Limerick are Croke Park bound after Wexford victory

Limerick 4-21 (4-2-17)
Wexford 2-19 (2-6-7)

By Tom Clancy at TUS Gaelic Grounds

Limerick are heading for a Tailteann Cup semi-final in Croke Park, next weekend, after an eight-point victory over Wexford in the last eight, at the Gaelic Grounds.

The success, made possible by two goals each from Danny Neville and Cillian Fahy, ensured safe passage to the draw, this Monday morning, where they will meet one of Fermanagh, Kildare or Wicklow.

Level at half-time, it took Neville’s second goal to shake of Wexford who kicked six two-pointers over the 70 minutes.

Backed by the bulk of a 2,119 support, Limerick were certainly the stronger outfit but the wind assisted the Slaneysiders in staying in the contest.

Early scores from Sean Nolan and Jack Higgins were well taken by Wexford before Darragh O’Hagan, James Naughton and Neville replied.

A first goal from Fahy came from a Neville pass while the Ballysteen man was on hand to drill through the bodies for a goal of his own. Fahy drilled home his second after great work from Emmet Rigter, but Wexford didn’t lose belief.

A goal from Nolan and a couple of those two-pointers ensured a level game at half-time.

The third quarter was virtually all Limerick’s with Naughton landing a long-range free, for two, with Rigter and then Mark McCarthy also on target.

Mark Rossiter’s goal should have brought Wexford to life, but the next play saw Neville bag his second and effectively end the tie.

A late Josh Ryan two-pointer, from open play, was icing to the cake, with headquaters the destination for Jimmy Lee’s troops next weekend.

The team also observed the passing of Siobhan Clancy, mother to player Sean, and wore black armbands in honor of the south Limerick woman.

Scorers for Limerick: James Naughton 0-9 (1tp free, 0-3 frees); Danny Neville 2-2; Cillian Fahy 2-0; Emmet Rigter 0-3; Paul Maher, Josh Ryan (1tp) 0-2 each; Darragh O’Hagan, Mark McCarthy, Rob Childs 0-1 each.

Scorers for Wexford: Seán Nolan 1-7 (0-2 frees, 2tp); Mark Rossiter 1-3 (1tp); Niall Hughes 0-4 (2tp); Jack Higgins 0-3 (1tp); Páiric Hughes, Eoin Porter 0-1 each.

Limerick: Josh Ryan; Jason Hassett, Darren O’Doherty, Mark McCarthy; Paul Maher, Iain Corbett, Tony McCarthy; Tommie Childs, Darragh O’Hagan; Jason Naughton, Emmett Rigter, Cillian Fahy (Capt); Peter Nash, Danny Neville, Killian Ryan.

Subs: Tadhg Ó Siochrú for T McCarthy (inj – 2 mins); Rob Childs for O’Hagan (50); Darragh Murray for T Childs (60); Rory O’Brien for Neville (60); Cathal Kehoe for Malone (64); Conall Ó Duinn for Ó Siochrú (66); Andrew Meade for Maher (68).

Wexford: Darragh Brooks; Michael Furlong, Gavin Sheehan, Dylan Furlong; Eoin Porter, Glen Malone, Páiric Hughes; Liam Coleman (Capt), Niall Hughes; Jack Higgins, Michael Kinsella, Mark Rossiter; Robbie Brooks, Ben Brosnan, Seán Nolan.

Subs: Sean Ryan for Books (half-time); Kevin O’Grady for Borsnan (half-time); Cathal Walsh for Furlong (60); Ruairí Martin for Kinsella (60).

Referee: Brendan Griffin (Kerry).