Chin leads the charge as Offaly are torn apart by Wexford blitz
RAMPANT Wexford enjoyed a goal glut in Tullamore and sealed their latest Leinster SHC win long before full-time. First-half goals from Conor McDonald, Aidan Nolan and goalkeeper Mark Fanning propelled Davy Fitzgerald’s men 15 points clear.
And with Offaly reduced to 14 men after Sean Gardiner’s 33rd minute dismissal the game was all but up. They would eventually finish with just 12 players after further red cards for Oisin Kelly and Ronan Hughes.
Any lingering hope Offaly fans in the 6,186 crowd had was stamped out during a third quarter from hell. Lee Chin grabbed Wexford’s fourth goal and then set up Jack O’Connor for a fifth before Offaly lost Kelly to a straight red card in the 49th minute.
Kelly had sniped a consolation goal for Offaly but will now miss their crucial clash with Dublin next Sunday. So will sub Hughes who walked late on following an incident that left the Wexford goalkeeper grounded.
Offaly fans hardly even raised a cheer when Shane Dooley notched a clever solo goal at the death. Wexford on the other hand are in great shape and have a glamour game with All-Ireland champions Galway to look forward to on Saturday.
They were never in trouble here and had victory wrapped up by the break when they led 3-12 to 0-6 after a blitzkrieg opening. Kelly finished with 1-1 despite his early exit and grabbed the opening score for Offaly just seconds into the contest.
But that was as good as it got for a side that was neck and neck with Kilkenny late on in their previous game. McDonald got the Wexford goal blitz under way after just two minutes and it was all purple and gold after that.
McDonald was quick onto the loose ball when Paudie Foley’s long free cannoned off the post for the goal.
Paul Morris and Jack O’Connor added quick-fire points and Offaly were already up against it. Shane Dooley pulled a point back for the hosts but Wexford then reeled off 1-3 without reply.
The second goal came from Nolan and was a beauty as he controlled Simon Donohoe’s clever pass before volleying home.
Wexford now led 2-5 to 0-2 and the writing was on the wall for an Offaly side that drafted in Brendan Murphy and Kevin Dunne for starts.
Shaun Murphy played his usual sweeper role for Wexford and got on plenty of ball but some of it was easily won. Offaly scored just three points from play in the first half and looked a shadow of the side that went toe to toe with the Cats.
They were overrun in all quarters this time and were outscored by 1-7 to 0-2 from the 19th minute until half-time.
Goalkeeper Fanning fired their third goal from a penalty in the 34th minute after a foul on McDonald. Full-back Gardiner was the culprit and the foul drew a second yellow card that reduced Offaly to 14 men.
Gardiner’s first yellow came for a foul on Rory O’Connor that also resulted in a penalty though Nolan’s shot was tame on that occasion.
It was tough viewing for the home supporters who gave the Champions League final a miss to follow their team. And it didn’t get any better after the restart when Chin sniped a goal after being moved to corner-forward.
Chin finished with 1-4 before being rested with five minutes to go with the Galway game in mind.
Wexford’s fifth goal came from Jack O’Connor in the 44th minute and Chin did brilliantly to play him in after a surging dash. Wexford: M Fanning; S Donohoe (C Firman 46), L Ryan, D Reck; S Murphy; P Foley, M O’Hanlon, D O’Keeffe; K Foley, A Nolan; J O’Connor, L Chin (D Dunne 64); C McDonald, R O’Connor (H Kehoe 51), P Morris (L Og McGovern 51). Scorers: R O’Connor 0-7 (5f), L Chin 1-4 (0-4f), J O’Connor 1-3, C McDonald, A Nolan 1-1, M Fanning 1-0 (1-0 pen), H Kehoe 0-3 (2f), P Morris 0-2, D O’Keefe, K Foley, D Reck 0-1 offaly: E Cahill; P Delaney, S Gardiner, B Conneely (P Rigney 48); D O’Toole Greene, D Egan, P Camon; S Kinsella (D Currams 43), D King; B Murphy (T Geraghty h/t), C Mahon (C Egan h/t), O Kelly; S Dooley, J Bergin, K Dunne. Scorers: S Dooley 1-5 (0-5f), O Kelly 1-1, K Dunne, J Bergin, T Geraghty 0-1. referee J McGrath (Westmeath).