Gaelic Games

First round wins for Wexford, Wicklow and Laois Under-21s

Leinster Under-21 championship first round - Strong finish edges Wexford by Longford

There were three first round games in the Leinster Under-21 championship on Wednesday night. Photograph: James Crombie/Inpho
There were three first round games in the Leinster Under-21 championship on Wednesday night. Photograph: James Crombie/Inpho
Wed Feb 24 2016 - 22:32

Wexford 0-14 Longford 2-5

Wexford turned in a splendid closing quarter to earn a deserved three-point victory over a fancied Longford in Enniscorthy on Wednesday night.

Longford’s Larry Moran got their opening goal after 13 minutes when he finished a Liam Sullivan cross to the net. That goal brought them level, 0-3 to 1-0, the Wexford points coming through Niall Hughes and two Donal Shanley frees.

Dessie Reynolds’ goal eight minutes before the interval earned his side a 2-1 to 0-5 interval lead. Points from Moran and Rionn Brady then put Longford 2-4 to 0-8 ahead.

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But the home side took over at midfield and outscored their opponents 0-6 to 0-1 in the final quarter with Shanley kicking over three excellent points, in addition to points from Ian Carty, Brian Power and Sean Ryan.

WEXFORD: B Turne; D Barden, J Rossiter, R Vallego; S Doyle, N Rossiter, S Donohoe; N Hughes (0-1), G Malone; E Nolan (0-1), I Carty, B Power (0-1); D Shanley (0-7, frees), E Roche (0-1), S Ryan (0-3). Sub: J Carty for Power. LONGFORD: S Fitzpatrick; R Sweeney, A Farrell, E Macken; L Hughes, C Farrell, V Hourican; S Kenny, D McGivney (0-2, frees); P Kiernan, L Sullivan, D Reynolds (1-1); L Moran (1-1), N Rabbitte, C Berry. Subs: R Brady (0-1) for Berry; C Brady for Kenny; F Sheriadn for Kiernan. Referee: S Mulhare (Laois).

Wicklow 5-12 Carlow 3-13

A goal from Wicklow midfielder Seán McGraynor finally killed off the game challenge of a Carlow side which wiped out second half arrears of nine points in this thrilling opening round at the IT grounds, Carlow.

Carlow took a first minute lead through a goal from right half forward Diarmuid Walsh but a porous home defence conceded three first half goals as the pace of Wicklow centre forward Patrick O’Connor’s saw his pace exploit the home defensive weakenss. A first half injury time goal from a penalty by Gary Allen saw the Garden County ahead 3-6 to 1-7 at half time.

Carlow rallied to draw level but a pointed free from Gary Allen, followed by McGraynor’s goal provided the visitors with safe passage through to the next round.

WICKLOW: I Murphy; C McGorman, E Mara; C Healy, E Murtagh, M Cullen (0-1); D Boothman (0-1), S McGraynor (1-0); J O'Callaghan (0-2), P O'Connor (1-2), C Magee (1-0); G Allen (1-4, 1-0 pen, 0-3 frees), M Lennon (1-1), M O'Connor (0-1). Subs: B McCormack for P O'Connor (44 mins); D Gethings for Healy (56); R Marron for Allen (black card, 63). CARLOW: C White; A Byrne, J Murphy, C Kelly; M Rennick, M Furey, C O'Toole; K Chatten, D Wall; D Walsh (1-2, 0-2 frees), C O'Brien (0-2), L O'Sullivan (0-2); D Smithers (0-2), D Lunney (0-2), N Lowry (2-2). Subs: C Byrne for Furey (27 mins); S Webb (0-1) for Wall (black card, 32); C McGrath for O'Toole (45). Referee: D Moore (Laois).

Laois 3-15 Louth 1-14

Laois cruised into the last eight with a comfortable win over Louth at an icy Haggardstown.

After an entertaining opening 27 minutes, captain Eoin Lowry put Laois in the boxseat with an emphatic finish past Fergal Sheekey. Cian Doyle and Dean Maguire were Louth’s danger men and the hosts rallied before the break to close the gap to 1-8 to 0-9.

However, Laois grabbed the first four points of the second half to assume control again and a fortuitous deflected goal from substitute Michael Keogh put the issue beyond doubt.

Cian Doyle and Keogh exchanged further goals in the closing stages.

LAOIS - A Cooney; L Knowles, A Campion, E Buggie; T Collins, R Dowling, D O'Reilly; B Daly, N Murphy (0-1); D Hickey, E O'Carroll (0-4, 1'45'), A Dowling; C Murphy, E Lowry (1-4), S Moore (0-5 frees). Subs: T Shiels (0-1) for O'Carroll (33 mins), M Keogh (2-0) for A Dowling (39 mins), C Dunne for Daly (60mins). LOUTH - F Sheekey; P Kirk, R Curran, N Sharkey; E Lafferty, P Matthews, K Faulkner; C Early, M Corcoran; D Hamill (0-1, f), B McLaughlin, R Burns (0-4, 3f); D Maguire (0-2), D Lafferty (0-1), C Doyle (1-4). Subs: J Clutterbuck (0-1) for Corcoran (33 mins), A O'Brien for McLaughlin (44 mins), H Osborne for Sharkey (49 mins), T McEneaney (0-1) for D Lafferty (54 mins), D McConnon for Maguire (55 mins). Referee: S McCarthy (Dublin)