Wexford hit late burst to consign Leitrim to first League defeat

Level with just six minutes of normal time left, Leitrim saw their unbeaten run in the 2023 Allianz NFL Division 4 campaign come to an end when a pacy Wexford struck for five points in the closing stages to claim a deserved win in Chadwicks Wexford Park on Sunday.

In a thrilling and high quality game, Wexford laid the foundations for their victory in the first half when they went into the break with a one point lead despite playing against a very strong breeze down the centre of a superb surface in Chadwicks Wexford Park.

With the wind at their back, Wexford were able to recover from a blistering Leitrim surge that saw Andy Moran’s side five unanswered points in a 12 minute spell in the second half and it was their pace and movement in the final stages that established a match winning lead.

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With a surprisingly large Leitrim travelling support, hopes were high that Leitrim could maintain pace with Laois at the top of the table but Wexford showed that they aren’t out of the promotion battle as they went toe to toe with Andy Moran’s side, eventually getting their nose in front at the vital time.

The result left Leitrim fans very despondent at the final whistle but there was an acceptance that the better team won the shootout and over the course of the 78 or so minutes that were played, the home side did enjoy the better and more frequent of the chances.

Wexford built their victory on their place kicking expertise and dominance around the middle of the park - when Leitrim did get possession, they caused Wexford’s defence plenty of real problems but with or against the wind, the home team edged the battle in the middle of the park, giving them the platform for victory.

Once again, Keith Beirne delivered an amazing performance, perhaps his best of this campaign as he landed ten points, four from frees and one from a mark, but perhaps this was the day that the over-reliance on the Mohill man came back to haunt Leitrim.

Tom Prior came off the bench again at halftime and the Ballinamore Sean O’Heslins clubman again made a good impact, taking two good points and offering another option when Glencar Manorhamilton’s Evan Sweeney delivered a very solid outing.

The loss will hurt but judging from this Wexford team and Carlow’s showing against Laois, there is a long way to go in this League. The defeat will sting, it certainly took the wind out of the Leitrim fans but with four games to go and key meetings with Laois and Sligo to come, nothing is decided at this stage.

Wexford got off to an ominous start against the wind, Mark Rossiter landing two points inside two minutes, the first from a free, the second from a very tight angle. Keith Beirne’s first attempt at a response saw his free go wide but after forcing a turnover, Leitrim got the ball back into the Mohill man and he made no mistake under pressure.

Barely four minutes in, Beirne added his second from a free but then put a free wide on the far side of the posts. Rossiter also missed the target from a placed ball before Darragh Rooney hit an effort wide.

Wexford really should have goaled on 11 minutes when they won their own kickout and released the blistering Kevin O’Grady who tore through the Leitrim defence unopposed before lifting his shot high above the crossbar.

Anything Wexford could do, Leitrim could match as they deployed a long ball to Keith Beirne after Jordan Reynolds dispossessed a Wexford attacker, his Mohill clubmate firing over his third of the game.

Another Rossiter free edged the home side back in front before Domhnaill Flynn was denied a goal when the Mohill man reacted to gather a low struck Beirne fifty, Flynn’s effort blocked and cleared.

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Wexford could point to their own missed chances - O’Grady had a shot blocked before O’Grady released captain Liam Coleman, his first shot was blocked, a fisted effort was cleared off the line as Leitrim were living dangerously, Conor Farrell later blocking a shot from Rossiter.

The Wexford corner forward did convert a free before Ben Brosnan converted a mark after a Leitrim clearance was intercepted. That left three in it but Jordan Reynolds won a crossfield ball virtually on the endline to set up Evan Sweeney for a fine point on 25 minutes.

Wexford were creating the chances - Conor Kinsella had a bad wide while Rossiter missed a goal chance after a Leitrim kickout was almost turned over.

Wexford keeper Darragh Brooks hit the first of four successful frees, this one a monster 52 yarder against the wind. Jack Heslin thought he had a point when his long range effort was signalled a point before being overruled, correctly it must be said, by the referee after consultation with his linesman.

From the resulting kickout, Leitrim again pounced on a poor Wexford pass and got the ball into Sweeney for a fine point. Leitrim were actually profiting from Wexford mistakes, the Model County again losing the ball in attack and good work from Keith Beirne and Evan Sweeney setting up Pearce Dolan for an inspirational score.

Burke notched his second free for Wexford with Beirne punished the fourth Wexford turnover in a row with a point on the stroke of halftime to leave the home side marginally ahead at 0-8 to 0-7 at the halftime break.

Wexford started the second half as they did the first with two points from Rossiter, one from a mark but two good points from Beirne, one after good work from Jack Heslin and another set up by Shane Quinn left Leitrim a point behind.

Momentum was now with Leitrim and with Wexford starting to panic and lose possession, Beirne from a mark tied the scored on 12 minutes. Despite seeing a free hit the post, Beirne put Leitrim in front for the first time on 15 minutes from a free before sub Tom Prior, on at halftime for Tom Quinn, claimed a mark to stretch the lead to two.

With Wexford looking nervous, midfielder Niall Hughes settled the home side by breaking through a tackle to kick a wonderful point before Brooks hit a superlative free right on the 50 yard line out at the left touchline to tie the scores with 14 minutes of normal time left.

Brooks then blasted a monster 55 yard effort over the Leitrim bar and the home side were back in front. Leitrim hit back, Paddy Maguire raiding behind the Wexford defence to collect a pass and set up Tom Prior for his second point.

With both sets of fans really getting into the game, it was tit for tat with Sean Nolan fisting over a good point on the run before a Pearce Dolan run led to yet another point for Keith Beirne tying the scores again with just over six minutes of normal time left.

But it was Wexford who would show the greater composure and killer instinct down the final stretch - Niall Hughes scored a wonder point from the corner before Rossiter tapped over another free and they went three clear with just over two minutes to go when Brian Molloy made a great burst down the right wing to curl a shot over the Leitrim crossbar.

Leitrim refused to give with Beirne converting a free before Tom Prior tried to claim a mark that wasn’t given before firing his effort wide in the last minute of normal time.

Wexford sub Cian Hughes raised a huge cheer when he cut in from the left wing two minutes into the four announced minutes of added time to fire the ball over the bar meaning Leitrim would need a goal to get something from the game.

Leitrim tried but Wexford held out and when they won a free, they hit it long to Rossiter who got the ball in space to curl an excellent shot over the bar to seal Wexford’s victory.

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WEXFORD

Scorers: Mark Rossiter 0-8, 5f, 1M; Darragh Brooks 0-4, 4f; Niall Hughes 0-2: Kevin O’Grady, Brian Molloy, Ben Brosnan (M); Sean Nolan & Cian Hughes 0-1 each

Team: Darragh Brooks; Brian Cushe, Brian Molloy, Michael Furlong; Páraic Hughes, Dylan Furlong, Glen Malone; Liam Coleman, Niall Hughes; Conor Kinsella, Eoghan Nolan, Kevin O’Grady; Ben Brosnan, Mark Rossiter, Seán Nolan. Subs: Cian Hughes for Brosnan (44), Conor Carty for Kinsella (49), Darragh Lyons for D Furlong (65), Cathal Walsh for Coleman (70)

LEITRIM

Scorers: Keith Beirne 0-10, 4f, 1M; Evan Sweeney & Tom Prior 0-2 each; Pearce Dolan 0-1

Team: Darren Maxwell; Paddy Maguire, Mark Diffley, Tom Quinn; Conor Farrell, Shane Quinn, Riordan O’Rourke; Pearce Dolan, Donal Wrynn; Darragh Rooney, Jack Heslin, Domhnaill Flynn; Evan Sweeney, Keith Beirne, Jordan Reynolds. Subs: Tom Prior for Quinn (HT), Paul Keaney for Rooney (49), Adam Reynolds for Farrell (61), Diarmuid Kelleher for Flynn (65), Mark Plunkett for Sweeney (68)

Referee: Fintan Pierce (Offaly)