[ad_1]
Wicklow goalie Mark Jackson starred in wintry Chadwicks Wexford Park as Garden County emerged smelling of roses to gain promotion from Allianz NFL Division 4 at the expense of Wexford residents.
Wexford started the second half brilliantly after losing 0-06 to 0-04 at halftime. But the home team faded away as Wicklow stretched comfortably before taking considerable late pressure from Wexford, with custodian Jackson making a particularly outstanding pair of interventions to add his three spikey free kicks.
Wexford, led by Shane Roche after Paul Galvin’s surprising departure, will seek revenge when these teams renew their rivalries next Sunday at the same venue in the first round of the Leinster Championship.
This winner-take-all high-stakes league duel couldn’t be described as a “dry run” for that championship clash, as wind and rain took over.
Wicklow was the first to benefit from the elements to lead 0-03-0-01 midway through the first half when he eclipsed a Ben Brosnan opener for the home team with scores from Conor Byrne, David Devereux and Seánie Furlong.
The teams tied twice between the 19th and 27th minutes when Mark Rossiter, Brosnan and Alan Tobin led Wexford to 0-04 each.
Wicklow goalkeeper Jackson scored two free kicks from distance at this stage, the second of which regained the initiative before Andy Maher fired a lead enhancer in the 34th minute.
Brosnan was strangely out of place with a free scorer in the closing moments of the half as the visitors held a narrow lead in the interval.
Wexford was full of threats on the restart when a Glen Malone delivery was greeted in by Rossiter, whose powerful connection crashed off the crossbar and ended by a point, much to Wicklow’s relief.
Brosnan scored another free kick to tie things at 0-06 apiece after 38 minutes.
But the home side could not score for another 21 minutes while Wicklow reaped points through a Jackson free kick, two free games from Seánie Furlong, Pádraig O’Toole and Rory Finn, to extend the clearing from 0-11 to 0-06 a the 59 minutes.
As Brosnan ended Wexford’s drought from a free kick in the 61st minute, Wicklow continued to respond as Dean Healy and Rory Finn cleared them 0-13 to 0-07 in 65 minutes.
From then on, Wicklow became a back-to-the-wall affair, as Wexford determinedly sought to salvage his hopes of promotion.
But Wicklow’s keeper got a strong hand with a boost from Wexford defender Martin O’Connor, while also frustrating substitute Nick Doyle, as Wicklow deservedly embraced promotion to Division 3 under new boss Davy Burke, who recently guided his native Kildare to All. -Glory of Ireland U-20.
Wicklow: Mark Jackson (0-03 free); Paddy O’Keane, Jamie Snell, Eoin Murtagh; Andy Maher (0-01), Niall Donnelly, Rory Finn (0-02); Pádraig O’Toole (0-01), Dean Healy (0-01); David Devereux (0-01), Mark Kenny, Darren Hayden; Eoin Darcy, Seánie Furlong (0-03 released), Conor Byrne (0-01).
Subs: Gearóid Murphy for Darcy (55); Chris O’Brien for Byrne (59); Ross O’Brien for Murtagh (67); James Sheeran for Furlong (67); Oisín Manning for Andy Maher.
Wexford: Pa Doyle; Martin O’Connor, Gavin Sheehan, Eoin Porter; Glen Malone, Brian Malone, Seán Ryan; Niall Hughes, Daithí Waters; Alan Tobin (0-01), Donal Shanley, Mark Rossiter (0-02); Kevin O’Grady (0-01), John Tubritt, Ben Brosnan (0-06, five free).
Subs: Eoghan Nolan for Tobin, inj. (38); Nick Doyle for Waters (43); Conor Carty for Ryan (45); Jonathan Bealin for Tubritt (53); Piedi Hughes for Rossiter (59).
Referee: David Hickey (Carlow).
[ad_2]