Crushing defeat in Leitrim
Three goals in eight minutes led to big Wexford loss
LEITRIM WEXFORD 3-15 0-11
IT ALL went horribly wrong for the Wexford Senior footballers in a sickening seven-minute spell early in the second-half in Avantcard Pairc Seán Mac Diarmada, Carrick-on-Shannon, on Sunday.
The visitors had been marginally the better team during the first-half and deserved their slight interval lead of 0-7 to 0-6, but they were dealt devastating blows in that timeframe on the re-start when Leitrim struck for three game-clinching goals to begin their Allianz League Division 4 campaign under new manager Terry Hyland in the ideal manner.
And when the losers reflect on this poor start to what promises to be a difficult campaign, the name Ryan O’Rourke will be likely to give them nightmares.
The elusive corner-forward was in superb form for the winners, giving Conor Carty a torrid time as he contributed 1-3 from play out of an impressive overall haul of 2-7.
He was afforded a rousing ovation by home supporters in the stand when he was withdrawn in added time, and rightly so because his positioning, pace and accuracy went a long way towards securing this commanding 13-point victory.
Wexford fielded two league debutants in half-forwards Jonathan Bealin and Conor Devitt, while there was a first start in the competition for full-back Martin O’Connor.
Just five of the first 15 when the visitors won by 0-16 to 0-14 at the same venue two years ago started on this occasion: captain Michael Furlong, Brian Malone, Eoghan Nolan, John Tubritt, and Kevin O’Grady who was a familiar face to the Leitrim players and fans as he had lined out against them for New York in the 2018 Connacht championship.
Wexford led at the interval by 0-7 to 0-6 after a first-half featuring a mere four points from play, two per team.
A lot of their work while carrying the ball forward was productive, with Glen Malone prominent in those moves while newcomer Bealin picked off some neat scores.
However, it was clear from the earliest exchanges that Ryan O’Rourke was on his game for Leitrim, and the aim was to get the ball into his area in the left corner of attack at the earliest possible opportunity.
He was fouled inside the opening minute and tapped over the free, and that happened again to double the home side’s lead after John Tubritt kicked the first of Wexford’s six wides.
A foul on Tubritt led to Cathal Devereux opening the visitors’ account from a left-footed free in the tenth minute, and they drew level after clever use of the new offensive mark rule by new face Conor Devitt.
He was given a neat pass onto his chest by Kevin O’Grady on the left wing in the eleventh minute, immediately signalling for the shot at the posts which he pointed for his first-ever score on the inter-county football scene (0-2 each).
After a Devereux wide, Wexford took the lead when Bealin played a short free to Devitt, accepted the return and split the posts.
And it marked the start of a productive spell for the impressive Castletown clubman, as he also contributed the next two points on either side of another Devereux miss that pushed his team clear by 0-5 to 0-2 midway through the half.
He was fouled and converted the free from 47 metres, before taking the correct option of fisting over the bar from a narrow angle on the right after John Tubritt initially won a Barry O’Connor line ball.
Up to that stage, Leitrim hadn’t looked anything special, but their first point in over 15 minutes, from another Ryan O’Rourke free, saw them up the tempo.
O’Rourke and Dean McGovern combined to pick out Jack Heslin for their opener from play after a Wexford back lost possession cheaply, but Bealin knocked over another free to make it 6-4.
It was all about O’Rourke at the other end, though, as he turned Conor Carty before kicking a point and then levelled from a free that was made scoreable by two silly indiscretions.
The initial placed ball wasn’t within scoring range on the right wing, but referee Brendan Cawley spotted some holding elsewhere and brought it closer. And before the kick was taken, dissent led to it ending up around the 20-metre mark which was a gift for the rampant O’Rourke.
Bealin restored the Wexford lead from a free after Niall Hughes was fouled, and that was how it remained at half-time (0-7 to 0-6), although it could have been more as Barry O’Connor, Eoghan Nolan (twice) and Niall Hughes had dropped scoring attempts short.
There was a let-off for the travelling team when a Leitrim goal chance was ruined by a throw, while Kevin O’Grady couldn’t make the most of an offensive mark when he kicked wide after catching a Bealin delivery.
Wexford resumed with Eoghan Nolan at midfield and Niall Hughes in the right corner, with the latter departing inside five minutes to be replaced by Ben Brosnan.
The latter was the first heavy-hitter introduced, and he was joined by Daithí Waters after the first two goals were conceded, but the big St. Martin’s man was short of match practice and was never going to exert his usual strong influence as the game had already drifted away from Wexford.
Leitrim scored 2-2 in the first eight minutes to transform the tie, and the change in body language from both sides was abundantly clear.
Confidence can be a fragile thing in Division 4, and it deserted Wexford completely after those heavy blows whereas the home players were visibly lifted and took on their flagging rivals with a new-found energy, running at them from all angles.
Ryan O’Rourke had levelled inside two minutes of the re-start, firing over when a goal was on after a super delivery from the left (0-7 each).
And two contrasting scenes at either end in the space of 35 seconds then totally altered the course of the game.
Leitrim netminder Diarmuid McKiernan bravely rose to fist a dangerous delivery from the left by Cathal Devereux to safety, taking a blow to the ribs for his troubles.
Leitrim set an attack in motion and, after Shane Moran’s point attempt came back off the crossbar, it was gathered by O’Rourke who was fouled by Shane Doyle as he prepared to shoot.
Conor Swaine went the wrong way from the Leitrim ace’s penalty, and he was picking the ball out of his net again less than one minute later.
This time another Shane Moran kick from the right fell short, but it wasn’t dealt with in the air by Wexford, leaving the diminutive but deadly O’Rourke to palm it to the net (2-7 to 0-7).
A stray pass by Swaine was then punished with a Jack Heslin point, and Wexford were in serious trouble even though Jonathan Bealin pointed after a foul on Ben Brosnan.
A solo point by the outstanding O’Rourke was followed by the third goal that made doubly sure of Leitrim’s win, even with 22-plus minutes still to play.
His line ball on the right found Dean McGovern whose handpass across the square was finished at the back post by substitute Darragh Rooney (3-9 to 0-8).
A Ben Brosnan wide was followed by a point credited to Ray Mulvey that Michael Furlong was forced to fist over his own bar in order to prevent a possible fourth goal.
Jonathan Bealin (free) made it 3-10 to 0-9 at the end of the third quarter after Leitrim overcarried, but Shane Moran responded with a point before a chance for a consolation goal wasn’t taken.
After a mark from the kick-out by Shane Doyle, a Conor Devitt pass found John Tubritt whose low shot was kept out by Diarmuid McKiernan when a handpass to Cathal Devereux on his left might have been a better option.
Brosnan pointed before Leitrim lost Shane Quinn to a second yellow card, and Jonathan Bealin’s eighth score followed after a foul on Barry O’Connor.
He also kicked the losers’ sixth and final wide from a free (Leitrim had seven) before the Connacht side finished on a high to delight their fans, with Gary Plunkett, Cillian McGloin, Domhnaill Flynn (free) and Eoin Ward picking off late points.
Wexford were awarded 38 frees and only conceded 16 while, apart from that double yellow for Shane Quinn, bookings were issued to Glen Malone plus Leitrim’s Pierce Dolan, Jack Heslin, Mark Plunkett, Domhnaill Flynn and Shane Moran.
Next up for the side managed by Paul McLoughlin is a mustwin clash at home on Sunday to Antrim, who were pipped by one point by neighbours Derry in round one.
Wexford: Conor Swaine; Conor Carty, Martin O’Connor, Michael Furlong (capt.); Glen Malone, Shane Doyle, Brian Malone; Barry O’Connor, Niall Hughes; Kevin O’Grady, Jonathan Bealin (0-8, 6 frees), Conor Devitt (0-1 mark); Cathal Devereux (0-1 free), Eoghan Nolan, John Tubritt. Subs. - Ben Brosnan (0-1) for Hughes (40), Daithí Waters for Nolan (43), Eoin Porter for Carty (61), Donal Shanley for Devereux (61), Robert Frayne for Devitt (66).
Leitrim: Diarmuid McKiernan; Aidan Flynn, Paddy Maguire (capt.), Micheál McWeeney; Seán McWeeney, Mark Plunkett, Ray Mulvey (0-1); Shane Moran (0-1), Damien Moran; Domhnaill Flynn (0-1 free), Jack Heslin (0-2), Shane Quinn; Pierce Dolan, Dean McGovern, Ryan O’Rourke (2-7, 0-4 frees, 1-0 pen.). Subs. - Darragh Rooney (1-0) for D. Moran (44), Gary Plunkett (0-1) for Heslin (58), Cillian McGloin (0-1) for Dolan (65), Eoin Ward (0-1) for O’Rourke (70+3), James Rooney for D. Flynn (70+5).
Referee: Brendan Cawley (Kildare).