Brosnan points the
Adrian Moyles was on the bench.
Gavaghan won the toss and opted to avail of the wind blowing into the town end, and it was clear from an early stage that London meant business and, unlike last year’s clash, would be no pushovers.
They were intent on building on that fine win over Carlow in round two, and were full value for that three-point half-time lead.
Ben Brosnan and Ciarán Lyng (two, one free) were responsible for the opening three of Wexford’s nine wides early on, while Rory Mason kicked the first of seven for London before settling down to have a generally productive afternoon of shooting from frees and play.
Mason supplied the run and pass in the sixth minute which led to Dean Moore driving over the first point, and there was a yellow card in the aftermath for Wexford corner-back Michael Furlong after his late tackle on the supplier.
However, Furlong more than made amends on the next London attack when he pulled off a vital block on John Daly’s shot after good work in the build-up by Mark Gottsche.
Kevin O’Grady had a sniff of a goal chance but was thwarted by solid swarm defending at the other end before Ben Brosnan levelled from a ninth-minute free after Colm Kehoe was fouled.
Michael Furlong claimed the game’s first mark from the kick-out, but London won back possession and John Daly restored their lead after beating Brian Malone to a Dean Moore delivery (0-2 to 0-1).
A trademark Ciarán Lyng point, with the outside of his left boot from a John Tubritt pass, levelled proceedings for a second time before London’s Anthony McDermott, Liam Gavaghan and Rory Mason (free) were off target in a wasteful five-minute spell as the game moved into the second quarter.
Still, the visitors persisted and went ahead for the third time in 23rd minute when Rory Mason finished his solo run down the right flank with a fisted point after Ben Brosnan’s kick was blocked at the other end to set the move in train.
Wexford were looking uncomfortable, and the mood of anxious supporters wasn’t helped in any way when the team’s most experienced defender, Brian Malone, was black carded for taking down Liam Gavaghan after John Daly broke an Eoin Murray line ball into the captain’s path.
Rory Mason added a point from the tap-over free, but London owed a huge debt of gratitude to netminder Gavin McEvoy whose super save from a John Tubritt piledriver in the 27th minute ensured they remained in front.
Colm Kehoe and Ciarán Lyng had created the opening, but it came to nothing along with the ’45 which followed as the ball eventually fell to substitute Michael O’Regan whose first kick after his introduction for Conor Carty came back into play off the post.
London’s confidence was clearly high, and with good reason as they were intent on spoiling this potential promotion party.
And when Rory Mason availed of an Eoin Murray pass to stretch their lead to 0-5 to 0-2, Wexford clearly had it all to do.
The respective free-takers, Brosnan and Mason, shared another four points before half-time, with London full-back Cormac Coyne booked for a push on Kevin O’Grady as he aimed for the posts before Anthony McDermott was impeded on the visitors’ next attack.
Colm Kehoe earned that second free for Brosnan to convert before Wexford’s Tiarnan Rossiter was booked for an incident spotted by linesman Fergal Smyth in added time.
The younger of the Rossiter brothers, Naomhan, had conceded a free in the subsequent London attack, and Rory Mason swung that one over with his left peg after judging the wind to perfection.
The Wexford mentors had been closely monitoring P.J. Banville’s recovery from a hamstring injury, and there’s a strong likelihood that he wouldn’t have been risked if this game had followed a similar pattern to the 2016 encounter.
However, it was a case of needs must at the break as he was sprung in place of Tiarnan Rossiter, and the former club and county colleague of Ciarán Deely announced his arrival after a mere 43 seconds when he pointed with his first touch.
Michael O’Regan was placed on the edge of the square in a repeat of the role he filled after coming on against Wicklow, and the start was ideal for Wexford as they had drawn level (0-7 each) inside three minutes.
A John Leacy mark and quick delivery to Ben Brosnan was followed by a second point in just over 60 seconds from the latter after Eoghan Nolan’s long ball broke into his path off O’Regan.
There wasn’t a chance of London capitulating though despite that early Wexford burst, and the locals found it very hard to shake them off.
Brosnan collected his first booking before converting a free off the ground from 35 metres after Daithí Waters was fouled in the 44th minute, giving his side the lead for the