Hurlers secure shield honours

A POWERFUL third quarter, in which they scored 1-3 unanswered, propelled Wexford to the Leinster Minor hurling shield title in Abbotstown, Dublin, on Saturday.

The Slaneysiders, who reverted to a largely second string side after the Under-17s dismantled Wicklow in the semi-final, trailed by three at the break.

However, they only allowed two points after the interval to power to victory.

Playing in rain and a tricky crosswind kept the scoring down. Yet it didn’t slow the saffrons in the opening quarter as they raced into an early advantage.

Wexford did open the scoring with a Eoin Cullen free but it was their only one in the first 16 minutes as Antrim eased 1-3 to 0-1 ahead.

Cullen’s second dead-ball came early in the second quarter and he soon followed it with his first goal, a superb finish to the net from 14 metres out to narrow the deficit to one with 18 minutes on the clock (1-3 to 1-2).

A great Eoin Murphy run and ball into the danger area was batted to the net by Cullen for his second major in less than three minutes to give Wexford their first lead.

Yet, they failed to build on that and Antrim rounded out the half in the ascendancy to move 2-5 to 2-2 ahead.

A little good fortune favoured Wexford at the start of the second-half when James Kelly’s speculative effort from just inside the ‘45 found its way to the Antrim rnet. It was the fillip his side needed as they reeled off points from Cullen (two) and Eoin Murphy to move 3-5 to 2-5 clear.

Antrim finally broke their second-half duck 18 minutes in but it didn’t slow a Wexford side which quickly added another Cullen brace and a score from substitute Diarmuid Doyle to ease five points away from their Ulster opponents.

The saffrons ended with 14 players after picking up a late red card but it mattered little to the overall result as Cullen rounded out the scoring with his seventh free in added time.

Wexford open their Leinster Minor hurling championship campaign on April 15.

The first round matches are down for decision next Saturday at four different venues, and the Slaneysiders will definitely know their first opponents after those encounters.

Wexford: James Henebery; Eoin O’Neill, Gavin Sheehan, Michael Cleere; Jim Kenny, Eoin Molloy, Ger Dempsey; Charlie McGuckin, James Kelly (1-0); Eoin Murphy (0-1), Edward Dunbar, Diarmuid Kehoe; Eoin Cullen (2-7, 0-7 frees), Jeff Tobin, Jack Reck. Subs. - Diarmuid Doyle (0-1) for Reck, Ricky McGrath for O’Neill, Jack Cullen for Kelly, Ross Banville for Tobin.