Walsh cup/ Wexford 5-14 UCD 1-10: Redmond Barry gave manager Séamus Murphy the ideal start when his second-half hat-trick of goals sent Wexford cruising to a comfortable 16-point victory over UCD at Piercestown yesterday.
Barry, who had switched from midfield to corner-forward early in the second half, struck three times in the second period as the holders relinquished their title in rather feeble fashion.
After Tommy Fitzgerald and Barry Lambert had traded points the Dublin college struck for the game's opening goal after just five minutes when Damian Fogarty scrambled the ball over the line.
But Wexford's display was illuminated by their opportunism. After Willie Doran and Eamonn Ryan had swapped points, Nigel Higgins eluded his marker to crash home a low drive to the net.
UCD could only fashion a further Brian Barry pointed free seven minutes before the break, as points from Mitch Jordan (two) and one each from Dessie Mythen and Paul Carley left the home side with a 1-6 to 1-3 interval lead.
Wexford dominated the second half. Higgins struck for his second goal after 42 minutes, when he applied the finishing touch from close range.
The advantage swung Wexford's way in the closing 20 minutes, Redmond Barry marking his senior intercounty debut with three sparkling goals.
Wexford created plenty of space which they fully utilised, but for the holders it was a dreadful performance with the Fitzgibbon Cup just weeks away.
Meanwhile, Offaly Manager John McIntyre faces an anxious wait regarding the fitness of attacker Brendan Murphy.
Murphy, playing for UCD yesterday, was carried off 10 minutes before the break with a leg injury sustained in an accidental collision. He was brought to Wexford General Hospital for x-rays.
WEXFORD: D Fitzhenry; C Kehoe, D O'Connor, K Rossiter; K Kavanagh, D Stamp, D Lyng; R McCarthy, R Barry (3-0); P Carley (0-1), W Doran (0-1), D Mythen (0-2); N Higgins (2-1), M Jordan (0-2), B Lambert (0-5, 4 frees). Subs: M Jacob (0-2) for McCarthy, E Quigley for Jordan, A O'Connell for Kehoe, R Stafford for Mythen, D O'Brien for Carley.
UCD: B Campion; D Walton, P McIntyre, D Prendergast; B Buckley, M Fitzgerald, C Everard; B Barry (0-6, frees), E O'Gorman, E Ryan (0-2), D Kearney, J O'Connor, D Fogarty (1-0), B Murphy, T Fitzgerald (0-2). Subs: P Morrissey for Murphy (inj), S Cummins for Buckley, A Fleming for McIntyre, P Lyng for Kearney, McIntyre for Walton.
Referee: P Neary (Kilkenny).
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