Rory O’Connor fires Wexford to easy win over Offaly

Offaly 2-13 Wexford 2-24: Rory O’Connor hit 2-10 to fire Wexford to victory over Offaly in Saturday’s Leinster MHC semi-final in Tullamore.

His first goal helped the visitors to a 1-11 to 0-7 interval lead before Offaly stormed back with goals from Eoin Woods (penalty) and Aaron Kenny which narrowed the gap to two points.

However, O’Connor’s second goal crushed their revival and they piled on the scores in the closing stages.

Scorers for Offaly: E Woods 1-4 (1-0 pen, 0-4f), A Kenny 1-0, D Nally 0-3 (0-1f), E Kelly 0-2, A Maher, J Keenaghan, D Buckley; C Langton 0-1 each.

Scorers for Wexford: R O’Connor 2-10 (0-5f), C Hearne; D Reck (0-3f) 0-4 each, C Flood and L Pender 0-2 each, B O’Connor; A Walsh 0-1 each.

OFFALY: W Malone; S Leonard, C Burke, F Hanamy; P Walsh, E Callaghan, D Watkins; D Nally, A Maher; D Buckley, E Kelly, J Keenaghan; K Guinan, E Woods, A Kenny.

Subs: B Kealey for Maher (ht), M Ryan for Hanamy (ht), C Langton for Guinan (34), M Cleary for Buckley (44).

WEXFORD: J Hennebry; C Murphy, D Byrne, E Molloy; G Molloy, C Firman, M Codd; B O’Connor, D Reck; L Stafford, C Hearne, C Flood; R O’Connor, A Walsh, Q Saunders.

Subs: L Pender for Walsh (41), J Cullen for Codd (52), and T Doyle for Stafford (53).

Referee: Michael O’Sullivan (Kilkenny).