Wexford 2-11 Offaly 0-16: PJ BANVILLE struck a crucial 53rd-minute goal at Wexford Park on Saturday afternoon to hand Wexford their first victory of the year and offer manager Jason Ryan a place in the second qualifier phase draw.
But for the concession of two soft goals, Offaly might have snatched a surprise victory, but their failure to fashion a goal came back to haunt them in the end.
It had looked good for Offaly early on and with PJ Ward and Niall McNamee picking off some excellent points they led 0-7 to 0-2, with the home side’s points coming from Shane Cullen and Banville.
During this period of supremacy they missed a real goal chance. Ward rounded his marker on 20 minutes, attempted to slide the ball under advancing Anthony Masterson, but the goalkeeper somehow managed to knock it away for a fruitless 45.
Wexford, spurred on by this let off, finished the half strongly with points from Banville and Ciarán Lyng, while Niall McNamee responded with an Offaly point.
Then, after several Offaly defenders missed opportunities to clear their lines, Shane Roche toepoked the loose ball over the line, leaving the midlanders with a 0-8 to 1-4 interval lead.
After Ward’s pointed free had increased the midlanders’ lead, Wexford, with wind advantage, began to turn the screw. Lyng, Cullen, Redmond Barry and Adrian Flynn all kicked points, to earn them a 1-8 to 0-9 lead.
Offaly responded with points from Ward, Thomas Deehan and Ward once again and then came the crucial score. Barry floated a high ball to the right edge of the square on 53 minutes; the ball broke off a defender but with the defence slow to react, it was Banville who tapped the ball to the net.
With five minutes remaining, Wexford led 2-11 to 0-13, but it was Offaly who put in a storming finish with points from Deehan, Neville Coughlan and a McNamee free, but time ran out as they tried to force an equaliser.
WEXFORD: A Masterson; N Murphy, G Molloy, D Carter; B Malone, D Murphy, C Morris; D Fogarty, B Doyle; R Barry (0-1), S Cullen (0-4, one free), A Flynn (0-1); C Lyng (0-3, one free), S Roche (1-0), PJ Banville (1-2). Subs: A Doyle for Carter (51 mins), C Deely for Roche (63 mins), D Bradley for B Doyle (70 mins).
OFFALY: P Kelly; S Lonergan (0-1), G Raftery, B Darby; K Slattery, S Sullivan, T O'Connor; A McNamee, B Connor; C McManus (0-1, free), S Ryan, N Smith; T Deehan (0-2), PJ Ward (0-5, two frees), N McNamee (0-6, two frees). Subs: N Coughlan (0-1) for T O'Connor, K Casey for McManus (59); C Evans for Sullivan (63).
Referee: C Reilly (Meath).
