Two goals inside the opening 20 minutes from the returning Ger Robinson set Kildare up for a hard fought victory over a gallant Wexford side at Station Road.
Robinson had hit three goals in three league games earlier in the season but due to GAA commitments, hadn’t played in the eircom League since May but he certainly made his mark here.
After just nine minutes, he crashed a shot off the Wexford crossbar after he latched onto Cathal Brady’s flick. His physical presence seemed to unnerve the Wexford defence and he opened the scoring on 14 minutes.
A flowing team move from Kildare worked the ball out to Fiachra McArdle, he whipped a cross into the box where Robinson was unmarked and he gave Russell no chance with a well placed header.
Brady went close with a chipped effort shortly after but it was Robinson once again who found the net after 19 minutes.
Wexford failed to deal with Brady's in-swinging corner, Alan Byrne headed the ball back across the goal where a weak defensive header fell perfectly for Robinson and he volleyed past Russell.
Wexford came into the game after that and were unlucky not to pull a goal back in first half injury-time when Anthony Russell fired over from inside the box.
The visitors got the goal that they deserved four minutes into the second half when 17-year-old Danny Furlong was left unmarked at the back post and he volleyed Conor Sinnott's cross past Cassidy.
Play flowed from end to end after that with chances for either side.
Jason Russell had to be alert to deny Eoghan Carew and then Paul Rigney but Wexford spurned a glorious chance to take a share of the spoils in the final minute.
Sinnott's free-kick picked out Paul Malone inside the Kildare six-yard box but somehow he put his header over the bar when it seemed easier to score and Kildare held on to record the win.
Kildare County: Cassidy; McArdle (Carew 54), A Byrne, P Byrne, Donnelly, Stapleton; Brady, Cooling, Kavanagh, Clancy (Rigney 80); Robinson.
Wexford Youths: J Russell; Rossiter, Wadding, A Russell; Doyle, Dempsey (Malone 72), Sinnott, Bradley, O’Loughlin, Furlong (Colfer 80), Flynn O’Connor (Kelly 86).
Referee: P Sutton (Clare).
