; E Culligan, J Curley, C Mullaly; N Devereux, J Small, M Concarr; D Bastick, C Reddin; J Whelan, D Rock, S Carthy (St Vincent’s); C Costello, P Andrews, C O’Callaghan.

Subs for Dublin: G Hannigan for N Devereux (inj, 11); J McCarthy for D Bastick, P McMahon for M Concarr (both h-t); N Scully for E Culligan (47); A Caffrey for P McMahon (black, 54); N Walsh for C O’Callaghan (56); M Mac Donncha for J Whelan (blood, 64).

Referee: J Hickey (Carlow)