Home in second-half
CHAMPIONSHIP ROUND ONE QUALIFIER - WEXFORD V OFFALY given as Wexford advance by eight points
display was reflected in a double substitution in the full-forward line.
Indeed, they had introduced three of their Under-21 Leinster final team from tomorrow (Wednesday) by half-time, but they were sadly lacking in leaders among their more experienced group.
They did extend their lead to 0-8 to 0-6 all the same after Jack O’Connor batted a David King free into Shane Kinsella’s path. Conor McDonald cancelled that out from a free after a foul on Lee Chin, with Shane Dooley making it 0-9 to 0-7 at half-time from a late placed ball not long after striking the post from a ’65.
Wexford resumed with Jack O’Connor at right half-back, Diarmuid O’Keeffe at midfield, David Dunne at right half-forward, Liam Og McGovern on the left, and Podge Doran inside him in the corner.
The shape of the team was much-improved, and everybody responded all over the field to give the loyal supporters plenty to shout about after that miserable Saturday evening showdown in a rain-sodden Croke Park in May.
While over-eagerness and poor decision-making did result in eleven wides after the break, Wexford were always shaping as likely winners from near the end of the third quarter.
David Dunne and Lee Chin were off target after that Paul Morris goal before Chin made it 1-9 to 0-9 from an 85-metre free when Diarmuid O’Keeffe grabbed a puck-out and was fouled. An overcarrying call against Jack O’Connor led to another Shane Dooley point for Offaly, with Chin hitting another wide before Dooley tried his luck with a low drive from a close-in free which was knocked out for a ’65 which he mis-hit.
A Matthew O’Hanlon clearance found Liam Og McGovern who was held, with McDonald making it 1-10 to 0-10 from the free. O’Keeffe then picked off his first point after Offaly’s Joe Bergin caught his own puck-out but lost the ball.
A piercing run by David Dunne lifted the crowd and also led to another pointed free for McDonald, with McGovern fouled after a pass from O’Keeffe.
The only downside to Chin’s display was his finishing, with his third wide of the half followed by a Shane Dooley pointed free as Offaly closed the gap to 1-12 to 0-11.
Wexford were well in control at this stage though, with a Podge Doran point sandwiched in between wides from McDonald and McGovern. A foul on Dunne was punished by McDonald at the end of the third quarter, with Chin missing a free from long range before Dooley did likewise from a much easier chance at the other end.
Podge Doran was starting to blossom at this point and added his third score from a Pádraig Foley clearance (1-15 to 0-11). Yet another foul on David Dunne, after a trademark lung-bursting solo, led to the next McDonald point before the latter turned brilliantly near the left sideline and picked off a peach of a score.
Wides followed from substitute Harry Kehoe and Jack O’Connor, with Diarmuid O’Keeffe booked in between, before the St. Anne’s man passed crossfield to Podge Doran who made it 1-18 to 0-11 in the 63rd minute.
Offaly simply couldn’t cope with David Dunne’s runs, and David King was finally booked for a foul on the number 15 but McDonald missed the free.
The visitors eventually managed a second-half score from play in the 67th minute when Paudge Guinan obliged with a point, having arrived on the scene for Shane Dooley whose substitution reflected a bad day at the office for Eamonn Kelly’s team.
McDonald made it 1-19 to 0-12 after playing a short line ball to Eanna Martin, getting the return pass and selling a clever dummy. Mark Fanning made a good save to deny Oisín Kelly a consolation goal, before Offaly were reduced to 14 men when David King collected a second yellow card after linesman John O’Brien spotted him striking Jack O’Connor after the ball had left their area.
The four extra minutes featured four scores after Liam Og McGovern cut in from the left but saw his effort on goal saved by James Dempsey.
Diarmuid O’Keeffe added a point before Podge Doran struck a wide, with Paddy Murphy and Lee Chin swapping points prior to Oisín Kelly managing a consolation goal with a bat from close range after breaking through from the right.
Wexford: Mark Fanning; Matthew O’Hanlon (capt.), James Breen, Eoin Moore; Diarmuid O’Keeffe (0-2), Pádraig Foley, Eanna Martin; Jack O’Connor, Eoin Conroy; Liam Og McGovern (0-1), Lee Chin (0-2, 1 free), Podge Doran (0-4); Paul Morris (1-0), Conor McDonald (0-11, 8 frees), David Dunne (0-1). Subs. - Harry Kehoe for Conroy (55), Andrew Kenny for Foley (66), Cathal Dunbar for Dunne (68).
Offaly: James Dempsey; Niall Wynne, Chris McDonald, Paddy Rigney; Seán Gardiner, David King, Dermot Mooney; Paddy Murphy (0-1), Seán Ryan (0-1); James Mulrooney (capt.), Joe Bergin (0-1), Shane Kinsella (0-2); Kevin Connolly, Seán Cleary, Shane Dooley (0-7, 6 frees). Subs. - Ben Conneely for Mooney (26), Emmett Nolan for Cleary (30), Oisín Kelly (1-0) for Connolly (30), David O’Toole for McDonald (53), Paudge Guinan (0-1) for Dooley (59).
Referee: Johnny Ryan (Tipperary).