Carlow became the first county to be eliminated from this year's Leinster Championships when loosing their second successive round-robin game against Wexford at Dr Cullen Park, Carlow yesterday.

In a scrappy affair, Carlow were unfortunate to endure a number of setbacks in the opening 35 minutes. They were reduced to 14 men after only six minutes when right full-forward Willie Quinlan was red-carded by referee Michael Monahan for retaliation.

Wexford placed their extra man in the backline and it was no surprise that it took them a while to make their numerical advantage tell on the scoreboard.

Carlow, leading 0-2 to 0-1 after 15 minutes, had the ball in their opponents net a minute later, but Jodie Morrissey's effort was adjudged to have been in the small square before the ball arrived and the goal was disallowed. Wexford had a great opportunity to net themselves but the effort came back into play off the crossbar.

With Wexford 0-5 to 0-2 in front, Carlow's Morrissey appeared to be fouled inside the large square which should have yielded a penalty, but their appeals were waved away.

Wexford led 0-6 to 0-3 at half-time and when ace freetaker Leigh O'Brien kicked an early point from a free, Carlow looked dead and buried. However, the home side dominated the following 15 minutes, led splendidly by veteran forward Johnny Nevin who kicked three points from play in as many minutes.

With Mark Dowling supplementing Nevin's scores with a brace of points from frees, Carlow were 0-9 to 0-8 in front 15 minutes into the second half. But some sloppy defending allowed O'Brien to score from frees and their resistance was finally broken in the 62nd minute when Jason Lawlor crashed the ball high into the Carlow net.

Two minutes from full time midfielder Jack Berry sealed Wexford's win when his speculative shot from 45 metres dropped under the Carlow crossbar.

Wexford now only require a draw against Wicklow to guarantee a Croke Park meeting with Dublin as winners of the round-robin series. Longford and Wicklow still retain an interest in the championship.

Wexford: O Murphy, C Morris, S O'Shaughnessy J Whelan, D Breen, P Wallace, P Forde, J Berry (1-0), T Howlin, L O'Brien (0-8, 0-7 frees), M Mahon, N Morris, J Lawlor (1-2), J Hegarty, R Dunphy (0-1). Subs: M Kavanagh for Mahon; S Hughes for Howling; S Doran for Morris.

Carlow: J Brennan, A Corden, B Hannon, V Fleming, C Kelly, S O'Brien, J Kavanagh (0-1), K Walker, P Nolan, J Byrne, R Donnelly, J Morrissey, W Quinlan, J Nevin (0-4), S Kavanagh (0-1). Subs: J McGrath (0-1) for Nolan; P Kiernan for Walker; M Dowling (0-3, all frees) for Fleming; B Kelly for Donnelly

Referee: M Monaghan (Kildare).