Wexford maintained their perfect start to the Allianz National Hurling League after deservedly lowering hosts Clare in front of 2,855 in Cusack Park this afternoon.
Two points in arrears entering the final quarter, Darragh Egan's side blitzed their hosts with a 1-5 unanswered rally capped off by a clinching Diarmuid O’Keeffe goal to cement back-to-back victories over Munster opposition in the space of seven days.
Lowering All-Ireland champions Limerick on home soil last Sunday, Wexford had to be equally gritty to keep the Banner at arm’s length.
Both sides actually played better into the stiff wind that proved burdensome for shooting. With its aid in the opening period, hosts Clare began brightly with a hat-trick of free from Mark Rodgers building up a 0-4 to 0-2 advantage by the tenth minute.
It would be a further 16 minutes before their next score, by which time a Rory O’Connor inspired Wexford had found their feet with an unanswered 1-4.
Talisman O’Connor accounted for 1-1 of that rally, with the goal all of his own making as he took on his marker, bore down on goal and finally beat goalkeeper Eibhear Quilligan at the second attempt to carve out a 1-6 to 0-4 cushion.
Within five minutes, the home side actually wiped out that lead, with a brace of Rodgers frees bolstered by a 30th minute goal for Shane Meehan who finally billowed the net after the returning John Conlon was twice denied.
Jack O’Connor’s accuracy from placed balls saw Wexford bounce back to take a 1-9 to 1-7 half-time advantage with the wind to come.
Eleven first-half wides hampered Clare’s progress but the Leinster side found the conditions equally as difficult on the turnover as their wide count also went into double figures.
Clare, thanks in the main to John Conlon, Paddy Donnellan and impressive substitute Patrick Crotty snatched the whip hand in the third quarter but failed to sustain that momentum and would be overtaken coming down the final straight.
Punishing a defensive error, Liam Óg McGovern picked out St Anne’s club mate O’Keeffe to find the right corner of the net in the 64th minute as Wexford kept pace at the top of the Division 1 table.
Wexford: Mark Fanning; Simon Donohue, Liam Ryan, Damien Reck (0-02); Connal Flood (0-01), Matthew O'Hanlon, Paudie Foley (0-01); Diarmuid O’Keeffe (1-00), Liam Óg McGovern; Oisin Foley, Jack O’Connor (0-09, 0-06f, 0-01’65), Charlie McGuckin; Rory O’Connor (1-04), Mike Dwyer (0-01), Conor McDonald (0-02)
Subs: Cathal Dunbar for O. Foley (50), Niall Murphy fort Ryan (61), Paul Morris for McGuckin (63), Shane Reck for McGovern (68)
Clare: Eibhear Quilligan; Rory Hayes, Conor Cleary, Paul Flanagan; Diarmuid Ryan, Jack Browne, David Fitzgerald; Jason McCarthy, Paddy Donnellan (0-03); Cathal Malone, John Conlon (0-02), Ryan Taylor; Shane Meehan (1-00), Domhnall McMahon, Mark Rodgers (0-12, 0-06f, 0-01’65)
Subs: Patrick Crotty (0-02) for McMahon (HT), Robin Mounsey (0-01) for Taylor (67), Shane Golden for McCarthy (67), Aron Shanagher for Conlon (69)
Referee: Colm Lyons (Cork)
