Second-half goals from Kevin Foley and Cian Byrne saw Wexford surge to a 2-24 to 0-19 victory over Antrim in Saturday’s Leinster Championship round-robin opener at wintry Chadwicks Wexford Park.
And Wexford really needed victory, not alone for their shock reversal in Corrigan Park 12 months ago – their first-ever championship loss to Antrim - but because they are facing into a couple of demanding away games against Dublin next weekend and then Galway a fortnight later.
Antrim are home in their next two. But, after a trying league, they will really have to pick up the pieces in quite some fashion as they brace themselves for the visits of last year’s provincial finalists, Kilkenny and Dublin.
Wexford survived an early scare when Seaan Elliott earned Antrim a penalty. But there was home relief amongst the 4,774 attendance as Gerard Walsh blasted the resultant opportunity over the crossbar in the second minute.
Regardless, the visitors operated with greater force during the opening stages, and Walsh together with Keelan Molloy, James McNaughton (free) and the Elliotts, Nigel and Seann, swelled their position to 0-06 to 0-02 inside nine minutes.
Three Lee Chin frees – including one from inside his own half – hauled Wexford back on terms after 17 minutes at 0-06 apiece, before a quickfire Rory O’Connor brace seemed to having Wexford steadying their ship.
But some turbulence hit the purple and gold shortly afterwards when Jack O’Connor attracted a straight red card after an altercation with Joe Maskey as a pointing effort from Charlie McGuckin sailed wide.
Wexford navigated the choppy waters satisfactorily to forge a 0-14 to 0-10 interval advantage, with midfielder Hearne twice more on target to add to Chin’s impressive first-half tally of nine points, including five frees.
While Antrim pegged it back to 0-15 to 0-13 by the 40th minute via scores from McNaughton (two) and Walsh (free), Wexford were generating reasonable daylight after 47 minutes as Rory O’Connor, Chin (three frees) and Cathal Dunbar moved them six points clear at 0-19 to 0-13.
But Antrim appeared set to make their numerical superiority tell as centre-forward Keelan Molloy got on the end of a flowing move, only for his goal effort to be deflected over by keeper Mark Fanning on 48 minutes.
Wexford rubbed salt in to opposition wounds when, after a pair of Antrim points, Kevin Foley grabbed a puck-out from the air to blast his third-ever championship goal to nail a 1-20 to 0-16 advantage after 54 minutes.
There was a further blow for Antrim when they lost defender Conor Boyd to a second yellow for a challenge on Foley.
Wexford further prospered when a dart through the centre by defender Cian Molloy – on his championship debut – culminated in Cian Byrne angling to the net on 60 minutes for a 2-21 to 0-16 boost only seconds before Byrne was substituted.
Referee Colm Lyons had reason to card Davy Fitzgerald amidst some rancour before Chin fired over his 12th free on 64 minutes to make it 2-22 to 0-16 as Wexford a sure-footed victory in the end.
Wexford: Mark Fanning; Eoin Ryan, Conor Foley, Cian Molloy; Richie Lawlor, Damien Reck, Charlie McGuckin; Conor Hearne (0-03), Simon Donohoe; Jack O’Connor, Rory O’Connor (0-03), Cathal Dunbar (0-01); Cian Byrne (1-00), Lee Chin (0-16, 12 frees), Kevin Foley (1-00).
Subs: Seamus Casey (0-01) for Byrne (60), Jack Redmond for O’Connor (66), Darragh Carley for Dunbar (66), Niall Murphy for Lawlor (70), Darren Codd for K. Foley (70+2).
Antrim: Ryan Elliott; Paddy Burke, Niall O’Connor, Stephen Rooney; Conor Boyd, Joe Maskey, Conal Bohill; Eoghan Campbell, Gerard Walsh (0-04, 1 penalty, 2 frees); Scott Walsh, Nigel Elliott (0-01), Keelan Molloy (0-03); Paul Boyle, Seaan Elliott (0-01), James McNaughton (0-08, 6 frees).
Subs: Eoin O’Neill for N. Elliott, temp (32-35), Cormac McKeown for Boyle (HT), Seán McKay for Campbell (54), Joseph McLaughlin (0-01) for S. Elliott (56), O’Neill (0-01) for McNaughton, temp. (64-66), Eoin O’Neill for N. Elliott (68), Ryan McGarry for Rooney (70+3).
Referee: Colm Lyons (Cork).
