WEX LYRICAL
Model take the plaudits as Laois, Carlow & Down also progress
IT was a day of upsets and near-upsets in the Tailteann Cup yesterday, as both Wexford and Laois went on the road to pick up big wins.
Elsewhere, Longford and New York led at half-time, but were unable to see out the deal in Newry and Carlow respectively.
The manner of Wexford’s 1-22 to 2-14 win over Offaly in Tullamore means that they will be a team that everyone will want to avoid in tomorrow’s draw.
Offaly started brightly with a goal from an Anton Sullivan penalty, but were completely over-run by Wexford in the middle third of the pitch, and looked woefully bereft of energy relative to their opponents.
Eoghan Nolan, Brian Molloy and Mark Rossiter kicked a number of excellent scores into the breeze in the first half for Wexford, while Offaly goalkeeper Ian Duffy also had to make several excellent saves.
Duffy could do nothing when Rossiter rifled in a goal in first half-stoppage time to make it 1-11 to 1-8 at the interval, and once Offaly’s Joe Maher received his second yellow card early in the second half, the home side were soon over-run.
Wexford extended their lead out to eight points with Ben Brosnan, Rossiter, Glen Malone and Nolan all kicking fine points, before Aaron Leavy scrambled in a consolation goal with the last play of the game.
In Brewster Park, Mark Barry kicked the last two points of the game as LAOIS picked up a 1-11 to 1-9 win over FERMANAGH, by far their best result of the year so far.
Che Cullen looked to set the tone with an incredible 70-metre run and point for Fermanagh to start the game, but instead it was Laois who found their feet quickest to lead by 0-5 to 0-2.
Both sides missed glorious goal chances in the opening half, while a red card for Ryan Lyons added to Fermanagh’s woes.
Despite this, the Erne men shot the first four points of the second half to lead by 0-8 to 0-6, and still were well in contention after Mark Timmons and Seán Quigley traded goals.
However the extra man began to tell and two points from Paul Kingston helped draw Laois level, before Barry’s late frees sealed the deal.
At Netwatch Cullen Park, it looked like an upset was on the cards when 0-3 from Dublin All-ireland winner Shane Carthy and 0-2 from Kerry native Gavin O’brien gave NEW YORK an 0-8 to 0-6 lead at half time against
CARLOW.
But the Exiles didn’t have the match fitness to push on however and monster scores from Conor Doyle and Jordan Morrissey were the highlights as Carlow powered on to win by 0-15 to 0-10.
In Newry, Joe Hagan’s first half goal, allied to a brilliant Paddy Collum save to touch Odhran Murdock’s penalty around the post, helped LONGFORD to lead DOWN by 1-8 to 0-8 at half-time.
The sides shared the first four points of the second half, but once Danny Magill drew the sides level with his goal in the 45th minute, Longford ran out of steam.
Rory Mason and Pat Havern led the scoring charge as the home side powered to a 1-20 to 1-12 victory.