Hurlers off to a strong start in Portlaoise
McDonald and Nolan rattle net in Wexford’s big haul
WEXFORD LAOIS 2-27 2-16
WEXFORD GOT their Allianz Hurling League Division 1 campaign off to a satisfactory start with a comfortable victory over Laois in Mw Hire O’Moore Park, Portlaoise, on Saturday.
Davy Fitzgerald’s side played against a gale in the opening half and did pretty well, but would probably have expected to hold a bigger advantage at the interval, especially when they went five points ahead after late Conor McDonald and Aidan Nolan goals.
However, it was always likely to be a much more comfortable second-half. In a sense it played out that way, with Wexford winning the period by 0-17 to 0-8, yet they also swatted twelve of their 20 wides as they bossed things without needing to find top gear.
Any day you score 2-27 is a good one, and throw in the sheer number of chances created and Wexford clearly have plenty to build on going forward. There were also eleven scorers, eight from play, which is an area they needed to improve coming into 2020.
The highlight of those scorers was surely Paul Morris. As pointed out by group sports editor Alan Aherne in last week’s edition, the Ferns man was making his one hundredth appearance in the purple and gold and he marked it with four really nice scores.
On top of that, Wexford grabbed two clinical goals, with McDonald showing the footballing prowess he’s been nurturing under Podge Cronin’s gaze at Naomh Eanna with a kicked major, while Nolan’s goal was a blistering strike that he absolutely flushed off the meat of the hurl.
It wasn’t all good. Having had tough competition in the Bord na Móna Walsh Cup, one might have expected a sharp performance, but defensively Wexford were sloppy in the first-half and gifted
Laois multiple scores.
Maybe playing under lights was a factor, but cutting out the silly errors should be a point of emphasis in the coming weeks.
With listed positions in hurling meaning less and less as each year passes, it was no surprise to see five Wexford players waiting for the throw-in on or around the Laois ‘65. With an early ferocious pace just being set, an over-carrying offence saw Ross King open the scoring.
The only thing that seemed to slow down the pace of the game as the half went on was the over-zealous use of Fergal Horgan’s whistle. It was interesting to watch the Tipperary official blow every little thing, and while most of the decisions were probably correct, it felt like he was just too involved, especially in the first-half.
Against the breeze, Jack O’Connor knocked over the equaliser after Liam Óg McGovern was fouled. Rory O’Connor made it 0-2 to 0-1 from a Nolan feed, but Aaron Bergin replied after Mark Fanning stopped James Ryan’s low bullet.
Wexford kept their foot on the gas, weaving nice patterns and developing some attractive attacking moves to ease 0-5 to 0-2 up. McGovern had opened his account and Jack O’Connor added two more before King responded for Laois.
The visitors seemed to be coasting when O’Connor scored his fourth in the 15th minute, but a mistake by Nolan in his own half set Laois away, the ball eventually came to Willie Dunphy and he rattled it past Fanning.
Conceding a goal against Laois was never going to make Wexford panic. McDonald made it 0-7 to 1-3 before Enda Rowland scored a free from his own 20-metre line. Despite another from O’Connor, a defensive error allowed King in to tie the game again.
The Laois hot-shot knocked over a placed-ball, only for O’Connor to reply with his sixth and final score.
Wexford then went eleven minutes without registering again, but the hosts could only muster points from Jack Kelly and King to go 1-8 to 0-9 ahead.
Then Wexford pounced. McGovern pointed before a Jack O’Connor effort was contentiously waved wide.
Moments later the St. Martin’s man picked out McDonald one-onone inside, and the Gorey attacker broke in on goal and, while being fouled, kicked home.
For a brief moment it seemed like Horgan was going to bring it back for the free in, but after consulting with his umpires he gave the goal.
Seconds later Rory and Jack O’Connor combined to sent Nolan away on the right and he ripped a ferocious shot past Rowland.
Suddenly Wexford led by 2-10 to 1-8 and looked set to go in with a comfortable lead. However, from the next puck-out Rowland drilled it all the way into the Wexford goalmouth and Fanning let the ball spill out of his hand into the net.
A kick in the teeth it may have been, but Wexford didn’t dwell on it for long upon the resumption. After King reduced the deficit to one early in the second-half, a nicely-worked short puck-out routine ended with a classy point from Kevin Foley.
Having missed three tough dead-balls in the opening half, Pádraig Foley opened his account in the 40th minute. He added a second two minutes later, and Cathal Dunbar came off the bench to point with his first involvement in the 49th minute.
Wexford would have been further ahead at that stage without five wides. They went on to have misses from nine different players in the second-half as the Yellowbellies shared the miscues around.
King pulled a point back for the hosts, but when McDonald and Rory O’Connor scored two quick minors their side led by 2-16 to 2-10 at the midpoint of the second-half.
McDonald forced Rowland into a sharp save soon after, but Laois pulled a point back through King at the other end.
Scores started to come easier for Wexford as Laois tired. Shaun Murphy pointed from the left, Morris got his first two of the evening, Rory O’Connor registered again, and Dunbar also got his second as the lead swelled to 2-21 to 1-12 after 62 minutes.
To their credit, the hosts kept tapping over their scores but so did Wexford. Pádraig Foley got his third point, as did McDonald, Morris added two more, while Kevin Foley and Seamus Casey also added late points as the final margin of victory swelled to a comfortable eleven.
Things take a turn for the tasty on Sunday when the Slaneysiders welcome Clare to Chadwicks
Wexford Park, and 14 days later Kilkenny make the trip over the border as Davy Fitzgerald’s side continue their early-season slate.
Wexford: Mark Fanning; Simon Donohoe, Liam Ryan, Joe O’Connor; Damien Reck, Shaun Murphy (0-1), Pádraig Foley (0-3 frees); Liam Óg McGovern (0-2), Rory O’Connor (03); Jack O’Connor (0-6 frees), Kevin Foley (0-2), Aidan Nolan (1-0); Aidan Rochford, Conor McDonald (1-3), Paul Morris (0-4). Subs. - Cathal Dunbar (0-2) for Nolan (48), Harry Kehoe for Jack O’Connor (63), Shane Reck for Donohoe (65), Seamus Casey (0-1 free) for R. O’Connor (67), Jack Cullen for D. Reck (68), also James Lawlor, Conor Firman, Connal Flood, Andrew Shore, Gary Molloy, Mikie Dwyer.
Laois: Enda Rowland (1-1, 0-1 free); Liam Senior, Ryan Mullaney, Donnacha Hartnett; Jack Kelly (0-1), Pádraig Delaney, Ciarán McEvoy; Fiachra C. Fennell, Ciarán Comerford; Aaron Bergin (0-1), Paddy Purcell, James Ryan (0-1); Ross King (0-11, 7 frees), Willie Dunphy (1-0), Stephen Bergin. Subs. - Frank Flanagan for Comerford (38), James Keyes (0-1) for Dunphy (52), Eoin Gaughan for Bergin (52), Allan Connolly for Senior (65), Colm Stapleton for Kelly (66).
Referee: Fergal Horgan (Tipperary).