Sunday Mirror (Northern Ireland)
Model get points on the board
Wexford 2-27 Laois 2-16 NHL Division 1 Group B
LEINSTER Champions Wexford got their League campaign off to a winning start last night with a powerful second half display in Portlaoise.
Davy Fitzgerald’s men were well tested by a youthful O’Moore County side but Conor McDonald proved too hot to handle.
He finished with 1-3 from play – the Naomh Éanna clubman grabbing the first of two injury-time goals as Wexford edged Laois by two points at the break.
Despite Ross King keeping Laois in touch from placed balls, Wexford pulled away as conditions became greasy near the end and the visitors held out for a strong first round win.
Laois fielded just seven of the side which lost their All-Ireland quarter-final with Tipperary last summer, but really put up a fight.
Aided by a stiff wind, Laois began well with the teams level on six occasions in the opening half.
New Laois captain Enda Rowland was once again a colossus and landed their second goal just before half-time, after Conor McDonald and Aidan Nolan grabbed Wexford’s goals.
But Laois were left to rue missed chances as Paudie Foley, Kevin Foley, Jack O’Connor, Rory O’Connor, McDonald, Cathal Dunbar and Paul Morris made them pay.
SCORERS – Wexford: J O’Connor 0-6F, C McDonald 1-3, P Morris 0-4, R O’Connor 0-3, P Foley 0-3F, C Dunbar 0-3 A Nolan 1-0, L Og McGovern 0-2, K Foley 0-2, Shaun Murphy 0-1
Laois: R King 0-11 (7f), E Rowland 1-1 (1f), W Dunphy 1-0, A Bergin 0-1, J Kelly 0-1, E Gaughan 0-1, J Keyes 0-1