Seán 'Mini' Ryan made a huge impact with two goals for Division 4 pace-setters Wexford in Saturday’s derby triumph over Carlow at fog-bound Chadwicks Wexford Park.
The home-side always held an edge, with Ryan netting on 15 minutes for a 1-8 to 0-3 interval advantage, before the Gusserane man pounced again on 52 minutes to consolidate a third straight victory for John Hegarty’s men.
Wexford host Wicklow next Sunday, while Shane Curran’s Carlow look set to welcome Limerick minus captain Mikey Bambrick after the Old Leighlin’s man’s injury-time dismissal for a high challenge.
Wexford generated three points without reply inside the first five minutes, as Kevin O’Grady obliged while assisting a Glen Malone score after Seán Ryan had drawn first-blood for the home-side.
And after a spate of wides – the Yellowbellies accounting for four of the six misses – Ryan pounced for a 15th minute goal when stealing inside onto a neat set up by Eoin Porter to blast a 1-3 to no-score lead.
Darragh O’Brien eventually got Carlow on the board after 25 minutes from a free, but Wexford had pushed 1-5 ahead by then as Mark Rossiter slotted a two-point free.
The home-side eventually emerged with a healthy 1-8 to 0-3 half-time lead, but only after ‘keeper Darragh Brooks had denied a Carlow goal after Paddy McDonnell’s exquisite delivery saw Ross Dunphy spark danger.
The Barrowsiders rustled up an encouraging resumption as Conor Doyle notched a two-pointer to help pare the deficit to 1-8 to 0-6 before Conor Crowley squandered a goal chance after a surge by captain Mikey Bambrick.
The hosts responded to stretch clear by 2-11 to 0-6 when ‘Mini’ Ryan raised a second green flag on 57 minutes after Glen Malone’s initial effort rebounded from an upright.
While substitute Niall Hickey chipped in with a two-pointer for Carlow, it was a disappointing showing overall from the Barrowsiders, made all the worse by Bambrick’s late spot of bother.
KEY: tp - two-point score; tpf - two-point free; tpm - two-point mark
Wexford: Darragh Brooks; Martin O’Connor (0-1), Gavin Sheehan, Michael Furlong; Eoin Porter, Eoghan Nolan, Glen Malone (0-1); Tom Byrne, Niall Hughes (0-1); Páraic Hughes (0-3), Shane Pettitt, Mark Rossiter (0-4, 1tpf, 2fs); Kevin O’Grady (0-1), Robbie Brooks, Seán Ryan (2-1).
Subs: Conor Carty for R Brooks (HT), Dylan Furlong for Pettitt (50), Cathal Walsh for Byrne (55), Liam O’Connor for M Furlong (62), James Lawless for O’Grady (66).
Carlow: Johnny Furey; Paddy Regan, Mark Furey, Colin Byrne; Shane Clarke, John Murphy, Mikey Bambrick; Ian Atkinson, Liam Brennan; Conor Doyle (0-2, 1tp), Darragh O’Brien (0-2 frees), Aaron Amond (0-1); Ross Dunphy (0-1), Conor Crowley, Paddy McDonnell.
Subs: Niall Hickey (0-2, 1tp) for Atkinson (55), Lee Walker (0-1) for O’Brien (57), Kyle Nolan for Amond (57), Cormac Lomax for Crowley (63), Kevin Murphy for Dunphy (66).
Referee: Andrew Smith (Meath).
