Sport

Wexford finish with aplomb

Wexford 3-21 Offaly 2-17 After extra time: WEXFORD PROVED to be the stronger team in extra time as they booked a place in the…

Mon May 03 2010 - 01:00

Wexford 3-21 Offaly 2-17 After extra time:WEXFORD PROVED to be the stronger team in extra time as they booked a place in the Leinster minor hurling semi-finals with a seven-point victory over Offaly at O'Connor Park on Saturday.

The Slaneysiders netted twice in the extra 20 minutes to finally break the resolve of the home side, who had staged a great rally to send the game to extra time.

Four unanswered points in first half injury-time gave Wexford a somewhat flattering 0-11 to 0-5 half-time lead. When Syl Barron netted Wexford’s first goal seven minutes into the second half to put them 1-12 to 0-6 in front, it looked to be all over for Offaly.

However, they responded magnificently and three quick points were followed by a brilliant individual goal from Brendan Murphy.

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Wexford restored a five-point advantage with nine minutes left but a minute later Thomas Carroll’s long-range shot slipped into the net off the hand of Wexford goalkeeper Conor O’Leary.

At the end of the hour it was level 1-17 to 2-14.

Substitute Niall Murphy whipped a loose ball to the Offaly net to give Wexford a 2-19 to 2-16 lead at the change of ends. Victory was sealed in the second half when another sub Shane O’Gorman fired home a fine third goal.

WEXFORD: C O’Leary; G Foley, C Goff, J Kelly; D Jones, L Chin, J Gordon; I Byrne (0-5), A Kenny; D O’Keeffe (0-4), C Hughes (0-1), J Guiney (0-2, one free, one‘65’); S Barron (1-0), G Moore (0-6, three frees), B Carton (0-2). Subs: J Hobbs (for Guiney, 44 mins), C Clince (0-1, free) (for Jones, 50 mins), N Murphy (1-0) (for Barron, 52), S O’Gorman (1-0) (for Hobbs, 60), R Clarke (for Carton, 76 mins), M Curtis (for Kenny, 80 mins).

OFFALY: C Clancy; M Cleary, P Camon, S Lyons, D King (0-2, frees), S McKelvey, J O’Connor; B Murphy (1-0), S Cleary (0-1); E Ryan, A Kealey (0-3), D Morkan; S Quirke (0-3), T Carroll (1-6, 0-1 free), A Hynes (0-2). Subs: P Geraghty (for O’Connor49 mins), K Waters (for Morkan, 70), L Brady (for Quirke, 73 mins), R Quinlan (for M Cleary, 77 mins).

Referee: D Hughes (Carlow).