A 13-man Wexford side salvaged a draw with wasteful Offaly in Saturday's rain-lashed second round Allianz Hurling League Division 1A duel at Chadwicks Wexford Park.
The strongly fancied hosts had to wait until the 61st minute to hit the front for the first time – a free from distance by keeper Mark Fanning grabbing a 0-16 to 0-15 lead.
But Offaly were boosted by a 65th-minute equalising goal from Brian Duignan shortly before Wexford lost a second player to a straight red card – defender Charlie McGuckin following Jack O’Connor’s earlier dismissal.
And the visitors looked set to snatch a merited victory through Duignan (free) and David King.
Tenacious Wexford battled through the teeming rain though to eventually secure back-to-back draws, after the opening day deadlock with Kilkenny, as inspirational captain Lee Chin and ultimately Seamus Casey intervened before a raucous attendance of 3,664.
It was a certainly a close call for Wexford, who are left to review this off-colour showing before returning to action on 25 February at home to Clare, with Offaly facing the daunting trip to Kilkenny in better heart after this improved showing.
Offaly opened purposefully when crafting a 0-05 to 0-01 advantage inside eight minutes amid damp but calm conditions, a surge crowned by a quickfire double from centre-back Cillian Kiely, with fellow defender Ben Conneely also on target.
All the momentum was with the midlanders against a sluggish home-side, with Johnny Kelly’s charges unfortunate not to generate a significant lead when firing eight wides inside the first 30 minutes – five more than Wexford at that stage.
Nevertheless, Offaly maintained an edge as Killian Sampson and Charlie Mitchell chipped in to maintain a four point gap at 0-09 to 0-05.
Considering Offaly’s wastefulness, Wexford had reason to be more satisfied when trailing by just 0-11 to 0-9 at the break.
The purple and gold struggled to gain any cohesion, but they found the refuge of half-time only those couple of points adrift following a burst of late scores from Lee Chin (three frees), Cian Byrne and Cian Molloy.
And Wexford also had a goaling chance in the closing stages when Cian Byrne was unfortunate to strike a groundstroke wide after a neat set up by Corey Byrne-Dunbar.
The promptings of Wexford boss Keith Rossiter ushered an assertive restart from the locals as they tied on 0-12 apiece inside six minutes through Chin, Charlie McGuckin and Byrne-Dunbar.
A further exchange maintained parity, before Wexford endured the blow of losing Jack O’Connor to a straight red card only two minutes after being introduced for interfering with the helmet of David King.
But Offaly were unable to gain any advantage as instead Wexford asserted, and keeper Fanning gave them their first taste of the lead after 61 minute - with a free from his own 45 yard line to make it 0-16 to 0-15.
Although Seamus Casey and Chin (free) stretched Wexford 0-18 to 0-15 clear, they were stung on 65 minutes when Charlie Mitchell fed Brian Duignan to net an equaliser through a forest of bodies and it was level at 1-15 to 0-18.
And there was a further setback for Wexford when they were reduced to 13 men, with McGuckin’s dismissal.
Offaly piled on the pressure as Duignan (free) and David King stole a 1-17 to 0-18 lead, before Wexford fought back to another draw, with sub Simon Donohoe unlucky with a late chance to steal victory.
Wexford: Mark Fanning (0-01 free); Niall Murphy, Conor Foley, Shane Reck; Charlie McGuckin (0-01), Damien Reck, Cian Molloy (0-01); Corey Byrne-Dunbar (0-01), Conor Hearne; Kevin Foley, Richie Lawlor (0-01), Tomás Kinsella (0-01); Cian Byrne (0-02), Lee Chin (0-09, 8 frees), Seamus Casey (0-02).
Subs: Jack O’Connor for Kinsella (45), James Byrne (0-1) for Cian Byrne (56), Cathal Dunbar for Byrne-Dunbar (66), Simon Donohoe for Hearne (69), Joe O’Connor for Molloy (70).
Offaly: Mark Troy; Cathal King (0-01), Ciarán Burke, Sam Bourke; Jason Sampson, Cillian Kiely (0-02), Ben Conneely (0-01); David King (0-02), Jack Clancy; Killian Sampson (0-01), Eimhin Kelly, David Nally; Adam Screeney (0-01), Brian Duignan (1-07, 2 ‘65s, 4 frees), Charlie Mitchell (0-01).
Subs: Dan Bourke for Kiely, temp. (45-48), Bourke (0-01) for Clancy (52), Morgan Watkins for Screeney (58), Dan Ravenhill for Kelly (66).
Referee: Seán Stack (Dublin).
