Div 1B/Wexford 2-19 Tipperary 2-15: An occasion of real satisfaction, and indeed celebration, for Wexford were inspired by 11 points from Paul Carley. It was truly a coming of age for Séamus Murphy's men who contrived courageously to smash a 21-year-old away hoodoo at Semple Stadium yesterday.
Not since 1984 had a Wexford team come away from a Tipp venue as winners and to address that particular lapse in Thurles was, according to Murphy, "something really special."
The annual St Patrick's Day parade was staged in the town five days ahead of the 17th and the home supporters who opted for the parade instead of the match were at least saved the embarrassment of seeing their team's dreadful fade-out over the last five minutes of play. Wexford scored five unanswered points in that hectic closure.
Postman Paul Carley delivered on time, with four of his match-clinching points adding to the seven he had already scored."I never scored so much in any match with Wexford since going into the side," said a delighted Carley.
Wexford somehow contrived the win after losing two of their half backs, Darren Stamp and Diarmuid Lyng. A third yellow card saw Tipperary full back Phil Maher walk in the second quarter. Lyng was sent off a minute earlier, while Stamp earned the wrath of referee Seán McMahon in the fifth minute.
Thankfully, the referee's liberal use of the yellow card eased up in the second half. Tipperary manager Ken Hogan claimed "the card system is an unbelievable joke. There was not a dirty stroke in the whole match."
Major repairs to the Wexford defence had to be applied instantly - with Willie Doran moving to centre back.
Having the advantage of the wind blowing towards the town end in the first half, Tipp got well into their stride. They had three points on the board and a penalty miss by Evan Sweeney before Wexford got off the mark with a Redmond Barry point. A goal close to half-time, after Paddy O'Brien set up Mark O'Leary, gave Tipp a 1-8 to 0-6 lead.
Wexford boss Murphy said to his players during the recess: "If there is any player among ye who feels he has played 100 per cent in that first half I want him to come to the middle of the floor."
Not a single player moved, but the team as a whole gave their response with a vastly improved second-half performance.
Redmond Barry - after an initial shot by Nigel Higgins was blocked - scored a brilliant Wexford goal in the opening minutes of the second half, but Sweeney replied for Tipp with a sparkling goal following good work by Micheál Webster. This gave Tipp a commanding 2-10 to 1-7 lead.
Nigel Higgins's goal in the 45th minute, however, left just a point between the sides and it was fitting that Carley was the man to level the scores 33 minutes into the second half, with a pointed-free leaving the scores 2-15 each.
Carley then gave Wexford the lead from a 65 before Michael Jacob put Wexford 2-17 to 2-15 ahead. Carley completed the recovery with two further points.
WEXFORD: D Fitzhenry; C Kehoe, D Ruth, K Rossiter; M Travers, D Stamp, D Lyng; E Quigley, M Jacob (0-3); P Carley (0-11, six frees, one 65), W Doran. N Higgins (1-0); R Barry (1-3), D O'Brien, D Mythen (0-2). Subs: R McCarthy for Kehoe (half time), MJ Furlong for Quigley (67 mins).
TIPPERARY: B Cummins; M Maher, P Maher, P Curran; D Fanning, D Kennedy, H Moloney; C Morrissey (0-2) T Slevin (0-1, free); M O'Leary (1-3), F Devanney (0-1), B Dunne (0-1); E Sweeney (1-1), M Webster (0-2), P O'Brien (0-3, one free). Subs: T King (0-1) for Morrissey (28 mins), S Fitzgerald for Fanning (blood sub, 33 mins to half-time), E Kelly for Kennedy (54 mins), S Butler for Sweeney (67 mins).
YELLOW CARDS - Wexford: Stamp (5 mins) replaced by J O'Connor, Lyng (19 mins) replaced by B Lambert, Mythen (72 mins) replaced by C McGrath. Tipperary: P Maher (21 mins) replaced by J Devane.
Referee: S McMahon (Clare)
