Sport

Armagh in tough test

Armagh 1-6 Wexford 0-8 Armagh were handed a sharp lesson at Crossmaglen yesterday in that they were taught to take nothing for…

Mon Feb 02 2004 - 00:00

Armagh 1-6 Wexford 0-8 Armagh were handed a sharp lesson at Crossmaglen yesterday in that they were taught to take nothing for granted. Wexford looked anything but nervous Division One debutants as they strode through the first half before finally succumbing to their hosts' greater experience and cohesion in the second half of a lively game, highlighted by a number of individual performances.

Chief among these were offered by players in Wexford colours, notably full back Philip Wallace and inspirational captain Leigh O'Brien.

By half-time O'Brien had landed three long-range frees to help Wexford into a 0-4 to 0-2 lead, Armagh being restricted to one point from play in the first half from Ronan Clarke and another score from a Steven McDonnell free.

But this meagre return was improved upon when Diarmuid Marsden was sprung from the bench in the second half. Marsden lost no time in manufacturing the only goal of the game for Andrew McCann and was instrumental in stabilising an Armagh side that had looked distinctly uneasy.

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Yet even though McDonnell and Paddy McKeever fired over further points, Wexford had no intention of throwing in the towel. They showed admirable spirit and courage with John Hudson and David Fogarty scoring points as O'Brien set a splendid example for his troops.

Armagh's defensive resilience was tested in the closing stages, but Aidan O'Rourke proved a solid anchorman. John Toal's work-rate around the middle was also central to his team's narrow win.

But had Wexford been able to benefit from the silken skills of the missing Scott Doran and Matty Forde, the outcome might well have been different on a day when conditions dictated that raw courage, commitment and fire proved important.

ARMAGH: P Hearty; E McNulty, J McNulty, P McCormack; A O'Rourke, T McEntee, JP Donnelly; J Toal, M Macken; M O'Rourke, P McKeever (0-1), S Kernan; S McDonnell (0-3), R Clarke (0-1), A McCann (1-1). Subs: D Marsden for Donnelly (36 mins); A Mallon for Kernan (56 mins); O McConville for McKeever (58 mins).

WEXFORD: J Cooper; C Morris, P Wallace, N Murphy; D Breen, D Murphy, L O'Brien (0-3); W Carley, D Fogarty (0-1); A Morrissey (0-1), J Hudson (0-2), K Kennedy; G O'Grady (0-1), P Colfer, D Foran. Sub: S Brown for Morrissey (52 mins)

Referee: Eugene Murtagh (Longford).