Limerick show they have the character

Limerick 1-13 Wexford 0-14:IT WAS a miserable afternoon in Wexford Park as Limerick showed their character with two injury- time points to charge past Wexford in this All-Ireland senior hurling championship qualifier game on Saturday afternoon.

Wexford were winning possession through the second quarter of the opening period, a 15-minute passage of play in which they outscored the Shannonsiders 0-7 to 0-2, but their failure to score a goal came back to haunt them.

In the 20th minute a Stephen Doyle ball picked out Rory Jacob but having swivelled around his marker, he elected to point from 10 metres when a goal was there for the taking with only Brian Murray to beat.

Despite the incessant rain, both sides served up a stirring opening 35 minutes. It was always going to be difficult and surface water appeared to make it even more so but still the sides produced nice first touches, leading to some excellent scores.

The conditions deteriorated but Wexford seemed to be coping better, particularly when they elected to play a more direct style of hurling. It was in the half-forward line the home side were faring best, with centre forward Willie Doran picking off two excellent points, while the return to form of Rory Jacob during this period was welcome as he chipped in with four points.

Limerick were digging deep, with the half-back line of Séamus Hickey, Brian Geary and Mark Foley becoming more influential.

Hickey struck a rallying call after a great run out of defence, while Patrick McNamara, a late call-up to full forward, struck over two marvellous points.

Wexford, short so many regulars, were dependent on their more experienced players to lead by example. Rory Jacob shot a point, while Doran, who was having a huge tussle with Brian Geary, picked off a long range point to have the sides level, 0-3 each after 12 minutes.

Rory Jacob put the Model County in front for the first time after 14 minutes, but the Shannonsiders struck back one minute later for the opening goal.

Andrew O’Shaughnessy, having won possession out close to the sideline, shook off defender Malachy Travers on his path to goal and beat Damian Fitzhenry at his right hand post with a low, hard shot.

David Redmond and Gavin O’Mahoney exchanged points, before Wexford struck four unanswered points through Doran, Rory Jacob, Diarmuid Lyng (free) and Jacob once again to lead 0-9 to 1-4.

Limerick’s Hickey and Patrick McNamara, a delightful effort off the sideline, traded points with Lyng to leave Wexford leading 0-11 to 1-6 ahead at the interval.

Early second-half points from Donal O’Grady and Donnacha Sheehan had the sides level but points from O’Shaughnessy, Hickey and O’Shaughnessy once again, earned Limerick a 1-11 to 0-11 lead after 59 minutes.

Wexford responded with points from Lyng, Stephen Doyle and Lyng’s free two minutes from the end, brought the sides level, 1-11 to 0-14.

With extra-time beckoning it was Limerick who finished strongest in the six minutes of additional time with points from McNamara and substitute James Ryan proving enough to secure their passage through to the next phase.

Limerick manager Justin McCarthy was happy with his side’s response: “It was clearly a most difficult day for hurling. It was a case of battling through the elements but credit to the lads, they showed tremendous spirit and commitment to sneak victory in the end. Given the conditions one would have to admire their display.”

WEXFORD: D Fitzhenry; M Travers, P Roche, K Rossiter; D Stamp, R Kehoe, C Kenny; H Kehoe, D Lyng (0-6, four frees); PJ Nolan, W Doran (0-2), R Jacob (0-4); D Redmond (0-1), E Martin, S Doyle (0-1). Subs: M Jacob for Nolan (55 mins), S Banville for Martin (66 mins), J Berry for Redmond (66 mins).

LIMERICK: B Murray; D Reale, S Lucey, M O’Riordan; S Hickey (0-2), B Geary, M Foley; G O’Mahoney (0-1, free), D O’Grady (0-1); J Ryan (0-1), W McNamara, N Moran (0-1); D Sheehan (0-1), P McNamara (0-4), A O’Shaughnessy (1-2, two frees). Subs: P Browne for Moran (10 mins), M O’Brien for W McNamara (30 mins), James Ryan for J Ryan (49 mins), D Moloney for O’Riordan (49 mins), O Moran for O’Grady (55 mins).

Referee: M Wadding (Waterford).