IN PREVIOUS SEASONS, this was the sort of game that Wexford might have lost, a la their Leinster SHC defeats to Antrim and Westmeath.
Just three points separated Keith Rossiter’s side from a Kildare team returning to SHC action after a 22-year gap with 60 minutes played.
But the superior firepower, and quality, of the 2019 champions ultimately allowed them to ease clear with Lee Chin helping himself to 1-12 overall and keeping their hopes of a top-three finish very much alive.
Talisman Chin only scored his first point from play in the 68th minute and his goal arrived four minutes later as Wexford belatedly turned on the style.
Ross Banville helped turn the screw also for the Slaneysiders who had 10 different scorers in all but they will probably feel that they need to be significantly better when they visit Kilkenny next weekend.
Wexford’s Chin spoke ahead of the game about the team’s inconsistency over the years and how it would leave you ‘scratching your head’ at times.
Lee Chin after scoring a goal. Andrew Paton / INPHO
Andrew Paton / INPHO / INPHO
That failure to lock in and to immediately tune in to the demands of Championship hurling was on show again from the visiting Model men.
Chin himself won a 30m free early in the game – when he was mauled and hauled to the ground by his marker, and shadow, Conor Boran – but somehow drove it wide.
Conor Hearne and Jack Redmond had half chances for goals thwarted by a hungry Kildare defence and Wexford goalkeeper Mark Fanning drove a puck-out over the sideline late in the half, summing up their rustiness.
Even with captain Jack O’Connor finally back in the team after missing the League following knee surgery, it looked like being a long night.
Truth be told, it felt more like a challenge game in that opening half, the sort that the Kerry and Kildare footballers played on the same pitch last winter.
The pitch surface didn’t seem to be a whole pile better either since then with a large area in front of the new main stand still struggling for growth and heavily sanded.
Wexford didn’t score from play until the 19th minute when Diarmuid O’Leary nailed one from distance.
They still led 0-6 to 0-3 at that stage but it was underwhelming stuff and Kildare took advantage. Well, sort of. A couple of points from Paul Dolan and another from Cian Boran brought them back to within a point.
Then Jack Sheridan finished off the move of the game up to that point when Muiris Curtin gathered a long delivery and fed Sheridan who burst onto it at pace and slammed to the net.
It wasn’t exactly a blitzkrieg from Kildare but considering they were raging underdogs beforehand, hitting the interval tied at 1-6 to 0-9 amounted to a big surprise.
They struck nine wides in the opening half also, so it wasn’t as if they didn’t deserve to at least be on level terms.
Sheridan nudged Kildare ahead again after the restart with a point but when the hosts fell behind soon after, following three Wexford points in a row, they never recovered.
Wexford weren’t at their vintage best, or anything close, and just three points separated the teams with an hour on the clock.
But Rossiter’s side pulled clear late on with James Byrne and Banville hitting fine points and Chin sealing a slightly flattering win with his stoppage time goal when he raced clear of a Kildare posse.
Wexford scorers: Lee Chin 1-12 (0-10f, 0-1 65), Ross Banville 0-2, Simon Roche 0-1, Jack O’Connor 0-1, Mark Fanning 0-1 (0-1f), Eamon Wickham 0-1, Diarmuid O’Leary 0-1, Conor Hearne 0-1, Damien Reck 0-1, James Byrne 0-1.
Kildare scorers: Jack Sheridan 1-5 (0-2f), David Qualter 0-2 (0-2f), Paul Dolan 0-2, Tom Power 0-1, Cian Boran 0-1, Simon Leacy 0-1, Cathal McCabe 0-1, Gerry Keegan 0-1.
Wexford
1. Mark Fanning (Glynn Barntown)
2. Darragh Carley (Glynn Barntown)
3. Conor Foley (Horeswood)
4. Shane Reck (Oylegate Glenbrien)
9. Eamon Wickham (Rathnure)
6. Richie Lawlor (Faythe Harriers)
5. Damien Reck (Oylegate Glenbrien)
7. Diarmuid O’Leary (St Martin’s)
8. Conor Hearne (Shelmaliers)
19. Jack O’Connor (St Martin’s – Captain)
15. Simon Roche (Oulart The Ballagh)
10. Ross Banville (Shelmaliers)
13. Kevin Foley (Rapparees)
11. Lee Chin (Faythe Harriers)
14. Jack Redmond (Rathnure)
Subs:
21. Rory Higgins (Rathnure) for Redmond (46)
24. Cillian Byrne (St Mogue’s Fethard) for O’Connor (51)
12. James Byrne (Askamore) for Roche (62)
17. David Clarke (Glynn Barntown) for Carley (67)
Kildare
1. Paddy McKenna (Clane)
3. Rian Boran (Naas – Captain)
9. Conan Boran (Naas)
7. Simon Leacy (Naas)
2. Liam O’Reilly (Naas)
6. Cian Boran (Naas)
5. Paul Dolan (Éire Óg Corra Choill)
4. Dan O’Meara (Maynooth)
11. Cathal McCabe (Maynooth)
15. Jack Sheridan (Naas)
12. Gerry Keegan (Cill Droichid)
8. Daire Guerin (Naas)
13. Muiris Curtin (Moorefield)
10. David Qualter (Maynooth)
26. Tom Power (Maynooth)
Subs
22. Darragh Melville (Léim an Bhradáin) for Qualter (57)
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Wexford shake off Kildare challenge in last quarter to make winning start
Wexford 1-22
Kildare 1-14
Paul Keane reports from Newbridge
IN PREVIOUS SEASONS, this was the sort of game that Wexford might have lost, a la their Leinster SHC defeats to Antrim and Westmeath.
Just three points separated Keith Rossiter’s side from a Kildare team returning to SHC action after a 22-year gap with 60 minutes played.
But the superior firepower, and quality, of the 2019 champions ultimately allowed them to ease clear with Lee Chin helping himself to 1-12 overall and keeping their hopes of a top-three finish very much alive.
Talisman Chin only scored his first point from play in the 68th minute and his goal arrived four minutes later as Wexford belatedly turned on the style.
Ross Banville helped turn the screw also for the Slaneysiders who had 10 different scorers in all but they will probably feel that they need to be significantly better when they visit Kilkenny next weekend.
Wexford’s Chin spoke ahead of the game about the team’s inconsistency over the years and how it would leave you ‘scratching your head’ at times.
That failure to lock in and to immediately tune in to the demands of Championship hurling was on show again from the visiting Model men.
Chin himself won a 30m free early in the game – when he was mauled and hauled to the ground by his marker, and shadow, Conor Boran – but somehow drove it wide.
Conor Hearne and Jack Redmond had half chances for goals thwarted by a hungry Kildare defence and Wexford goalkeeper Mark Fanning drove a puck-out over the sideline late in the half, summing up their rustiness.
Even with captain Jack O’Connor finally back in the team after missing the League following knee surgery, it looked like being a long night.
Truth be told, it felt more like a challenge game in that opening half, the sort that the Kerry and Kildare footballers played on the same pitch last winter.
The pitch surface didn’t seem to be a whole pile better either since then with a large area in front of the new main stand still struggling for growth and heavily sanded.
Wexford didn’t score from play until the 19th minute when Diarmuid O’Leary nailed one from distance.
They still led 0-6 to 0-3 at that stage but it was underwhelming stuff and Kildare took advantage. Well, sort of. A couple of points from Paul Dolan and another from Cian Boran brought them back to within a point.
Then Jack Sheridan finished off the move of the game up to that point when Muiris Curtin gathered a long delivery and fed Sheridan who burst onto it at pace and slammed to the net.
It wasn’t exactly a blitzkrieg from Kildare but considering they were raging underdogs beforehand, hitting the interval tied at 1-6 to 0-9 amounted to a big surprise.
They struck nine wides in the opening half also, so it wasn’t as if they didn’t deserve to at least be on level terms.
Sheridan nudged Kildare ahead again after the restart with a point but when the hosts fell behind soon after, following three Wexford points in a row, they never recovered.
Wexford weren’t at their vintage best, or anything close, and just three points separated the teams with an hour on the clock.
But Rossiter’s side pulled clear late on with James Byrne and Banville hitting fine points and Chin sealing a slightly flattering win with his stoppage time goal when he raced clear of a Kildare posse.
Wexford scorers: Lee Chin 1-12 (0-10f, 0-1 65), Ross Banville 0-2, Simon Roche 0-1, Jack O’Connor 0-1, Mark Fanning 0-1 (0-1f), Eamon Wickham 0-1, Diarmuid O’Leary 0-1, Conor Hearne 0-1, Damien Reck 0-1, James Byrne 0-1.
Kildare scorers: Jack Sheridan 1-5 (0-2f), David Qualter 0-2 (0-2f), Paul Dolan 0-2, Tom Power 0-1, Cian Boran 0-1, Simon Leacy 0-1, Cathal McCabe 0-1, Gerry Keegan 0-1.
Wexford
1. Mark Fanning (Glynn Barntown)
2. Darragh Carley (Glynn Barntown)
3. Conor Foley (Horeswood)
4. Shane Reck (Oylegate Glenbrien)
9. Eamon Wickham (Rathnure)
6. Richie Lawlor (Faythe Harriers)
5. Damien Reck (Oylegate Glenbrien)
7. Diarmuid O’Leary (St Martin’s)
8. Conor Hearne (Shelmaliers)
19. Jack O’Connor (St Martin’s – Captain)
15. Simon Roche (Oulart The Ballagh)
10. Ross Banville (Shelmaliers)
13. Kevin Foley (Rapparees)
11. Lee Chin (Faythe Harriers)
14. Jack Redmond (Rathnure)
Subs:
21. Rory Higgins (Rathnure) for Redmond (46)
24. Cillian Byrne (St Mogue’s Fethard) for O’Connor (51)
12. James Byrne (Askamore) for Roche (62)
17. David Clarke (Glynn Barntown) for Carley (67)
Kildare
1. Paddy McKenna (Clane)
3. Rian Boran (Naas – Captain)
9. Conan Boran (Naas)
7. Simon Leacy (Naas)
2. Liam O’Reilly (Naas)
6. Cian Boran (Naas)
5. Paul Dolan (Éire Óg Corra Choill)
4. Dan O’Meara (Maynooth)
11. Cathal McCabe (Maynooth)
15. Jack Sheridan (Naas)
12. Gerry Keegan (Cill Droichid)
8. Daire Guerin (Naas)
13. Muiris Curtin (Moorefield)
10. David Qualter (Maynooth)
26. Tom Power (Maynooth)
Subs
22. Darragh Melville (Léim an Bhradáin) for Qualter (57)
21. Conn Keogh (Moorefield) for O’Meara (59)
23. Richy Hogan (Naas) for Power (66)
19. Tim Ryan (Ardclough) for Curtin (69)
Referee: Michael Kennedy (Tipperary)
*****
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GAA Hurling Kildare Leinster Purple and gold Wexford