Wexford secured their first league points with a comfortable victory over Derry at Slaughtneil yesterday.

Wexford effectively won the game in the opening quarter when they raced into a 0-10 to 00 lead.

However, Derry fought back and their opening score was a fine individual goal from full forward Geoffrey McGonigle.

With three minutes of the first half remaining Derry scored a second goal, this time from a penalty. Kieran McKeever was hauled to the ground after collecting a long pass from Declan Cassidy and Derry midfielder Ollie Collins blasted the ball to the net despite the efforts of goalkeeper Damien Fitzhenry.

Liam Dunne and Rory McCarthy replied with points for Wexford before a Collins free left Derry trailing at the break by five points, 0-14 to 2-3.

Chris McGrath scored two point to extend Wexford's lead at the beginning of the second half, but Derry replied with points from Gregory Biggs and McGonigle, and then Collins scored a huge point from 100 yards as Derry closed the gap to just four points.

But Tom Dempsey made victory safe for Wexford when he pulled on a loose ball to find the net in the 45th minute, and Gary Laffan, Martin Storey and Chris McGrath increased the lead.

The final nail in the home side's coffin arrived six minutes from time when goalkeeper Donaghy lost the flight of an Adrian Fenlon sideline cut and the ball went all the way to the net.

WEXFORD: D Fitzhenry; W O'Brien, D Berry, S Flood; L Dunne (0-2), D Ryan, R Mallon; A Fenlon (1-0), R Guiney (0-1); R McCarthy (0- 6), M Storey (0-3), L Murphy; C McGrath (0- 7), G Laffan (0-1), T Dempsey (1-3). Subs: P Redmond (0-1) for Laffan, J Lawlor for Murphy, R Quigley for Mallon.

DERRY: J Donaghy; E McKeever, C Murray, C McEldowney; B Ward, N Mullan, J Young; O Collins (2-3), D Cassidy (0-3); K McCloy, K McKeever, R McCloskey; J O'Dwyer, G McGonigle (1-2), G Biggs (0-1). Subs: M Conway for Ward, R O'Hagan for Mullan, P Cartin for McGonigle, P McEldowney for O'Dwyer.

Referee: T McIntyre (Antrim).