Jack Guiney made a massive impact and hit a goal after his half-time introduction as Wexford set up their dream semi-final date against Kilkenny with a 3-25 to 1-17 win over Laois at O’Moore Park in Portlaoise.
Laois got the first three points of the game but Harry Kehoe’s sixth-minute goal was the big score of the first half and Wexford went in leading 1-11 to 0-09 at the interval.
But Wexford opened up in the second half and it all stemmed from the Rathnure clubman and his presence in the full-forward line.
Aidan Nolan hit Wexford’s other goal, while Pat Purcell scored the consolation goal for Laois, who had Charles Dwyer and Willie Dunphy red-carded late on.
Laois began well with a slight breeze at their backs and Stephen Maher scored a rallying point after three minutes.
By that stage Conor McDonald had missed with his first attempt from a 65 after David Redmond’s goal-bound shot was cleared off the line by Lee Cleere. And when Ross King tapped over Laois’ second and then their third scores, they were in the ascendency.
But Wexford were promoted from Division 1B this year and their only defeat in the league came in their semi-final clash with reigning All-Ireland champions Tipperary, and they responded emphatically in the sixth minute.
Kehoe found himself one-on-one with Enda Rowland, and an error from the usually dependable Laois goalkeeper allowed Wexford in for the goal.
McDonald quickly added a point and Wexford led for the first time in the match, but that was cancelled out by Pat Purcell.
The teams traded scores again before Wexford finally gained a stranglehold and hit three points in a row – McDonald, Lee Chin and Kehoe were on target.
Laois only stayed in the second tier thanks to a relegation play-off victory over Kerry in 2017 but they kept up the fight here and Ciaran Collier reduced the arrears to 1-05 to 0-06 in the 23rd minute.
Two points from Paul Morris and Kehoe gave Wexford more of a cushion, and despite Charles Dwyer’s brief reprieve, the visitors piled on the pressure with scores from Redmond, Aidan Nolan and Morris.
Wexford last won a provincial title 13 years ago but that was their 20th crown, while Laois have only ever been victorious on three occasions – their most recent Leinster championship success came way back in 1949.
However King and John Lennon combined to keep them in it before Jack O’Connor’s second point gave Wexford a 1-11 to 0-09 half-time lead.
Two quick scores from Morris and McDonald laid the foundations for a great start to the second-half for Wexford.
Nolan goaled 14 minutes in when Guiney provided the pass and after having a goal disallowed, Guiney finally got the score he deserved when he blasted past Rowland for Wexford’s third strike.
Dwyer got red for a second yellow card after clashing with Chin in the 57th minute and Willie Dunphy saw red three minutes from time for an alleged strike on Andrew Kenny.
Wexford: O O’Leary; S Donohue, L Ryan, J Breen; E Martin, M O’Hanlon, D O’Keeffe (0-01); A Nolan (1-01), J O’Connor (0-02); P Morris (0-05), L Chin (0-03, 0-02f), D Redmond (0-01); C McDonald (0-09, 0-04f, 0-01 65), H Kehoe (1-02), S Murphy (0-01).
Subs: J Guiney (1-00) for Redmond (half-time), B Carton for O’Connor (37), E Moore for Breen (43), D Dunne for Nolan (52), L Og McGovern for Morris (65).
Laois: E Rowland; L Cleere, L Bergin, D Palmer; M Whelan, C Dwyer (0-01), C Collier (0-01); P Purcell (1-01), R King (0-07, 0-05f); J Kelly, S Maher (0-01), S Downey (0-01); J Lennon (0-01), N Foyle, W Dunphy (0-01).
Subs: C Taylor (0-01) for Kelly (37), A Dunphy (0-02) for Cleere (43), M Kavanagh for Lennon (49) A Corby for Downey (58).
Referee: Cathal McAllister (Cork).
