Ian Byrne finished with a tally of 0-10 as he drove Wexford to a six-point victory over struggling Laois at Wexford Park.

Wexford struggled through the second half against 14-man Laois, who had Charlie Dwyer sent off on 35 minutes, the home side's second-half response was lack lustre as they only managed to pull away to secure victory in the closing 10 minutes as Shane Tomkins goaled three minutes from the end to secure the points.

Laois never gave up battling, so much so that with 12 minutes remaining they had got themselves level at 1-16 each. But it was during that closing spell that tiredness set in, which allowed the initiative slip back Wexford’s way, but for manager Séamus Plunkett there was plenty of positives.

“It was a bit disappointing to go down to 14, but still the players put in a second-half performance, putting in a massive effort. The extra man told in the closing stages, but we will take a lot of positives from the game,” said Plunkett.

Wexford Manager Liam Dunne felt that his side should have pushed on in the second half.

Finished strongly
"I am delighted with the win for it secures our quarter-final spot. We played well into the wind in the first half but for a period in the second half we struggled. Still the lads finished very strongly to close out the game."

Gary Moore scored a Wexford goal to help his side to a 1-10 to 0-10 lead at half-time.

After Byrne and Tommy Fitzgerald had exchanged points, Laois got back within a point of their opponents when John Purcell first-timed a ground stroke to the net after 43 minutes.

Three minutes later Stephen Maher pointed the sides level from a free. As the sides continued to trade points, it was sub Ciarán Collier who lofted over two points to have the sides deadlocked, 1-16 each, with 12 minutes remaining.

With Byrne, along with Shane Tomkins and Liam Óg McGovern responding with points, it was a Tomkins late goal that sealed the points.