Roche goal puts Wexford on course

Wexford 2-11 Carlow 0-9

Very little separated the sides during the opening quarter, at the end of which Wexford led 0-4 to 0-3. Paudie Barden kicked two points to stretch the home side’s lead, but the game was totally transformed in the 23rd minute when Model county corner-forward Eoin Roche took advantage of a breaking Donal Shanley 45 to fire high into the net, a score that helped his side to an eventual 1-8 to 0-3 interval lead.

Wexford extended their lead five minutes into the second half when Donal Shanley netted a penalty after Barden had been fouled, leaving his side with a 2-8 to 0-3 lead.

Carlow responded with three unanswered points through Shane Noonan and two from Diarmuid Walshe to reduce the deficit but were reduced to 14 players 13 minutes from the end when James McGrath was sent off.

The Barrowsiders, however, finished the game strongly as Walshe kicked over some great points, but late points from Tom Byrne and a Donal Shanley free, secured the home side’s passage.

Scorers for Wexford: E Roche 1-2; D Shanley 1-1, 1-0 pen, 0-1 free; T Byrne, P Barden 0-3 each; J Carty, C Farrell 0-1 each frees.

Scorers for Carlow: D Walshe 0-7, 2f; S Noonan (1f) 0-2.

WEXFORD: D Cloke; D Redmond, J Rossiter, J Reville; N Rossiter, G Staples, J McDonald; N Hughes, T Byrne; B Cowman, J Carty, D Shanley; E Roche, P Barden, C O’Rourke.

Subs: C Farrell for Redmond; D Barron for O’Rourke; L Murphy for N Rossiter.

CARLOW: A Murphy; C Kelly, K Chattan, L Kavanagh; M Rennick, H Dobosc, A Byrne; R Lawler, H Nolan; R Denieffe, M Furey, S Noonan; D Walshe, C Townsend, J McGrath.

Subs: B Power for Nolan; S Webb for Townsend; L O’Sullivan for Dobosc; B Lawler for R Lawler.

Referee: N McKenna (Kildare).