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Cussen joins injury-list

NFL DIVISION TWO Cork1-16 Wexford 0-7 CORK PUSHED Wexford a step closer to the Division Three and maintained their own promotion…

Mon Mar 23 2009 - 00:00

NFL DIVISION TWO Cork1-16 Wexford 0-7CORK PUSHED Wexford a step closer to the Division Three and maintained their own promotion drive following this victory at Páirc Uí Chaoimh yesterday.

But Cork’s fourth win from five games came at a cost as Michael Cussen suffered a collar bone injury after falling awkwardly in the 13th minute.

The Division Two leaders are likely to be without Cussen for the concluding games against Monaghan and Armagh to add to Conor Counihan’s growing injury list.

Backed by the wind from the start, Cork opened up the visiting defence almost at will, but a combination of poor finishing and sound goalkeeping by Anthony Masterson restricted them to just one goal.

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It came on three minutes, when Paul Kerrigan showed devastating pace to surge beyond the defence and apply the killer touch with a rising shot to the net.

Paul O’Flynn, Cussen, before his injury, and Fintan Goold all missed opportunities when sent clear on Masterson as Cork led by 1-8 to 0-3 at the interval.

They had 1-3 on the board before Diarmuid Kinsella opened Wexford’s account after 14 minutes, but Cork responded with five points without reply, including the first of Graham Canty’s pair, the captain lining out at right half-back.

The trend continued on the resumption, Cork sweeping 1-12 to 0-3 clear by the 50th minute before Wexford scored through Ciarán Lyng’s impressive effort.

The game fizzled out to its predictable outcome after that with 28 wides, 15 to Cork, going some way towards highlighting the poor fare on offer.

CORK:K Murphy; K O'Connor, R Carey, M Shields; G Canty (0-2), G Spillane, B O'Regan (0-1); A O'Connor (0-1), N Murphy; P O'Flynn (0-2), F Goold (0-1), P Kerrigan (1-2); D Goulding (0-4, one free, one 45), M Cussen, J Hayes (0-1). Subs:K O'Sullivan (0-1) for Cussen (12 mins, inj), J Masters (0-1) for K O'Sullivan (46 mins, inj), A O'Sullivan for O'Connor (52 mins), P Kissane for Shields (58 mins), S O'Brien for Kerrigan (60 mins), B Crowley for Murphy (65 mins).

WEXFORD:A Masterson; D Carter, P Wallace, B Malone; C Morris (0-1), D Murphy, A Doyle; B Doyle, D Kinsella (0-1); G Molloy, S Cullen (0-2), A Flynn (0-1); C Lyng (0-2, one free), T Howlin, M Forde. Subs:D Fogarty for B Doyle (24 mins), D Bradley for Howlin (32 mins, inj), K Kennedy for Molloy (half-time), D Foran for Forde (57 mins), P Colfer for Kinsella (58 mins), D Walsh for Murphy (65 mins).

Referee:M Meade (Limerick).