Sport

Wexford ease to victory

Wexford 2-20 Derry 3-4: A first-half hat-trick of goals from corner forward John O'Dwyer failed to save Derry from defeat at…

Mon Feb 25 2002 - 00:00

Wexford 2-20 Derry 3-4:A first-half hat-trick of goals from corner forward John O'Dwyer failed to save Derry from defeat at Enniscorthy yesterday.

Tipperary-born O'Dwyer outplayed All-Ireland medallist Colm Kehoe and All-Star Darragh Ryan in turn. All three goals were beautifully timed ground strokes that left goalkeeper Damien Fitzhenry with no chance.

However, the eventual winners finished the opening 35 minutes three points to the good at 0-14 to 3-2, despite shooting nine wides.

Adrian Fenlon was prominent among the scorers, while even Fitzhenry joined in on the act, blasting over one short-range free.

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O'Dwyer continued to look useful after the break, but Derry added just two more points.

Both came from impressive midfielder Oliver Collins whose fielding, distribution and passing were all out of the top drawer.

However, most of his team mates failed to rise above the soft going, while Larry O'Gorman popped up to beat Stevenson for Wexford's first goal.

Full forward Barry Goff provided Wexford with a purposeful target man as they pulled safely clear despite playing into the breeze.

Derry were obliged to play the final quarter without wing back Michael Conway whose desperate swipe at Jordan earned him a second yellow card.

Wexford's second goal came from Darren Stamp, after he was gifted the ball by full back Gregory Brunton.

WEXFORD: D Fitzhenry (0-1 free); C Kehoe, D Ryan, D O'Connor; D Ruth, E Doyle (0-1, free), K Furlong (0-1); L O'Gorman (1-0), G Coleman (0-1); D Stamp (1-3, three frees), A Fenlon (0-3), D O'Brien; B Redmond, B Goff (0-4), M Jordan (0-4). Subs: R McCarthy (0-2) for Redmond 35 mins; R Mallon for Kehoe 35 mins; L Murphy for Doyle, 49 mins; M O'Leary for Furlong 56 mins.

DERRY: K Stevenson; E McKeever, G Brunton, B Ward; D Magill, C McEldowney, M Conway; R McCloskey, O Collins (0-3, 1 free); Gregory Biggs, P O'Kane, D McGrellis; M Collins, R Kennedy (0-1), J O'Dwyer (3-0). Subs: F McEldowney for Ward 35 mins; Gary Biggs for O'Kane 48 mins; K Hinphey for Gregory Biggs 55 mins; P Mckaigue for Collins 65 mins.

Referee: P Aherne (Carlow).