Leinster MHC Semi-finals: An impressive, disciplined and determined Offaly side crushed Wexford's championship ambitions for 2003 as they stormed to a 10-point victory at Dr Cullen Park, Carlow last night.
Offaly struck for goals early and late in the opening half - their
marksmen being half forward Gearoid O'Grady and centre forward Stephen
Delaney, who emerged as man of the match.
Some neat Wexford point taking from centre forward Richie Kehoe and left
full forward Stephen Ryan kept them in touch and the half-time deficit of
2-6 to 0-9 was by no means insurmountable. However, it was Offaly who
continued to dominate matters in the second half as the midlanders picked
off a series of lovely points.
Offaly's hurling was of a high standard and the spine of the team
performed magnificiently to snuff out all Wexford advances. In the end
Offaly could afford to make four late substitutions and still coast into
the Leinster final on July 6th against provincial and All-Ireland
champions Kilkenny.
OFFALY: L Bevens, T Coughlan, P Cleary, C O'Meara, D Hoctor, N Ryan, N
Rodgers (0-1), J Keane (0-2), D Hayden, G O'Grady (1-3), S Delaney (1-2),
J Bergin (0-1), E Lee, D Cordial (0-5), D Molloy (0-1). Subs: C Parlon for
Bergin; E Bevans (0-1) for Molloy; R Hyland for Rodgers; H Ryan for N
Ryan.
WEXFORD: D Flynn, M Kinsella, P Ryan, J Stafford, D Doyle, S Nolan (0-1),
C Breen, P White, M Doyle (0-2), E Quigley, R Kehoe (0-4), L Aylward, L
Kinsella (0-2), H Goff, S Ryan (0-3). Subs: S Morris for Stafford; C Gahan
for Breen; M Mythen for Aylward; N Kirwan for Gough.
