Leinster SFC: Wexford 2-11 Laois 2-21
Laois showed their dominance over Wexford throughout the 70 minutes with their victory much more convincing than the 10-point winning margin suggested. They comfortably saw off a disappointing Wexford side in this opening round Leinster senior football championship played at Chadwicks Wexford Park.
Laois led from the third minute after wing back Pa Kirwan pointed them in front, and once Patrick O’Sullivan added their opening goal a minute later, they went on to assume control as the home side struggled all over the pitch.
The eventual winners led 1-5 to 0-1 after 15 minutes as Mark Barry, Ronan Coffey and Brian Byrne added points, with the home side’s solitary score during this opening spell being a Kevin O’Grady fifth-minute point.
The momentum was with Laois as Conor Heffernan and Seamus Lacey dominated in midfield, and while Wexford did manage to raise their game adding points through Mark Rossiter (two), Kevin O’Grady and Niall Hughes to reduce the deficit to 1-8 to 0-5, it was Laois who killed the game as a contest six minutes before the break when Dónal O’Reilly following a neat approach pass from Kevin Swayne netted to give them to a comfortable 2-12 to 0-6 interval lead.
The Wexford recovery failed to materialise in the second half as without a doubt the Laois dominance continued with Ronan Coffey and Mark Barry tagging on early second-half points.
The Laois dominance was built on a greater appetite and workrate, while their slick passing saw them tear gaping holes in the Wexford defence, as they went on to build a 2-16 to 0-9 lead with 10 minutes remaining.
While Wexford did manage a late resurgence that produced goals from substitutes Michael Kinsella and Sean Ryan, it was Laois, just to show their dominance, who responded with the closing points through Mark Barry and Jonah Kelly to set up a quarter-final clash with Louth.
Laois: Killian Roche (0-0-1, one 45); Ben Dempsey, Trevor Collins (0-0-1), Liam Knowles; Pa Kirwan (0-0-3), Simon Fingleton, Patrick O’Sullivan (1-0-0); Conor Heffernan, Seamus Lacey; Kevin Swayne, Mark Barry (0-0-7, 2f), Daniel O’Reilly (1-0-1); Ronan Coffey (0-2-1, 1tp, 1tpf), Brian Byrne (0-0-1), Niall Corbet.
Subs: Damon Larkin for O’Sullivan (55′), Benny Carroll for Coffey (62′), Josh Hogan for Fingleton (68′), Fionn Holland for O’Reilly (70+1′), Jonah Kelly (0-0-1) for Byrne (70+2′).
Wexford: Darragh Brooks (0-1-0); Michael Furlong, Liam O’Connor, Gavin Sheehan; Philip Dempsey, Eoghan Nolan, Eoin Porter (0-0-1); Liam Coleman, Páraic Hughes; Tom Byrne, Niall Hughes (0-0-1), Mark Rossiter (0-0-5, 3f); Conor Carty, Graeme Cullen, Kevin O’Grady (0-0-2).
Subs: Dylan Furlong for Nolan (HT), Michael Kinsella (1-0-0) for Carty (HT), Cathal Walsh for Dempsey (57′), Seán Ryan (1-0-0) for Cullen (57′), Robbie Brooks for Byrne (57′).
Referee: David Murnane (Cork).
