Models grab late victory
Decent show from Wicklow
WICKLOW WEXFORD 2-11 2-13
LAST Thursday night in Arklow the semi-final of the Carlow Cup was played in what was at times some very unfavourable conditions. Even with this being the case both sets of forwards came out on top in a very topsy-turvy match.
Wicklow started off the game at a frenetic pace scoring 1-1 inside the first five minutes.
The goal was the first score when after some very good build up play Wicklow corner-forward Ruairi Tomkins stepped inside his marker and slotted the ball into the back of the net.
Wicklow full-forward Eoin Darcy followed up the goal with a fine point from play.
Wexford then kicked into gear with their first point coming from wing forward Jack Finucan from a free before dangerous corner-forward Lee Jordan popped over a point from play. Darcy scored a free in reply for Wicklow.
Wexford got two points in reply with wing back Adrian Breen getting the first of these after making his way up the field before Finucan got another free.
Some good defending followed for the next few minutes before Wicklow forward Darcy managed to get his hands on the ball to fire over another point from play.
From the resulting kick-out, Wexford went on the attack and the aforementioned Finucan found space in front of the Wicklow goal before burying the ball into the back of the net.
In retaliation to the goal, Wicklow replied with a goal of their own through corner-forward Tomkins. Wexford got two points in reply both coming from their half-forward line, the first coming from Niall Connolly and the next coming through big center-forward Mark Boyle.
With the game edging towards half-time both teams went on meaningful attacks with Wicklow getting another few points coming from corner-forward Alan Barrett and Tomkins getting another point from some great build up play.
Full-forward Darcy scored a point from play before Wexford midfielder Ciaran Kavanagh made a lung-bursting run up the field before putting the ball over the bar.
Wicklow finished the half off well with points from play coming through Darcy again and cente-forward Niall Gaffney getting his name on the scoresheet leaving the score 2-7 to 1-7 to Wicklow at half-time.
Wexford must have got a good talking too at half-time because they started the second half like a house on fire scoring 1-3 without reply in the first 10 minutes; the first of these score coming from corner-forward Jordan before that big center-forward Boyle managed to get his hands on the ball in front of the Wicklow goalmouth before putting the ball into the back of the Wicklow net.
Dangerous Wexford corner-forward Jordan popped another score over the bar and Wexford followed up with another score from wing forward Finucan.
This foray of scores kicked Wicklow into action, scoring three points in reply all these scores coming from free kicks after some indiscipline from the Wexford defence; Darcy scoring two of these frees with corner-forward Ruari Tomkins hitting the other.
Jordan fired over another free for Wexford to put them one point ahead. Wicklow leveled the game through Tomkins who scored a point worthy of winning any game swinging the ball over his right shoulder from a very difficult angle.
Wexford finished the game off with Jordan scoring a free before getting an insurance point from play to put the game away from Wicklow in the final minute leaving the final score reading 2-11 to 2-13.
Scorers – Wicklow: E Darcy 0-6, R Tomkins 2-3, N Gaffney 0-1, A Barrett 0-1.
Wexford: J Finucan 1-3, A Breen 0-1, L Jordan 0-6, M Boyle 1-1, N Connoly 0-1, C Kavanagh 0-1.
Wicklow: Kian Geraghty; Ben Fennel, Cian McHugh, Rory Whelan; David Lawlor, Dave Devine; Nicky Kearney, Cian Walsh Eoghan Byrne, David Maloney, Niall Gaffney, Oisin Cullen; Alan Barrett, Eoin Darcy, Ruarri Tomkins. Subs: Johhny Kehoe for Eoghan Byrne, Gavin Fogarty for Nicky Kearney, Shaun Cranley for David Maloney, Dave Wright for Rory Whelan Kevin Quinn for Dave Wright.
Wexford: Jack Nolan; Rob Murphy, Jason Deveraux, Gloudy Makvese, Darragh Canavan, James O Leary, Adrian Breen Ciaran Kavanagh, Harry Kehoe; Niall Connoly, Mark BoyleJack Finucan; Lee Jordan, James Dixon, Conor Hughes. Subs: Ollie Gahan for Gloudy Makvese, Noel Rowsome for Adrian Breen, Gary hall Roche for Niall Connoly Ben Morris for Jack Finucan, Adam Mullins for James Dixon.