Wexford cruise to seven-point win as Limerick look to summer with injury concerns

HOT PURSUIT:  Limerick's Darragh O'Donovan and Jack O'Connor of Wexford. Pic: INPHO/Laszlo Geczo

Allianz NHL Division 1A: Wexford  1-19 Limerick 1-12

Blockbusters are preceded by the odd boring trailer, it is often still before the storm, to make it to the rock show you must first endure the queue. In the Gaelic Grounds, the countdown to the championship saw Limerick and Wexford produce the most tedious and sloppy queue of all time.

Wexford’s relegation was already confirmed before this dead rubber but this on paper was still a decent warm-up for their opening Leinster clash against Antrim. Limerick’s prep for Tipperary saw Darragh O’Donovan make his first start of the season. Declan Hannon was a late withdrawal, dropping out of the matchday squad before throw-in. That and Mike Casey’s first-half withdrawal will be John Kiely’s main concern as they look ahead to the upcoming action.

Colin Coughlan started instead at six marking Lee Chin. Wexford led 0-9 to 0-7 at the turnaround after a dreadful first half. There were frees for throws, steps and advancements for dissent. Wexford had 23 misses between wides, shots short and a superb Shane Dowling save from a Jack O’Connor goal effort. Lee Chin missed three frees and another three from play.

For Limerick, there was a worry when Casey limped off before the break after a heavy hit. They hit just two points from play in the opening 35 minutes through Gearoid Hegarty and Adam English. The gap between their second score from play and their third was 35 minutes. Wexford conceded Shane Dowling’s puckout and the home outfit struggled to work it through the lines. At one point, they elected to bring Byrnes back to corner-back and launch from there.

A turnover from a short puckout resulted in the opening green flag of the fixture. Shane O’Brien’s initial effort was saved by Mark Fanning. There was no stopping his volleyed rebound. Tom Morrissey added a subsequent point to leave the sides level with 42 minutes played.

Having struggled considerably as a scorer, Chin turned creator to tee up the outstanding Kevin Foley for a well-worked goal. Wexford cruised through a tame final quarter as John Kiely took the chance to get some minutes into Cian Lynch and Seamus Flanagan.

Other than the occasional groan, the stand dwindled to a low murmur. April will be no relation.

Scorers for Limerick: A. Gillane 0-4 frees; S. O’Brien 1-0, D. Byrnes 0-3 (1 65, 1 free), T. Morrissey 0-3 (1 free); G. Hegarty, A. English 0-1 each.

Scorers for Wexford: K. Foley 1-2; L. Chin 0-5 (4 frees); C. Dunbar 0-3; R. O’Connor 0-2, S. Casey 0-2 (1 free) C. Hearne 0-2; J. Redmond, C. Molloy, D. Reck 0-1 each.

Limerick: S. Dowling; V. Harrington, M. Casey, B. Nash; D. Byrnes, C. Coughlan, C. Scully; M. Houlihan, D. O’Donovan; G. Hegarty, A. O’Connor, T. Morrissey; S O’Brien, A. Gillane, A. English.

Subs: S. Finn for Casey (26 – Inj), F. O’Connor for Nash (43-46, Temp), E. Stokes for Hegarty, D Ó Dálaigh for O’Brien (both 53), C. Lynch for O’Donovan (61), S. Flanagan for Gillane (64).

Wexford: M. Fanning; C. Molloy, S. Reck, C. Foley; R. Lawlor, D. Reck, C. McGuckin; S. Donohoe, C. Hearne; J. O’Connor, L. Chin, K. Foley; C. Dunbar, J. Redmond, R. O’Connor.

Subs: E. Ryan for Lawlor (43), S. Casey for Redmond (54), C. Clancy for J. O’Connor (66), D. Codd for Dunbar (70), D. Codd for Foley (71), M Kelly for Donohoe (73).

Referee: C. McDonald (Antrim).