Wicklow 2-9

Wexford 0-11

Wicklow beat Wexford for the second weekend in-a-row at Chadwicks Wexford Park to set up a Leinster SFC quarter-final meeting with Meath.

Captain Dean Healy and Conor Byrne scored goals in either half as Davy Burke's men repeated their Allianz League Division 4 promotion-deciding victory over their neighbours, who have now gone six years without a provincial championship win.

Played in wet and windy conditions, the game started on a positive note for the hosts thanks to early points from Eoghan Nolan and Ben Brosnan (free). However, Wicklow replied with efforts from Seanie Furlong and Conor Byrne (free) to trail by 0-2 to 0-3 at the first water break.

Wexford extended their lead to 0-6 to 0-2 through Brosnan (two frees) and Mark Rossiter, and should have been further ahead before Healy brought the Garden County back to within a point when he netted in the 34th minute following a Niall Donnelly pass.

Padraig O'Toole levelled before Brosnan (free) and Alan Tobin responded to give Shane Roche's side a 0-8 to 1-3 half-time lead.

Wicklow manager Davy Burke. ©INPHO/Lorraine O'Sullivan.

Mark O'Connor made it a three-point game immediately after the restart, but Wicklow dug deep and grabbed the next three points per Furlong (two) and Rory Finn to tie up the scoring once again.

Wexford lost Eoghan Nolan and Conor Carty to black cards and the visitors took advantage. After Furlong had edged them back in front, Byrne raised their second green flag in the 56th minute to push them into a 2-7 to 0-9 lead.

Byrne was injured in the process of scoring the goal and had to go off, but Wicklow kept their composure and sealed victory with late points from substitute Gearoid Murphy and goalkeeper Mark Jackson ('45).

Wicklow - M Jackson (0-1'45); P O’Keane, J Snell, E Murtagh; R Finn (0-1), N Donnelly, D Devereux; P O’Toole (0-1), D Healy (1-0); A Maher, M Kenny, D Hayden; J Sheeran, S Furlong (0-4, 2f), C Byrne (1-1, 0-1f). Subs: E Darcy for M Kenny, G Murphy (0-1) for C Byrne, O Manning for D Devereux, C O’Brien for J Sheeran, D Keane for N Donnelly.

Wexford - I Meegan; M O’Connor (0-1), G Sheehan, C Carty; G Malone, E Porter, B Malone; N Hughes, D Shanley; A Tobin (0-2, 1f), L Coleman, M Rossiter (0-1); B Brosnan (0-5f), E Nolan (0-1m), N Doyle. Subs: K O’Grady for M Rossiter, J Tubritt for B Brosnan, P Hughes for D Shanley, D Waters (0-1) for N Doyle, T Byrne for L Coleman.

Referee - M Deegan.

Tweet

Most Read Stories