Wexford survive a late Laois fightback

Wexford 1-16 Laois 3-7: Wexford minor hurlers survived a late Laois rally to win this provincial semi-final by a three-point margin at Dr Cullen Park, Carlow, on Saturday.

The eventual winners led from the early stages but experienced a few anxious moments later on when they were hit by Laois goals from a penalty by Michael Bermingham and an injury-time effort from William Hyland, his second of the game.

Wexford raced into a 0-5 to 0-0 lead before Hyland scored his first goal in the eighth minute. Wexford responded with a 10th minute goal from PJ Nolan and went on to establish a 1-9 to 1-2 lead by half-time. Laois showed plenty of enterprise but lacked Wexford's ability for making and taking scores.

WEXFORD: N Maher; C Power, B O'Connor, K Walsh; R Griffin, G Sinnott, C McGovern; M Molloy, T Waters (0-4, one free, one 65); F O'Gorman (0-1, sideline cut), B Travers, P Hughes, PJ Nolan (1-3); K Burke (0-5, three frees), D Redmond (0-2). Subs: J Codd (0-1) for Travers, S Roche for Burke, J Finn for Redmond.

LAOIS: P Carroll; B Stapleton, D Murphy, M Bermingham (1-0, pen); D Dooley, C Dunne (0-1), I Kavanagh; N Delaney (0-1), J O'Loughlin; K Finlay, D Maher, M Whelan; C Delaney (0-4, frees), D O'Flaherty (0-1), W Hyland (2-0). Subs: T Burke for Kavanagh, E Fitzpatrick for Maher.

Referee: J Quinlan (Carlow).