Wexford held off an heroic second half fightback from Louth to book their spot in the Leinster Football Championship Semi-Final.
Louth looked dead and buried with twenty minutes to go but worked their way back into the game as a nervous Wexford shipped four unanswered points.
It was the visitors who had started the game the brighter through a second minute Ben Brosnan free kick but Lennon drew the home side level with a place kick of his own just a couple of minutes later.
Wexford also got the first score from play when Adrian Flynn pointed after 7 minutes. However their lead didn’t last long as Lennon found the back of the Wexford net just seconds later with a clinical left foot finish from close range.
The sides traded scores for most of the first half with no team getting back-to-back scores until Aindreas Doyle followed up Redmond Barry’s point with one of his own to draw Wexford level after 19 minutes.
Lee Chin picked up the first yellow card of the game for a foul on Derek Maguire that gave Shane Lennon the easiest of frees to restore Louth’s lead after 22 minutes.
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After Brosnan scored his second free kick to level the game once more after 26 minutes, Ciaran Lyng took control of the game for the visitors by scoring a quick fire 1-1 to give Wexford the lead after half an hour. It was a brilliantly taken goal by Lyng, burying it from 20 metres out.
Louth narrowed the gap almost immediately at start in the second half with through Brian White’s second free kick of the afternoon and it was 10 minutes into the second half before Wexford were able to trouble the scoreboard operators.
It was, in truth, a poor enough second half from both teams until PJ Banville scored the easiest of goals to stretch his side’s lead after 50 minutes. It was a real poachers goal from Banville who tapped in after Shane Roache’s attempted point came off the post.
White, Paddy Keenan (2) and Lennon brought Louth back within a goal thanks to four unanswered points in the space of five second half minutes.
Paddy Byrne seemed to steady the ship for Wexford with a welcome point from play after 58 minutes before Lennon and McDonnell reduced the deficit to just two points with eight minutes to go.
That lead was cut to just one point with two minutes to go thanks to a Brian White score and though both teams traded points in injury time, Louth just couldn’t find an equaliser.
Their cause was not helped by John O’Brien picking up a needless red card for an off-the-ball incident but, in fairness, Wexford were deserved winners.
They now go on to the Leinster Semi-Final while Louth will have to pick themselves up for the qualifiers.
Scorers for Louth: Shane Lennon 1-5 (3f), Brian White 0-6 (3f), Paddy Keenan 0-2, Derek Maguire 0-1, Andy McDonnell 0-1 Scorers for Wexford: Ciaran Lyng 1-3, Ben Brosnan 0-5 (4f, 145), PJ Banville 1-0, Adrian Flynn 0-1 Redmond Barry 0-1, Aindreas Doyle 0-1, James Holmes 0-1, Paddy Byrne 0-1
LOUTH: Neil Gallagher; Padraig Rath, Dessie Finnegan, John Bingham; John O’Brien, Derek Crilly, Adrian Reid; Paddy Keenan, Brian Donnelly; Andy McDonnell, Brian White, Conor Rafferty; Ciaran Byrne, Shane Lennon, Derek Maguire.
SUBS: Colm Judge for Byrne (40 mins), Padraic Smith for Donnelly (46 mins), Ronan Carroll for Rafferty (53 mins), Jim McEneaney for Judge (66 mins)
WEXFORD: Anthony Masterson; Michael Furlong, Graeme Molloy, Lee Chin; Brian Malone, David Murphy, Adrian Flynn; Daithi Waters, Rory Quinlivan; James Holmes, Ben Brosnan, Aindreas Doyle; Ciaran Lyng, Redmond Barry, PJ Banville.
SUBS: Shane Roche for Barry (46 mins), Paddy Byrne for Doyle (52 mins), Conor Carty for Holmes (60 mins), Rob Tierney on for Chin (61 mins), Kevin Gore for Waters (68 mins)
Wexford hold off late Louth fightback to claim Leinster Semi-Final place
Wexford 2-13
Louth 1-15
Wexford held off an heroic second half fightback from Louth to book their spot in the Leinster Football Championship Semi-Final.
Louth looked dead and buried with twenty minutes to go but worked their way back into the game as a nervous Wexford shipped four unanswered points.
It was the visitors who had started the game the brighter through a second minute Ben Brosnan free kick but Lennon drew the home side level with a place kick of his own just a couple of minutes later.
Wexford also got the first score from play when Adrian Flynn pointed after 7 minutes. However their lead didn’t last long as Lennon found the back of the Wexford net just seconds later with a clinical left foot finish from close range.
The sides traded scores for most of the first half with no team getting back-to-back scores until Aindreas Doyle followed up Redmond Barry’s point with one of his own to draw Wexford level after 19 minutes.
Lee Chin picked up the first yellow card of the game for a foul on Derek Maguire that gave Shane Lennon the easiest of frees to restore Louth’s lead after 22 minutes.
After Brosnan scored his second free kick to level the game once more after 26 minutes, Ciaran Lyng took control of the game for the visitors by scoring a quick fire 1-1 to give Wexford the lead after half an hour. It was a brilliantly taken goal by Lyng, burying it from 20 metres out.
Louth narrowed the gap almost immediately at start in the second half with through Brian White’s second free kick of the afternoon and it was 10 minutes into the second half before Wexford were able to trouble the scoreboard operators.
It was, in truth, a poor enough second half from both teams until PJ Banville scored the easiest of goals to stretch his side’s lead after 50 minutes. It was a real poachers goal from Banville who tapped in after Shane Roache’s attempted point came off the post.
White, Paddy Keenan (2) and Lennon brought Louth back within a goal thanks to four unanswered points in the space of five second half minutes.
Paddy Byrne seemed to steady the ship for Wexford with a welcome point from play after 58 minutes before Lennon and McDonnell reduced the deficit to just two points with eight minutes to go.
That lead was cut to just one point with two minutes to go thanks to a Brian White score and though both teams traded points in injury time, Louth just couldn’t find an equaliser.
Their cause was not helped by John O’Brien picking up a needless red card for an off-the-ball incident but, in fairness, Wexford were deserved winners.
They now go on to the Leinster Semi-Final while Louth will have to pick themselves up for the qualifiers.
LOUTH: Neil Gallagher; Padraig Rath, Dessie Finnegan, John Bingham; John O’Brien, Derek Crilly, Adrian Reid; Paddy Keenan, Brian Donnelly; Andy McDonnell, Brian White, Conor Rafferty; Ciaran Byrne, Shane Lennon, Derek Maguire.
SUBS: Colm Judge for Byrne (40 mins), Padraic Smith for Donnelly (46 mins), Ronan Carroll for Rafferty (53 mins), Jim McEneaney for Judge (66 mins)
WEXFORD: Anthony Masterson; Michael Furlong, Graeme Molloy, Lee Chin; Brian Malone, David Murphy, Adrian Flynn; Daithi Waters, Rory Quinlivan; James Holmes, Ben Brosnan, Aindreas Doyle; Ciaran Lyng, Redmond Barry, PJ Banville.
SUBS: Shane Roche for Barry (46 mins), Paddy Byrne for Doyle (52 mins), Conor Carty for Holmes (60 mins), Rob Tierney on for Chin (61 mins), Kevin Gore for Waters (68 mins)
Referee: Fergal Kelly (Longford)
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