Wexford driven by Forde

Division Three/ Wexford 3-8 Longford 1-9: A cracking goal from Matty Forde nine minutes before the break set Wexford up for a five-point victory over Longford in their Division Three game at Wexford Park yesterday.

The home side took an eight-point interval lead, which they managed to protect despite being reduced to 13 players in the closing minutes after Collie Byrne - straight red card - and Nicky O'Sullivan - two yellows - were dismissed.

Two Francis McGee pointed frees had Longford ahead by 0-2 to 0-0 before Wexford opened their scoring through a Ben Brosnan point after eight minutes.

Thirteen minutes in to the game Wexford scored a rather fortuitous goal. Forde lobbed a ball to the edge of the square which was flicked on by Brosnan. Longford goalkeeper Damien Sheridan could only smother the ball leaving Adrian Flynn with a simple tap-in.

But worse was to follow nine minutes before the break. Goalkeeper Sheridan left his goal to launch an attack, picking out defender Dermot Brady, whose intended pass was intercepted by Forde, who, from all of 40 metres, lobbed a superb ball over the defence in to an unguarded goal and in to the net.

Wexford led 2-5 to 0-3 at the interval but Longford battled after the break and reduced the deficit to four points, 2-5 to 1-4.

Wexford regained dominance after 44 minutes when Eric Bradley stormed through for a great goal to extend his side's lead to 3-7 to 1-5.

WEXFORD: A Masterson; C Morris, P Wallace, D Walsh; N O'Sullivan, B Malone, G Sunderland; E Bradley (1-0), B Doyle; A Flynn (1-0), C Byrne, S Roche (0-1); R Barry, B Brosnan (0-1), M Forde (1-6, three frees). Subs: A Morrissey for Flynn (39 mins), P Colfer for Bradley (64 mins), D Murphy for Forde (70 mins), C Lyng for Roche (70 mins), P Curtis for Barry (70 mins).

LONGFORD: D Sheridan; D Brady, D Masterson, P McDonnell; S Mulligan, A O'Connor, N Farrell (0-2, frees); L Keenan, E Farrell; L Keenan, E Farrell; D Farrell (0-1), P Barden (1-0, penalty), P Dowd (0-1); S Phillips, B Kavanagh, F McGee (0-5, three frees). Subs: K Mulligan for E Farrell (35 mins), P Berry for Phillips (35 mins), D Reilly for McDonnell (48 mins), D Barden for D Farrell (54 mins).

Referee: B Tyrrell(Tipperary).