Gaelic Games

Laois take advantage of Wexford errors to set up quarter-final date with Dublin

Explosive start to the second half sets Laois on the road to victory

Laois' Pádraig Kirwan is challenged by Conor Carty of Wexford during the Leinster SFC round one game at Laois Hire O'Moore Park. Photograph: Ben Brady/Inpho

Sun Apr 9 2023 - 20:01

Leinster SFC first round: Laois 2-17 Wexford 2-13

In an otherwise even contest, self-inflicted errors cost Wexford dearly as they paid a steep price for the concession of two goals, eventually going under to a four-point defeat to Laois in Portlaoise.

John Hegarty’s side had turned in a fine opening period until disaster struck three minutes into added time, when a line ball was played back towards goalkeeper Craig McCabe, who misjudged the ball leaving corner forward Mark Barry with a simple touch into an empty net. It gave the home side the lead, but in the remaining two minutes of additional time Wexford fought back to go in with a single point interval lead.

Laois had opened impressively with points from Barry and Evan O’Carroll, whose shot was deflected over by goalkeeper McCabe. But Wexford were quickly back on level terms through efforts from Ben Brosnan, a late replacement for the injured Mark Rossiter, and Robbie Brooks.

Wexford registered three bad wides before a superb three-man move following the interception of a kick-out from home goalkeeper Scott Osborne ended with Robbie Brooks finishing to the net from close range to give Wexford a 1-2 to 0-2 lead after six minutes.

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Wexford were playing particularly well but five wides during the opening 10 minutes was to prove crucial, although they still led 1-5 to 0-4 after 22 minutes with Brosnan and Paudie Hughes contributing points, while Paul Kingston frees were keeping the home side in touch.

It amounted to an impressive start for Wexford but then came that goal lapse in first-half additional time. And while they responded with points from Kevin O’Grady and Brosnan, they will have felt they should have led by more than a single point, 1-8 to 1-7, at the interval.

Laois opened the second half in explosive fashion, kicking three unanswered points in as many minutes through Barry’s free, Damon Larkin and O’Carroll, a superb effort off the sideline to move into a 1-10 to 1-8 lead giving the home crowd some comfort for the first time.

While it was a significant early turnaround, Wexford managed to weather the storm, responding with a Seán Nolan point, while Barry and Brosnan went on to exchange pointed frees. Then came a crucial moment on 46 minutes when Wexford midfielder Niall Hughes stormed through the centre but saw what appeared a goalbound shot somehow scrambled off the line by recovering defender Seán Greene, when a goal would have put the visitors back into a two-point lead.

Spurred on by this let-off, Laois responded with points through O’Carroll, Larkin and O’Carroll to extend into a 1-14 to 1-10 lead after 52 minutes.

One minute later Wexford were handed a real lifeline. Brosnan was fouled as he shot on goal but picked himself up to goal the resulting penalty, leaving the minimum separating the sides, 1-14 to 2-10.

But Wexford were unable to take advantage as Laois bounced back for their second goal after 59 minutes. A long ball broke in the goalmouth, and with the Wexford defence hesitating it was corner forward Barry who got his boot to the loose ball to divert it into the roof of the net leaving the home side with a 2-14 to 2-10 lead.

Laois, now playing with more confidence, refused to relinquish their lead, as points from Barry and an O’Carroll free had them six clear, 2-16 to 2-10, and while Wexford finished strongly with two Brosnan pointed frees and an Eoghan Nolan 45, it was the home side who held out for victory and a quarter-final clash with Dublin.

LAOIS: S Osborne; S Greene, T Collins, R Pigott; S O’Flynn, M Timmons, P Kirwan; K Lillis, D Larkin (0-2); K Swayne, P Kingston (0-3, three frees), P O’Sullivan (0-1); E Lowry, E O’Carroll (0-7, two frees, one 45), M Barry (2-4, two frees, one mark).

Subs: D Kavanagh for Swayne (66 mins), N Corbet for Lowry (69), J Finn for Larkin (70).

WEXFORD: C McCabe; B Cushe, B Molloy, D Furlong; G Sheehan,  P Hughes (0-1), C Walsh; G Malone, N Hughes; S Nolan (0-2), E Nolan (0-1, a 45), K O’Grady (0-1); J Tubritt, R Brooks (1-1), B Brownan (1-7, 1-0 pen, five frees).

Subs: C Kinsella for P Hughes (inj, 35 mins), C Carthy for Furlong (inj, h-t), J Rossiter for Nolan (56), R Waters for Brooks (62), R Crosbie for O’Grady (70).

Referee: C Lane (Cork).

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