NHL, Division 1A: Limerick 1-12 Wexford 1-19
In what was in truth a warm-up game for both Limerick and Wexford’s respective provincial championship openers in a month’s time, the visitors ran out eventual seven-point winners in a game that unsurprisingly lacked any real intensity given so little was at stake under Saturday night lights at the Gaelic Grounds.
Limerick, who welcomed Darragh O’Donovan back to the starting XV for first time this year, will have a lot of work to do ahead of their Munster championship opener against Tipperary on April 20th, while Keith Rossiter’s men will welcome the much-needed confidence boost ahead of Antrim’s to visit Slaneyside on April 19th.
Wexford were the much better side in the second half as John Kiely’s men left the game behind them after the break, trailing 0-9 to 0-7 at half-time having scored just two points from play in the opening 35 minutes.
Wexford, already relegated to Division 1B for next season, came to the Ennis Road with just pride to play for, and that they surely did, but were nearly left to rue their 21 wides, 13 of which came in the first half.
After what was a lacklustre opening half, during which the sides were level on four separate occasions, Wexford were boosted by the free-scoring efforts of their talisman Lee Chin.
Both sides exchanged points in the opening five minutes before Limerick opened up a two-point lead midway through the half thanks to dead ball efforts from Diarmaid Byrnes and Aaron Gillane. But Chin responded in kind, slotting over his three free of the evening.
A superb save by Shane Dowling save on a blistering Jack O’Connor shot 10 minutes before half-time gave the home crowd something to cheer about, but it was Wexford who finished the half stronger with Chin, Conor Hearne and Cathal Dunbar pointing for Rossiter’s charges.
Limerick scored their first point in almost 20 minutes when Byrnes slotted over a 65-metre free with the last puck of the opening half.
Wexford extended their lead to four inside five minutes after the restart as Jack Redmond and Rory O’Connor pointed for the visitors.
Limerick’s goal came five minutes into the second half, as the hosts took full advantage of a turnover in possession on Wexford’s 45-metre line before Shane O’Brien slotted home his rebounded effort into the back of the net after Mark Fanning superbly saved the Kilmallock forward’s first attempt on goal.
Limerick upped the tempo and intensity, and when Tom Morrissey raised the white flag for the Treaty county it was their first point from play since Hegarty pointed in the fifth minute.
But Wexford were three points to the good a minute later, when Chin burst through a stretched Limerick defence before passing to Kevin Foley who tapped to the net from close range.
Wexford’s goal quickly put an end to Limerick’s resurgence and momentum as Rossiter’s side scored eight of the last 12 points to secure a rare win on the Shannonside.
LIMERICK: S Dowling; V Harrington, M Casey, B Nash; D Byrnes (0-3, 1’65, 1f), C Coughlan, C Scully; A O’Connor, D O’Donovan; G Hegarty (0-1), M Houlihan, T Morrissey (0-3, 1f); A Gillane (0-4, 4f), S O’Brien (1-0), A English (0-1).
Subs: S Finn for Casey (26 mins, inj), F O’Connor for Nash (43–45), D Ó Dálaigh for O’Brien, E Stokes for Hegarty (both 52), C Lynch for O’Donovan (61), S Flanagan for Gillane (64).
WEXFORD: M Fanning; C Molloy (0-1), S Donohoe, C Foley; R Lawlor, D Reck (0-1), C McGuckin; C Hearne (0-2), S Reck; J O’Connor, L Chin (0-5, 4f), K Foley (1-2); C Dunbar (0-3), J Redmond (0-1), R O’Connor (0-2).
Subs: E Ryan for Lawlor (43 mins), S Casey (0-2, 1f) for Redmond (54), C Clancy for O’Connor (66), D Codd for Dunbar (70), D Codd for Foley (71), M Kelly for Donohoe (73).
Referee: Colm McDonald (Antrim).
