Wexford stage fightback to earn draw at Laois

Laois 2-18 Wexford 2-18

Visitors Wexford came from four points down at the break to earn a 2-18 to 2-18 draw at Portlaoise, as a late Rory Jacob goal robbed Laois of only their second win in this year’s league campaign.

In fact, both these sides have won only once in the 2004 league season and with two away trips to Antrim and Offaly to follow over the next fortnight, Laois boss Paudie Butler will be kicking himself.

The home side hit the ground running however, and pointed themselves into a 0-05 to 0-01 lead by the tenth minute.

Half forward Canice Coonan and midfielder James Young pointed 0-02 apiece, with Young’s brace coming from frees, and an eight minute crack over the bar from David Cuddy saw Laois in impressive form.

Barry Lambert had hit Wexford’s opening score after 2 minutes and it was he who glided onto a Mitch Jordan pass to goal on 11 minutes.

A 65, a sideline cut and another free from Laois’ Young, added to a Damien Culleton score had Laois 0-09 to 1-05 in front after 23 minutes, with Lambert (0-02), Adrian Fenlon and David ‘Doc’ O’Connor replying for the visitors.

Lambert was to hit 1-06 in the first half for Wexford, but Laois held firm with a half-time lead of 1-13 to 1-09, as another Culleton point on 26 minutes and a goal from the same forward in first half injury time at the second attempt, after a first time stop from Damien Fitzhenry, saw them keep ahead.

After the restart, points from Lambert (2f), Jordan and Declan Ruth brought Wexford back level at 1-14 apiece, but at a critical moment, on 42 minutes, Culleton ran up his tally to 2-02, at 2-14 to 1-14.

With Joe Fitzpatrick and MJ Furlong swapping points for 2-15 to 1-15, and James Young going on to complete his tally of 0-07 in the final stages, with Robert Jones grabbing a quick 0-02, the win seemed to be Laois’.

But following further points from Lambert, Paul Carley and Furlong, Jacob was on hand to scramble home a deserved equaliser late on.