Wanderers J2 team still second
THE WEXFORD Wanderers second XV travelled to Portlaoise on Sunday for the first game of 2019 in the Leinster Seconds J2 Division 2A League.
The game started well, with Portlaoise blowing hard initially before Wanderers started to force their game on them.
Most of the opening half was spent in the Portlaoise half of the field, with Wanderers pushing for scores.
The score, when it did come, took 30 minutes and it was the legendary Wanderers stalwart, Noel Richards, who crossed in the corner and had the good sense to touch down under the posts to give centre Joyce an easier conversion.
Portlaoise responded from the re-start and in their first visit to the Wanderers half since the kick-off they came away with an unconverted try.
Wexford hit back straight away and, not to be outdone by the oldest player on the pitch, the youngest, Cormac Burke, scored after Wanderers sucked in the Portlaoise defence to create space.
Ciarán Joyce again added the points to give Wanderers a half-time lead of 14-5 against a Portlaoise side still trying to play itself back into the game.
In the second period Wanderers made a number of changes to the side, introducing the debutant Ciarán Byrne into the second row and the returning Mark Power and Owen Cardiff to the back line.
At this stage, and with Wexford executing exceptional game management, Portlaoise’s shortcomings started to become more prevalent, with the referee penalising them on an ever more regular basis.
The next score came in the 65th minute when winger Tom Barry circumvented the Portlaoise defence and scored under the posts after the opposition was sucked into the centre to defend the relentless picking and driving of the Wexford forwards, especially the youngsters Byrne, Sniezka, Redmond, Avtin and man of the match Gavin Kelly who completed a full 80 minutes at the coal face in the front row in addition to his outstanding work in the loose.
Portlaoise managed a consolation try five minutes later, but with Wanderers in control and camped in the opposition ’25 for the remainder of the game, the final outcome was never in doubt and it finished 21-12.
It was an important return to winning ways for Wanderers. The result keeps them in second place overall, seven points behind the unbeaten Clondalkin and four points ahead of third-placed Railway Union.
Next up is the derby fixture against New Ross next Sunday with kick-off at 1 p.m.
Wexford: David Avtin, Barry Ryan, Gavin Kelly, Pat Toomey, Zygimantas Sniezka, Niall Hearne, Vincent Carroll, Kevin Redmond, Kevin Brendan Roche (capt.), Paul Gannon, Cormac Burke, Ciarán Joyce, Noel Richards, Tom Barry, John Gannon. Subs. - Ciarán Byrne, Mark Power, Owen Cardiff.