Strong finish helps Wexford past Offaly challenge

Wexford 2-19 Offaly 2-13

Wexford manager Liam Dunne was delighted with the character shown by his young side as they maintained their 100 per cent start to the campaign with a thoroughly deserved six-point victory against Offaly at O'Kennedy Park.

Having lost an early six-point lead to trail by a single point at the break, Dunne’s young charges put in a storming finish to hit 1-6 in the closing 15 minutes as Offaly could only manage 0-2 in reply.

Dunne said: "'We got an early grip racing into a six-point lead, but lost our way somewhat in the closing 15 minutes of the first half. In the second half the lads used the ball well,
but we had a few poorish wides and they were maintaining a three-point cushion up to the closing 20 minutes.

“It was close and tense but it showed the young lads are learning and can close out close games . . . .”

After that poor start, Offaly responded with some fine passages of hurling to haul themselves back into the game with a real chance.

"We just could not maintain that intensity in the closing 15 minutes for it took a lot to haul us back into the game after such a poor start," said manager Brian Whelehan..

Defend well
"For some reason we didn't defend well through that opening passage and it cost us in the end. Okay, we are two defeats down and pointless, so we have it all to play for in the remaining games."

Wexford were excellent in the opening ten minutes striking three early points through Gary Moore (t wo) and Liam Óg McGovern before the visitors opened their account after six minutes through a Conor McMahon point.

A fine goal from Ian Byrne following good play from Shane Tompkins, left Wexford leading 1-4 to 0-1 after just eight minutes.

Offaly began to claw their way back into the game with points from Conor Mahon and Brian Carroll, before Joe Bergin goaled an 18th-minute 21-metre free. Then just on the break Conor Mahon found the net with a low drive across keeper Mark Fanning, giving his side a 2-8 to 1-10 interval lead.

Early second-half points from Brian Carroll and a Joe Bergin 80-metre free stretched Offaly’s lead. They were still clinging to that three-point lead but the home side were greatly helped by the support as a Paul Morris pointed free lifted the side, while McGovern shot a splendid goal 14 minutes from the end to restore the home side’s lead 2-13 to 2-11.

Wexford went on to hit four unanswered points through Gary Moore, Paul Morris, Diarmuid O’Keeffe and a Morris 65 to stretch six points clear.

Offaly's only response came from two Brian Carroll pointed frees, before Wexford closed out the game with two late Gary Moore points to seal a deserved victory.
WEXFORD: M Fanning; B Kenny, M O'Hanlon, C Kenny; A Shore, L Chin, J Tonks; D O'Keeffe (0-1), H Kehoe; S Tomkins (0-1), J Guiney (0-2 frees), I Byrne (1-1, 0-1 free); P Morris (0-6, 0-1 free, 0-1 65), G Moore (0-5), L Og McGovern (1-2). Subs: E Martin (0-1) for Tonks (23 mins); R Jacob for Byrne (44 mins); L Ryan for C Kenny (44 mins); C McDonald for Guiney (52 mins).
OFFALY : J Dempsey; N Wynne, D Kelliher, B Watkins; S Gardiner, R Hanniffy, D Mooney; D Kilmartin, S Ryan; S Cleary, J Bergin (1-3 frees), C Mahon (1-2); B Carroll (0-7, 0-3 frees), D Currams, S Quirke (0-1). Subs: C McDonald for Kelliher (ht); D Egan for Wynne (60 mins); S Dooley for Quirke (60 mins).
Referee: C McAllister (Cork).