NHL Division 1A: Wexford 0-20 Offaly 1-17
A last-gasp Séamus Casey point saw Wexford force a dramatic draw with Offaly in an exciting Division 1A game at Wexford Park on Saturday evening.
Offaly had edged themselves into a two-point lead as the game moved into additional time and looked set to complete a shock result until 13-man Wexford battled back with a Lee Chin pointed free. Casey brought the sides level with less than one minute of the five additional minutes left to play.
Wexford had a chance to snatch a last-second winner but Simon Donohoe saw his point attempt drift wide of the left post, leaving Offaly relieved but still wondering as to how they let two points slip from their grasp.
Wexford were offered a test of character, especially after sub Jack O’Connor was shown a straight red card for interference with a helmet just two minutes after joining the game. Charlie McGuckin was then sent off following a second yellow card offence with two minutes of normal time remaining.
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The sending off of O’Connor followed an aerial clash with Offaly’s David King and was quite contentious. The St Martin’s clubman was introduced as a 44th minute substitute but two minutes later found himself back in the dugout. While competing for the high ball, O’Connor’s hand did touch the helmet of King, and replays show that O’Connor’s faceguard was clearly grabbed, but referee Sean Stack – following a consultation with the linesman – showed only the Wexfordman a red card.
Wexford manager Keith Rossiter said: “Jack [O’Connor], when introduced, brought a bit of buzz to the game but I was disappointed with it [decision].
“The opinion before I saw the replay was the two of them were at it. No, if you were going to grab a faceguard, you would have to see red, so both should have walked off from looking back on it. The two should have gone together. I wouldn’t blame Sean Stack for sending Jack off, but the clip also shows that Jack was grabbed.
“I think Jack was blinded at that stage, in my opinion, but everyone, including Sean Stack, will have an idea on it, and you have to give them the benefit of the doubt, but I don’t know how the Wexford player was dismissed on his own.”
On the question of the introduction of technology, Rossiter said: “I believe technology should be employed if it can help clear up situations like what happened in Wexford Park today, but also I must credit my side for the bottle shown when reduced in numbers.”
“We got another man sent off five to 10 minutes later, we were probably doing too much fouling. [But] that would have been 14 apiece if Jack had gone with his man. It’s a different outlook and a different game when down to 14 against 15.
“But we showed great heart, great fight. They kept doing what they had to do by sticking to the process and using the ball. I’m delighted with that. We will go back and look at the game, as I’m not happy with the first half. We allowed Offaly far too much room.
“They were beating us in the rucks, to the breaking balls, which we wouldn’t be pleased with, but I kept telling the lads it’s only the second round of the national league. it’s only February. We have a good bit of work on, but the fight and character are there, and we will take that. We will take the point and move on.”
Rossiter also spoke of the congested fixture list so early in the season.
“I’m not happy with the fixtures as set out. This was our fifth consecutive weekend. It’s probably the reason the lads were so lethargic in the opening half, while some of them also had to fit in colleges’ hurling. It’s something that needs to be looked at.”
Offaly deserved to take both points from this game. Coming off the back of a defeat to Waterford, they played all the quality hurling, showed a huge work rate, and but for their inaccurate finishing – a total of 14 wides to the home side’s eight – they would have been comfortably in front.
Frees from Chin were the main thing that kept Wexford in touch, as they trailed just 0-11 to 0-9 at the break.
Wexford edged in front when they struck for three unanswered points midway through the second period – through Mark Fanning (free), Casey and Chin (free). That gave them a lead of 0-18 to 0-15 after 60 minutes. The home side looked to be in control.
But Offaly got a crucial breakthrough with nine minutes remaining when Charlie Mitchell put Brian Duignan in for a goal.
Following McGuckin’s second yellow card, with the scores level, Offaly got crucial scores from Duignan (free) and King as the game moved into additional time. But then came Wexford’s late rescue act.
Wexford: M Fanning (0-1 free), N Murphy, C Foley, S Reck; C McGuickin (0-1), D Reck, C Molloy (0-1); C Byrne-Dunbar (0-1), C Hearne; T Kinsella (0-1), L Chin (0-8, 7f), K Foley; C Byrne (0-1), R Lawlor (0-2), S Casey (0-2). Subs: Jack O’Connor for Kinsella (44), J Byrne (0-1) for C Byrne (56), C Dunbar for Byrne-Dunbar (64), S Donohoe for Hearne (68), Joe O’Connor for Molloy (70).
Offaly: M Troy; B Conneely (0-1), C Burke, S Bourke; J Sampson, C Kiely (0-3, 2f), K Sampson (0-1); J Clancy, D King (0-2); D Nally, E Kelly, J Clancy; C Mitchell (0-2), B Duignan (1-7, 4f, 2, 65s), A Screeney (0-1). Subs: D Bourke for Clancy (58), M Watkins for Screeney (58), D Ravenhill for Kelly (64).
Referee: S Stack (Dublin).
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