Kilkenny hammer Wexford in first Championship outing

By John Fogarty, Irish Examiner

Kilkenny 5-25 Wexford 0-16

Ger Aylward had a championship debut start to remember with a hat-trick of goals as Kilkenny made a mockery of their 12-week hiatus and the loss of Colin Fennelly to injury before throw-in.

In front of a 19,134 crowd in Nowlan Park, the Glenmore man struck two of his goals in the second half after shipping what appeared to be a nasty injury prior to his second successful effort.

With the wind in the second half, Kilkenny were untouchable as they coasted to a 24-point win to secure a Leinster final date with Galway on July 5. TJ Reid made the hard yards for Aylward's second goal and he stroked in a third in the 53rd minute.

Kilkenny had a six-point half-time advantage, 3-7 to 0-10, although it felt as if it was so much more.

On four occasions, Mark Fanning had to pick the sliotar from his net although one of those occasions was cancelled after Diarmuid Kirwan consulted with his umpires. Apparently, a foul had been committed before Eoin Larkin found the net.

Given the wind, it was a fine lead and Richie Hogan was at the heart of it. He scored the opening goal in the 10th minute, batting past Fanning having taken receipt of a Michael Fennelly pass.

He was the orchestrator when he was fouled just before Aylward's first goal three minutes later.

It seemed Wexford defence had expected the whistle for a free and tuned out as the corner forward struck home.

Wexford had opened well, but that rattled them and but for Larkin's disallowed goal they could well have been facing a mountain.

They recovered to cut the margin to four points in the 25th minute, however Reid converted a penalty three minutes later when he had been felled having taken a pass from Hogan.

Wexford had to rely on Byrne's frees for the majority of their first half scores, a disappointing return with such a wind at their backs.

David Redmond did go close with one goal opportunity, but it was an isolated opportunity.

Scorers for Kilkenny: G Aylward (3-5); TJ Reid (1-7, 1-0 pen, 0-3 frees, 0-1 65); R Hogan (1-5); E Larkin (0-3); J Power (0-2); C Buckley, M Fennelly, K Kelly (0-1 each).

Scorers for Wexford: I Byrne (0-11, 9 frees); D Redmond, L McGovern (0-2 each); A Shore (0-1).

Subs for Kilkenny: K Kelly for J Power (56); S Prendergast for J Tyrrell (60); R Lennon for P Murphy (61); M Kelly for E Larkin (63);

Subs for Wexford: K Foley for P Morris (blood, 18-f-t); A Nolan for E Moore (32); P

Doran for D Waters, H Kehoe for S Tomkins (both h-t); E Martin for A Shore (62); G Sinnott for L McGovern (65).

KILKENNY: E Murphy; P Murphy, J Holden, J Tyrrell; P Walsh, K Joyce, C Buckley; M Fennelly, C Fogarty; W Walsh, R Hogan, J Power; G Aylward, TJ Reid, E Larkin.

WEXFORD: M Fanning; C Kenny, L Ryan, E Moore; L Chin, M O'Hanlon, A Shore; D Waters, D Redmond; I Byrne, S Tomkins, D O'Keeffe; P Morris, C McDonald, L McGovern.

Referee: D Kirwan (Kilkenny)