Wexford 3-22 Westmeath 2-9: HAVING RETURNED from a world tour it was business as usual for Diarmuid "Dizzy" Lyng as he finished with a personal tally of 0-15 in Wexford's big win over Westmeath at Wexford Park on Saturday evening.
Westmeath were on the receiving end of his unerring accuracy as he punished every indiscretion in their defence with an uncanny display of accuracy.
Very little separated the sides during the opening 20 minutes but Wexford eventually overwhelmed the visitors.
Manager Liam Dunne was quite pleased with the performance. “We built on a promising start unlike the Offaly game. But we took the Offaly defeat on the chin, got back to business and prepared well. We knew what Westmeath had achieved, a victory over Antrim and a huge performance against Galway.
“We now have Carlow and we’ll treat them with the utmost respect. It was still pleasing to get this win for it prolongs summer hurling. Still, you can’t fault a 16-point victory on an evening like that which was difficult for hurling.”
But there was natural disappointment in the Westmeath camp. Manager Brian Hanley could not hide his feelings. “This is where we are but that was not a true Westmeath display. We are better than that for we were still in the game after 20 minutes but failed to push it on.”
Wexford led 0-3 to 0-2 after 10 minutes, two Dizzy Lyng points, one free, along with PJ Nolan’s opening effort, with Niall O’Brien’s two pointed frees keeping the visitors in touch. By the 20th minute Wexford had edged into a 0-7 to 0-4 lead, with the gulf beginning to show as Lyng continued to punish the visitors’ defence, as they led 0-13 to 0-6 approaching the interval, a time they got the crucial opening goal one minute into additional time.
PJ Nolan lofted in a high speculative which was pulled down from over the crossbar by goalkeeper Shane McGovern leaving the inrushing Rory Jacob with the simple task of finding the net for a 1-13 to 0-6 interval lead.
On the resumption Diarmuid O’Keeffe finished a Jacob pass to the net. Straight from the puck-out Garrett Sinnott pointed, while two minutes later Sinnott fired to the net after the goalkeeper had blocked out a Jacob effort, leaving no way back for the midlanders who trailed 3-14 to 0-6. Westmeath did manage two goals, a 52nd minute free from Brendan Murtagh, and an effort from substitute Cormac Boyle.
WEXFORD: E Martin; E Moore, M O’Hanlon, E Moore; D Stamp, C Kenny, R Kehoe; D Redmond (0-2), D O’Keeffe (1-2); H Kehoe (0-1), G Sinnott (1-1), P J Nolan (0-1); P Morris, D Lyng (0-15, eight frees), R Jacob (1-0). Subs: G Moore for Morris (43 mins),E Quigley for H Kehoe (57), J Guiney for Jacob (63), Shaun Murphy for Redmond (63), Stephen Murphy for Stamp (67 mins).
WESTMEATH: S McGovern; C Jordan, A Price, P Fennell; P Dowdall, A McGrath, P Greville; A Clarke, J Clarke; B Murtagh (1-1 frees) , F Boyle (0-1), R Greville (0-1); N O’Brien (0-5, four frees), J Shaw (0-1), E Price. Subs: J Gilligan for E Price (ht), A Dermody for P Greville (42 mins), T Gallagher for Fennell (46), D Fennell for A Clarke (46), C Boyle (1-0) for R Greville (49).
Referee: C Lyons (Cork).
Att: 18,000
