Gaelic Games

Wexford earn first Championship win since 2014 against Wicklow

Martin O’Connor the hero as his late goal sets up a quarter-final with Dublin next weekend

Wexford players celebrate their Leinster Championship win over Wicklow. Photograph: Tommy Grealy/Inpho
Wexford players celebrate their Leinster Championship win over Wicklow. Photograph: Tommy Grealy/Inpho
Sun Jun 27 2021 - 18:27

Wexford 2-11 Wicklow 0-14

Defender Martin O’Connor went forward to score a superb goal to guide Wexford to their first Leinster SFC win since 2014 and their first Championship victory since a qualifier win over Limerick four seasons ago.

Now they will host All-Ireland champions Dublin in Wexford Park next Sunday in the quarter-finals of the Leinster Championship, after producing an excellent display in the second-half against the breeze.

They did it the hard way. Wexford only led by 1-5 to 0-6 at the break having played with the breeze and the started the second-half with 14 men after experienced midfielder Daithi Waters picked up a black card for an incident before the break.

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But Shane Roche’s men, who enjoyed a glorious start when Mark Rossiter found the net after just three minutes, played their best football against the breeze.

Wicklow had kept in touch in the opening half with Patrick O’Connor kicking a couple of good points and they looked set for victory when they hit five in a row in the third quarter to go in front for the first time.

Wexford didn’t panic and they took over, building from deep and the key score came nine minutes from time when O’Connor burst forward, took a return pass from Liam Coleman, and blasted to the net for Wexford to lead by 2-8 to 0-12.

Rossiter quickly added a point and they held that goal advantage to the end of a good contest.

Wexford: D Brooks; M O'Connor (1-0), G Sheehan, L O'Connor; P Hughes (0-1), B Malone, M Furlong; D Waters, L Coleman; T Byrne, S Nolan, K O'Grady; J Turbitt (0-2), E Nolan, M Rossiter (1-6, 0-1 free). Subs: B Brosnan for Nolan (7 mins), D Shanley (0-2, 0-2 frees) for Brosnan (19mins), N Hughes for Nolan (47mins), E Porter for L O'Connor (57mins), A Tobin for O'Grady (58mins).

Wicklow: M Jackson (0-2, 0-2 frees); A Murphy (0-3), E Murtagh, O Manning; D Fitzgerald, N Donnelly, D Deveraux; P O'Toole (0-1), JP Hurley; A Maher, M Kenny (0-1), C Byrne (0-1); C O'Brien (0-2, 0-2 frees), S Furlong, P O'Connor (0-4). Subs: P Cunningham for Fitzgerald (40mins), D Keane for O'Brien (55mins), J Sheeran for Hurley (62mins), F O'Shea for Cunningham (68mins), S Kearon for D Devereaux (69mins), P Burke for Maher (69mins).

Referee: F Kelly (Longford).