Sport

O'Reilly salvages draw with late point

Wexford 1-11; Cavan 1-11: Corner forward Finbar O'Reilly salvaged a point for Cavan with an injury-time pointed free to deprive…

Mon Mar 15 2004 - 00:00

Wexford 1-11; Cavan 1-11: Corner forward Finbar O'Reilly salvaged a point for Cavan with an injury-time pointed free to deprive Wexford of a second successive victory at Wexford Park yesterday.

Wexford, having trailed right up to the 70th minute, grabbed a dramatic lead when substitute John Hegarty scored a goal following splendid approach work in the 71st minute, but when Cavan looked dead and buried they managed one final attack.

Wing forward Larry Reilly was fouled and Finbar O'Reilly kept his composure to force a share of the points with a 25 metres free three minutes into added time.

Cavan had first use of the very strong wind, but were failing dismally to turn their possession into scores. Indeed after 23 minutes they led by just 0-3 to 0-0, with their points coming through Finbar O'Reilly, Andrew Coleman and Cathal Collins.

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They had stretched into a 0-5 to 0-0 lead through further points from Finbar O'Reilly, whose rising shot just skimmed the crossbar, and Anthony Forde, before Wexford got their solitary first half point from Mattie Forde seven minutes before the break.

But it was Cavan who finished more strongly with points from the twin attacking threat of the O'Reillys to lead 0-7 to 0-1 at the interval.

Cavan looked comfortable leading 1-10 to 0-8 with three minutes remaining but points from Scott Doran, Forde and substitute Darren Foran left two points separating the sides as the game moved into added time.

One minute into injury time a sweeping movement ended with Hegarty blazing to the net before Finbar O'Reilly salvaged a point for Cavan with that dramatic late free.

WEXFORD: J Cooper; C Morris, P Wallace, N Murphy; D Breen, D Murphy, G Sunderland; R Hassey, K Kennedy (0-1); D Fogarty, P Colfer, L O'Brien; S Doran (0-2), G O'Grady, M Forde (0-7, 3 frees). Subs: W Carley for Hassey (45); J Hegarty (1-0) for Kennedy (53); D Foran (0-1) for O'Grady (57); D Browne for O'Brien (65).

CAVAN: E Elliott; C McGovern, T Prior, P Brady; K Crotty, T Crowe, M Brides; P McKenna, C Collins (0-2); M McKeever, A Forde (0-1), L Reilly (0-2); A Coleman (0-1), J O'Reilly (1-0), F O'Reilly (0-5, 4 frees). Subs: S Johnston for Coleman (half-time); S Brady for Brides (43).

Referee: B Tyrrell (Tipperary).