Nothing Like next-door neighbours to put a bit of summer scorch into a milky league tie in March. They clogged the arteries into New Ross from all corners yesterday and were still clambering for space on the stone benches after referee Larry Flynn whistled for the start of a match which fired with the sort of exuberance both teams might display in a few months, if falling well short on skill.
A pattern of frenetic midfield skirmishes and dead ball trading was shattered just two minutes before half-time when Waterford's Paul Flynn was mystifyingly sent off by the referee, apparently for use of the boot. This seemingly extreme censure stunned the crowd and even drew pleas for leniency from some of the Wexford players, particularly Ger Cushe.
Down to 14, Waterford battled gamely through the initial 15 minutes of the second half, their stubborn streak epitomised by the half-back lions of Stephen Frampton, Fergal Hartley and Brian Greene. With 13 minutes remaining, they still trailed by just 0-11 to 0-8 and were earning at least enough frees to see their way back into the game.
Problem was, they were conceding them too. Wexford's Tom Dempsey, slouch shouldered and soft-faced, has ambled through days like this before and he nonchalantly pistol-cracked scores from all around the ground, nailing seven frees after satisfying his creative font with an acutely-angled point in the 10th minute.
Just for good measure, Dempsey completed a day he probably won't even remember by summer's end by icing the match with a goal six minutes from time. Adrian Fenlon floated a line ball which broke in the goalmouth for Dempsey to lash past a helpless Brendan Landers. Up 1-12 to 010, the home team weathered a spirited Waterford quest for goals - the closest they came was when Dave Bennett tapped a ball to Tony Browne only to see the resultant shot blocked by Declan Ivers.
Afterwards, Waterford manager Gerald McCarthy found himself lamenting the poor skill level and an element of lethargy in his team but was fairly philosophical about the early demise of Paul Flynn.
"Well, I was surprised at it but didn't see exactly what happened," he said. "I was proud of the way we fought in the end. Still, there's a lot of work to be done."
As for Wexford boss Rory Kinsella, it was a profitable day out. "We did concede too many frees in the first half but once we sorted that and began converting our own, I felt we played well. But we needed this. Our National League hinged on this in terms of qualification," he said, smiling.
Indeed, his side did allow Waterford to stay in touch through dead ball conversions. The lively Bennett whipped over four in the first half, to complement one from the hapless Flynn and an exquisite sideline cut from Tony Browne, who looks set for another gold-tinted season.
Still, it was Wexford's Fenlon and Ryan Quigley who stomped more effectively at midfield, both nailing scores from open play and generating sufficient possession for their forwards to have left a more telling score on the board by evening fall.
Behind them, Darragh Ryan shook off early signs of indiscipline and began to mature with every minute, looking a real contender for the number six jersey come summer.
Funnily, only when the likelihood of a result all but disappeared did Waterford begin to fizz, with Billy O'Sullivan, Bennett and Browne dashing through defenders with the sort of enterprise that initiated last summer's crusade. For all the errors, the effort warmed the blood and around Kennedy Park they repeatedly marvelled that both sides challenged as if it were championship. Except, of course, it wasn't.
Wexford: D Fitzhenry; C Kehoe, G Cushe, E Furlong; D Ruth, D Ryan, D Ivers; A Fenlon (0-2), R Quigley (0-1); R McCarthy, L Murphy (0-1), S Colfer; T Dempsey (1-8, seven frees), M Jordan (0-1), E Scallan. Subs: G Laffan for E Scallan (48 mins); G Buggy (0-1) for S Colfer (50 mins); C McGrath for L Murphy (50 mins).
Waterford: B Landers; T Feeney, S Cullinane, B Flannery; S Frampton, F Hartley, B Greene; T Browne (0-1), P Queally; D Shanahan, M Molumphy, K McGrath (0-1); B O'Sullivan, P Flynn (0-1, free), D Bennett (0- 7, six frees). Subs: A Kirwin (0-1) for M Molumphy (half-time); M White for D Shanahan (41 mins).
Referee: L Flynn ( Cork).
