Offaly 2-16 Wexford 1-11OFFALY QUALIFIED for the Leinster under-21 hurling final for the second year in succession when they had a convincing eight-point victory over Wexford at St Brendan's Park, Birr, yesterday.

Offaly did the damage in the first half when they built up an interval lead of 1-12 to 1-4 having had first use of the wind.

Wexford suffered a blow a minute before half-time when reduced to 14 men after midfielder David Redmond received a second yellow card. They finished the game with 13 players as Garrett Sinnott suffered a similar fate in the seventh minute of injury-time at the end of the game.

An early exchange of points left the sides level at 0-2 each after six minutes. But two minutes later Offaly captain Joe Bergin finished a ground shot to the net, and Offaly had opened a seven-point lead (1-7 to 0-3) by the midway point of the half.

Nine minutes before the break Wexford got back in the game when Thomas Barron brilliantly doubled a dropping free to the net.

That was their last score of the half as Offaly rattled over four more points, two each from Colm Coughlan and Colin Egan to lead 1-12 to 1-4 at half-time.

Despite being down to 14 men, Wexford scored the first three points of the second half to give themselves hope. Offaly nerves were settled, however, when Francis Kerrigan crashed a great shot to the net.

The standard of hurling deteriorated in the second half and there were a lot of stoppages for injuries which interrupted the flow of the game. Wexford battled gamely but they lost their best forward when Thomas Barron went off injured midway through the half.

In the final quarter Offaly began to find their feet again and substitute Daniel Currams fired over three points to push them 10 points clear late in the game. Wexford scored a couple of late points but the game was well over as a contest at that stage.

Offaly will have home advantage for the Leinster final on July 16th against Dublin or Kilkenny who meet tonight at Parnell Park.

OFFALY: J Dempsey; C Hernon, B Watkins, S Wynne; G Treacy, B Leonard, D Morkan; D Horan (0-2), C Mahon; J Gorman, C Egan (0-4), D Molloy (0-1); C Coughlan (0-6), J Bergin (1-0), F Kerrigan (1-0). Subs: D Currams (0-3) for Gorman, M Egan for Molloy, J Mulrooney for Kerrigan, E Murphy for Mahon.

WEXFORD: M Walsh; C O'Shaughnessy, C Harrington, P Whitely; B O'Connor (0-1), C Lawler, B Hobbs; M Molloy, D Redmond; PJ Nolan (0-2), T Waters, G Sinnott; P Nolan, T Barron (1-4), K Burke (0-2). Subs. G Wheelock (0-1) for Molloy, B Travers for Harrington, N Walsh (0-1) for Barron, A Storey for P Nolan.

Referee: D Connolly (Kilkenny).