Minors cruise to round robin win over Wicklow
THE WEXFORD Minor footballers came through a pressure situation with their heads held high in Wexford Park on April 10, 2005, when they recorded an impressive 3-11 to 1-8 win over a weak Wicklow outfit in their second Leinster championship encounter.
With the competition being played on a round robin basis, and with just one team to emerge from the mini group of three, the home side simply had to win after drawing their opening tie with Carlow.
The loss of suspended captain Clive Lawler was offset to an extent by the return of a fellow dual player, P.J. Nolan, to the midfield area.
And with goalkeeper Patrick Kavanagh in fine form and Conor Murphy, Peter Hughes and Art Murphy leading a well-drilled defence, Wexford never appeared to be in any danger.
The first goal was a real peach, created by Tomás Hayden and Thomas Barron for Shane Cadogan to finish.
That made it 1-5 to 0-2, and it was 3-5 to 1-4 by half-time after Shane Roche and Garry Doran added the second and third majors.
The Wexford mentors were Jack Stafford (manager), Eamonn Moulds, Dan Brosnan, Billy Stafford and Joe Sheehan.
Wexford: Patrick Kavanagh (HWH-Bunclody); Tomás Hayden (Kilrush), Conor Murphy (St. Mary’s, Rosslare), Kevin Dunne (HWH-Bunclody); Art Murphy (Bannow-Ballymitty), Peter Hughes (Kilanerin), Paddy Whiteley (Rathnure); P.J. Nolan (Kilrush), David Farrell (Glynn-Barntown); Ben Brosnan (Bannow-Ballymitty, 0-3, 1 ’45, 1 free), Shane Cadogan (Taghmon-Camross, 1-0), Thomas Barron (Shelmaliers, capt., 0-2); Shane Roche (Geraldine O’Hanrahans, 1-4, 0-3 frees), Garry Doran (Kilrush, 1-0), David Reck (HWH-Bunclody, 0-1). Subs. - Barry Hearn (Horeswood) for Reck, Michael Barry (Bannow-Ballymitty, 0-1) for Nolan.