Stuns sorry Wexford
N as visitors slump to nightmare defeat
and London finally equalised in the 48th minute courtesy of Killian Butler from a Liam Gavaghan assist (0-6 each).
They moved ahead when Daithí Waters lost possession up the field and Mark Gottsche fed Conor Doran, while Bealin missed another free after Ben Brosnan was tripped.
Robert Frayne and Michael O’Regan came in for O’Grady and Shannon before a long spell of London keep ball ended with a cheap free conceded by Mark O’Neill and a Gavaghan point (0-8 to 0-6).
Brosnan kicked a high shot wide before Brian Malone showed the only piece of attacking nous of the second-half with a good solo point after a one-two with Eoin Porter in the 60th minute.
Brosnan dropped an attempt short before Shane Doyle lost the ball in the right corner, and Gavaghan curled a beauty between the posts (0-9 to 0-7).
Wexford’s woes were compounded then in a period lasting less than five minutes when London registered their match-winning goals.
The first was a beauty from Killian Butler after a fine move which saw Gavaghan injecting the pace when it was needed, and David Carrabine supplying the last pass.
Eoghan Nolan tried to respond but was penalised for overcarrying close to goal, and any slight doubt surrounding the outcome was wiped out in the 66th minute.
Experienced ex-Donegal substitute Adrian Hanlon and Liam Gavaghan combined to find Carrabine whose over-exuberance close to goal saw him almost leave the ball behind.
He had to grab it from behind his back and that killed the prospect of taking a shot on goal himself.
Instead he improvised with a fisted point attempt that dropped short under the crossbar and was forced to the net by substitute Ciarán Houlihan, with Killian Butler also close at hand (2-9 to 0-7).
Jonathan Bealin pointed a consolation free in added time after Niall Hughes was fouled, with Robert Frayne blasting a shot wide before the last word fittingly went to London.
And it was the appropriate man to close the scoring too, as Liam Gavaghan punished a sloppy Tiarnan Rossiter pass with a point that left eight between the teams at the finish.
Incidentally, the over-exuberant scoreboard operator had London on 2-11, but referee Seamus Mulvihill confirmed afterwards that 2-10 was their final tally, enough to leave Ciarán Deely with the widest smile in Ruislip, and Wexford facing a sombre trip home with a lot of searching questions for both management and players to answer.
It was without question one of the poorest displays in my living memory.
Wexford: Matt Doyle; Conor Carty, Michael Furlong (capt.), Mark O’Neill; Eoin Porter, Shane Doyle, Martin O’Connor; Daithí Waters, Niall Hughes; Brian Malone (0-1), Jonathan Bealin (0-5 frees), Eoghan Nolan; Kevin O’Grady (0-1), Barry O’Connor, John Tubritt (0-1). Subs. - David Shannon for B. O’Connor (26), Ben Brosnan for Tubritt (43), Robert Frayne for O’Grady (52), Michael O’Regan for Shannon (52), Tiarnan Rossiter for Porter (65).
London: Gavin McEvoy; Philip Butler, Matthew Moynihan, Conor O’Neill; David Carrabine, Michael Clarke, Ryan Jones; Ryan Forde, Liam Gavaghan (0-5, 3 frees); David Dunne (0-1), Mark Gottsche, Aidan McGarvey; Conor Doran (0-2, 1 free), Killian Butler (1-2), Barry Tully. Subs. - Adrian Hanlon for Forde, inj. (46), Eoin Flanagan for Jones (52), Pierce McGirr for Dunne (56), Ciarán Houlihan (1-0) for Doran (65), Liam Gallagher for Tully (70)
Referee: Seamus Mulvihill (Kerry).