Wexford 1-9 Waterford 0-10
Kevin O’Grady’s 25th minute goal proved decisive as it helped Wexford to an eventual two point victory over Waterford at Innovate Wexford Park on Sunday.
Both sides shared the top of the table on four points going into this game, but it was Wexford’s ability to control possession into the strong wind and rain through the opening 35 minutes that helped them lay the foundations for victory which sees them go clear at the top of the group.
After John Tubritt had pointed Wexford in front, it was Waterford who responded with four unanswered points through Donie Breathnach, Paul Whyte, Michael O’Halloran and Patrick Hurney to lead 0-4 to 0-1 after11 minutes. After Ciaran Lyng had responded with a pointed free, it was O’Grady’s goal that helped Wexford go in level 1-3 to 0-6 at the interval.
However, Waterford’s defence stood up to the second half pressure, and with Patrick Hurney and Conor Murray responding with points after earlier Kevin O’Grady and Ben Brosnan efforts for the homeside, just a single point separated the sides 1-6 to 0-8 with 15 minutes remaining.
The sides continued to trade points but Patrick Hurney’s point came too late to help Waterford salvage the game. Both sides finished with 14 players, Michael O’Halloran having been straight red carded after 66 minutes, while in additional time Wexford’s Daithi Waters, having been on yellow, was black carded followed by a red.
WEXFORD: S Roche; B Malone, J Rossiter, M Furlong; E Nolan, J Wadding, T Rossiter; D Waters, C Kehoe; K O'Grady (1-2), B Brosnan (1f) 0-2; P Curtis; C Lyng (2f) 0-3, J Tubritt (0-1), J Stafford.
Subs: M O’Regan (0-1) for Stafford (41); C Carty for Curtis (52); J Firman for Tubritt (63); R Devereux for O’Grady (72).
WATERFORD: S Enright; S Dalton, T O'Gorman, T O hUallachain; J McGrath, S Prendergast, R O Ceallaigh; T Prendergast, M Curry; M O'Halloran (0-1), P Whyte (1f) 0-2, C Murray (0-1); D Breathnach (0-2), J Veale, P Hurney (3f) 0-4.
Subs: L Lawlor for Veale (57); F O Cuirrin for Dalton (60).
Referee: F Smyth (Offaly).
Westmeath 2-18 Leitrim 1-9
With John Heslin in top form at full forward, unbeaten Westmeath defeated Leitrim by an unflattering 12-point margin in Mullingar on Sunday.
Heslin was accurate throughout from play and frees, and he scored a delightful goal in the 28th minute when set up by Mark McCallon. Despite having played into the wind, the home side led by 1-8 to 0-5 at the break.
Ronan Kennedy scored Leitrim’s only goal in the 48th minute to reduce the deficit to four points. However, Tommy McDaniel found the net just seconds after being introduced in the 64th minute and Westmeath won with a degree of ease.
WESTMEATH: D Quinn; M McCallon, K Maguire, J Gonoud; J Dolan, P Holloway (0-1), D Lynch; A Stone (0-1), G Egan (0-2); K Reilly, P Sharry (0-2), J Egan; K Martin (0-1), J Heslin (1-11, seven frees), A Gaughan.
Subs: D Glennon for Sharry (56 mins), C McCormack for J Egan (60 mins), T McDaniel (1-0) for Martin (64 mins), F Boyle for Gaughan (66 mins), N Mulligan for Reilly (69 mins), C Boyle for Gonoud (70 +1 mins).
LEITRIM: P Farrelly; N Plunkett, A Armstrong, F Carney; J Rooney, D Wrynn, O Madden (0-1); N O'Donnell (0-4, three frees), C Canning; R Kennedy (1-1), G Plunkett, W McKeon; E Mulligan (0-1, free), D Moran (0-2), B Gallagher.
Subs: P Maguire for N Plunkett (25 mins), C Gallagher for Canning (h-t), C Gaffney for C Gallagher (BC, 53 mins), K Beirne for Kennedy (58 mins), P Dolan for B Gallagher (62 mins), B Prior for O’Donnell (70 + 3 mins).
Referee: J Gilmartin (Sligo).
Wicklow 0-17 London 2-4
Wicklow have their first win of the 2017 league following a comprehensive victory over London in terrible conditions.
Wicklow had the wind at their backs in the first half and found scoring chances aplenty to establish a 10 point to 2 lead at half time as Seanie Furlong converted a couple of tough frees.
London played the final half hour with only thirteen men after Ryan Mason and Caoimhin Carty were dismissed either side of half time respectively and any sense of competitiveness was lost.
London scored a late consolation goal but Wicklow were never in any danger of losing.
WICKLOW: R Lambert(1 45, 0-1); B Kennedy, R O'Brien, J Snell; D Hayden, D Healy, J Crowe (0-1); R Finn, A McLoughlin; C Ffrench (0-1), S Kelly (0-1), J McGrath; P Byrne (0-1), S Furlong (6f, 0-8), P Cunningham (1f,0-3).
Subs: E Murtagh for B Kennedy (HT), D Boothman for R Finn (59), M Kenny (0-1) for S Furlong (59), P McLoughlin for J McGrath (66), M Lennon for P Byrne (68).
LONDON: C Hallissey; P Butler, C Carty, C O'Neill; M Jordan (1-00), R Jones, J Branagan; A McDermott, J Gartlan; E Murray (0-1), M Gottsche, K Hughes; R Mason (1f, 0-2), L Gavaghan, J Daly.
Subs: C Dunne for K Hughes (17), D Moore (0-1) for J Daly (32), M Carroll for J Gartlan (32), K Butler for C Dunne (42), D Ryan for P Butler (60), D Carrabine (1-00) for E Murray (66).
Referee: A Kissane (Waterford).
