Kinsella gives Wicklow edge

Mighty midfielder shines as Wexford pipped by a point

THE MIDFIELD power of captain Mark Kinsella was a key factor in deciding a tight contest in a rain-lashed St. Patrick’s Park, Enniscorthy on Wednesday, with Wicklow putting themselves in pole position to top Group 3 of the Electric Ireland Leinster Minor football championship thanks to a narrow one-point win over neighbours Wexford.

The Knockananna youngster was a dominant figure for the visitors, who showed no ill effects from being later into battle than their rivals who had beaten Carlow by ten points seven days earlier.

Wicklow’s first round bye didn’t hamper their performance in any way, and now they will be fancied to beat the Barrowsiders and make sure of top spot when they clash in Aughrim on Saturday (2 p.m.).

Should that happen, then their prize would be a preliminary quarter-final on April 24 against the third team in Group 1 (most likely the losers of next weekend’s Dublin versus Offaly clash in Parnell Park).

Wexford are set to finish second in this section, barring a surprise success for Carlow that could potentially leave them first, depending on the margin of victory.

If Wicklow stay unbeaten, and that is the most likely scenario, then Wexford will take on the third team in Group 2 (the winners of Saturday’s meeting of Westmeath and Meath in Mullingar), in the other preliminary quarter-final on April 24.

While both teams looked ready, willing and able to attack at every opportunity on Wednesday, conditions dictated that there would be no repeat of Wexford’s high-scoring 3-18 to 2-11 victory over Carlow that kick-started the campaign.

It was a night for backs rather than forwards, with the underfoot conditions growing more treacherous with every passing minute as there was precious little respite from the rain that first arrived near the end of the opening quarter.

Both sides utilised a sweeper – Ian Noctor for Wexford and Simon O’Brien for Wicklow – and the hosts had one enforced change from the Carlow game as wingback Fionn Kavanagh (on a school trip to Miami) was replaced by Mitch Cullen.

Thomas Tisdall drew first blood for Wicklow from a free that he earned himself in the fifth minute, only for Tom Funge to equalise with his left boot after a defender was penalised for touching the ball on the ground.

The conditions were ideal for a big, imposing midfielder like Mark Kinsella, but there was so much more to his game than brute force as Wexford learned to their cost.

He possesses all the skills required to be a stand-out performer at this level, and he restored Wicklow’s advantage in the eighth minute after accepting a handpass from midfield colleague Patrick Small.

Small was also the provider with an incisive ball inside that gave Tindall the space to make it 0-3 to 0-1 for Wicklow in the 13th minute, before he got on the scoresheet himself after a foul on Kinsella.

That three-point margin was only repeated on one more occasion, in the second-half, with Wexford improving in the second quarter to ensure parity at the interval.

A bright spell between the 17th and 25th minutes yielded three unanswered points, with centre-back Eoin Hughes setting the tone when he joined the attack and split the posts.

In fact, Wexford also created the first major goal chance on their next attack, with an Odhrán Morris kick towards the edge of the square grabbed by joint-captain Darren Rossiter.

He had a green flag on his mind after a swift turn, but his shot was stopped on the line by alert Wicklow full-back Matthew Fox.

Wexford continued to press, kicking two of their seven wides (Wicklow had the same amount) before Seán Fitzharris – selected as the national player of the week for his exploits against Carlow – embarked on a couple of trademark runs from deep that yielded ample rewards.

A foul on the corner-back led to Odhrán Morris slotting over a 40-metre free, and Fitzharris started a move that also featured Rory Cooper before Darragh Forde kicked a very good equalising point from the left flank in the 25th minute (0-4 each).

Wicklow made a couple of changes in personnel as Jim Corrigan and Ronan Smyth were introduced, and goalkeeper Joe Jacob restored their lead in between from a 40-metre free after Eoin Hughes was surrounded and unfortunate to be penalised for over-carrying.

Jacob quickly switched back to his main role of preventing scores, as he made a fine save from Darren Rossiter that led to a ’45 that his opposite number, John Gallagher, calmly converted to leave it 0-5 each at the break.

While the teams had only recorded two points apiece from open play, it was still a compelling encounter and it was clear that next to nothing separated them.

There was a huge let-off for Wexford just over three minutes after the restart, with Patrick Small playing a one-two with Conor Doody before crashing the ball off the crossbar from point-blank range.

Mark Kinsella then ended a solo run with a shot that deflected off a defender for a missed ’ 45 by Jacob, but Wicklow’s centrefield dominance was certain to bring rewards.

And so it proved, as Kinsella teed up Small to restore their lead in the 40th minute, before the classy captain made it 0-7 to 0-5 after good approach work by Luca Nolan and Pat Keogh.

While Wexford’s problems were clearly in the middle third of the field, one of the worst traditions of the GAA was enacted in between those points when they took off a corner-forward, Abram O’Neill, who had been starved of possession along with his attacking colleagues since play resumed.

Nonetheless, his replacement, Andrew Kelly, did make an impact with their first point of the half in the 46th minute after Fitzharris, James Rothwell and Jamie Hughes featured in the build-up.

Wicklow had threatened beforehand when Pat Keogh caught a delivery from Patrick Small and sought a goal, but referee Kieran Harris was happy enough with the tackle by Mitch Cullen that stripped him of possession.

A couple of needless concessions of frees – the first for a throw and the second for a tackle near the endline when the forward had no room to manoeuvre – led to Joe Jacob and Small leaving Wicklow with a 9-6 advantage after 56 minutes.

Wexford pushed hard to erase that deficit, with Tom Funge securing a free after his move to full-forward that was knocked over by Odhrán Morris – five minutes after the centre-forward sent his previous placed-ball opportunity wide. Morris then made it a onepoint game 30 seconds into additional time from another free that went over via the right-hand post.

Wicklow had a late chance but Jim Corrigan kicked their seventh wide, and Wexford fashioned one last equalising opportunity – getting away with a blatant third-man tackle in the lead-up.

Ian Noctor and James Rothwell worked the ball to sharpshooter Odhrán Morris who had amassed ten points against Carlow, but his shot tailed left and wide on a difficult night for kicking.

The final whistle of referee Harris followed after two minutes and 40 seconds of additional time, leaving Wicklow to celebrate a third successive Leinster championship group success over Wexford at this level after their wins in 2022 (also in St. Patrick’s Park, 2-13 to 0-5) and 2023 (0-10 to 0-7 in Aughrim).

Wexford: John Gallagher (Volunteers, 0-1 ’45); Kian Steadmond (Ballynastragh Gaels), Liam Kenny (Castletown), Seán Fitzharris (Rathgarogue-Cushinstown); Rory Cooper (Ballynastragh Gaels), Eoin Hughes (Ballynastragh Gaels, 0-1), Mitch Cullen (Gusserane); Tom Funge (Naomh Éanna, joint-capt., 0-1 free), James Rothwell (HWH-Bunclody); Jamie Hughes (Ballynastragh Gaels), Odhrán Morris (Castletown, 0-3 frees), Darragh Forde (Ballynastragh Gaels, 0-1); Ian Noctor (Castletown), Darren Rossiter (Gusserane, joint-capt.), Abram O’Neill (Monageer-Boolavogue). Subs. – Andrew Kelly (St. Mary’s, Maudlintown, 0-1) for O’Neill (40), Ben Furlong (Ballynastragh Gaels) for Cullen (53), Cathal Power (Duffry Rovers) for J. Hughes (53), Dylan Hayes (Bannow-Ballymitty) for Forde, inj. (59), also Adam Furlong (St. Patrick’s), Alex Carton (St. Patrick’s), Ryan Wycherley (Crossabeg-Ballymurn), Conall Butler (Kilrush), Andy Byrne (Oylegate-Glenbrien).

Wicklow: Joe Jacob (Avondale, 0-2 frees); Cormac Murphy (Tinahely), Matthew Fox (An Tóchar), Eoghan Ward (Arklow Geraldines Ballymoney); James John Brady (An Tóchar), Max Keogh (Blessington), Corey O’Brien (Éire Óg Greystones); Mark Kinsella (Knockananna, capt., 0-2), Patrick Small (Blessington, 0-3, 2 frees); Conor Doody (Baltinglass), Leon Reynolds (Newcastle), Luca Nolan (An Tóchar); Pat Keogh (Dunlavin), Thomas Tisdall (St. Jude’s, Dublin, 0-2, 1 free), Simon O’Brien (Kilcoole). Subs. – Jim Corrigan (Hollywood) for C. O’Brien (27), Ronan Smyth (Blessington) for Ward (30), Ryan Redmond (Arklow Geraldines Ballymoney) for P. Keogh (48), Pierce Byrne (Tinahely) for Brady, inj. (59), also Oisín O’Connell (Blessington), Dylan Mullen (Arklow Geraldines Ballymoney), Seán McLoughlin (Éire Óg Greystones), James Phibbs (Blessington), Ryan Healy (An Tóchar).

Referee: Kieran Harris (Kildare).

FOOTNOTE: This game was played with only one umpire at either end of the field; it simply wasn’t good enough, and the players deserved better. I hope Leinster Council officials take the necessary steps to ensure this never happens again.