Wexford wear down Green & Gold but Leitrim rue missed penalty as Tailteann Cup campaign ends

In a game eerily reminiscent of the League encounter between the teams, a power packed Wexford finish down the final straight was enough for them to knock Leitrim out of the Tailteann Cup in a sun scorched Parnell Park on Sunday.

Wexford were the more wasteful team over the 70 plus minutes but when they look back on this game, a missed penalty from Keith Beirne at a time when the Green & Gold led by a point 13 minutes into the second will live long in the regrets when Andy Moran and his team look back on this game.

Tom Prior, Donal Wrynn and Keith Beirne had goal chances that went abegging as Wexford’s physical power and enormous running power down the final stretch did the damage as they turned a game that was level with nine minutes to go into a comfortable enough four point victory.

Sense isn't so common after all

THE LAST POINT

Leitrim enjoyed the better of the action in the first half with the wind at their backs but the concession of some soft frees kept Wexford in contention, the sides going in level and the Model County were a much more aggressive and front foot team in the second half.

A misplaced kickout from the otherwise impeccable Darragh Brooks led to Darragh Rooney’s goal that got the Leitrim crowd going in Parnell Park but generally, it was the Wexford men who showed the better endurance in the ferocious conditions down the final stretch.

The defeat brings to an end Leitrim 2023 Inter-county scene in the men’s game, a season that started with real promise but ended in disappointment, the defeats to Sligo in the final round of the League and New York in Gaelic Park the defining moments of the season.

The early action featured lots of incident but also a lot of missed chances - Kevin O’Grady put a shot wide, Darragh Brooks left a 50m free short before Brooks returned to his keeper’s duties by clawing Mark Plunkett’s shot from the air.

Wexford took the lead five minutes in when Padraic Hughes sidestepped a defender to five over while Leitrim’s tactic of hitting long to Donal Wrynn saw the Fenagh St Caillins man smothered after he gathered a long crossfield ball.

Leitrim drew level when Keith Beirne sent a monster 60 yard free high over the Wexford crossbar, albeit with the aid of the wind and after Mark Plunkett and Robbie Brooks traded wides, Tom Prior’s pass released Darrag Rooney for an excellent point on nine minutes.

Darragh Rooney fists the ball to the Wexford net for Leitrim's goal Picture: Willie Donnellan

The lead was doubled when good work from Aidan Flynn and Mark Plunkett down the right wing led to an excellent score for Beirne.

An off-the-ball foul on two Wexford players, the second of which was in the parallelogram led to an easy free for Mark Rossiter but with Padraic Hughes hitting a bad wide after a poor kickout, Darragh Rooney extended the lead when Wexford lost the next kickout and the former Melvin Gaels man soloed through to score.

Leitrim were on top at this stage but not really showing it on the scoreboard as a defender punched clear a dangerous Rooney shot across goal, Donal Wrynn saw a shot blocked while a Keith Beirne sideline from virtually the endline was punched clear by a defender with Jack Heslin’s follow-up going wide.

Paul Keaney also left a shot short while Aidan Flynn was the first man into the referee’s book. Wexford drew level when Brooks converted a fifty after Barry McNulty knocked a Wexford ball out for a fifty.

A long Conor Reynolds run up the left wing eventually released Darragh Rooney and he landed a great score. Michael Furlong was booked for a heavy hit on Paul Keaney, Beirne converting the free to put Leitrim three clear after 22 minutes.

Drumreilly GAA club celebrate 40th anniversary of pitch opening - GALLERY

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However, the concession of frees was proving costly with Brooks converting two either side of a bad Hughes wide to cut the gap to a point. Wexford thought they had broken through for a goal but Alan Tobin’s shot was saved by Nevin O’Donnell with the ball hitting the Wexford attacker before going out,

A strong run from the lively Tom Prior ended with Brooks being forced to tip his dipping shot over the bar on 31 minutes but Wexford hit back immediately with a Conor Kinsella score. Prior almost broke through for a goal, his mazy run bamboozling defenders only to see his shot blocked with Beirne’s follow-up going wide.

Wexford’s Kevin O’Grady hit the near post after a bullish run along the endline before Darragh Rooney hit a wide. And the first half ended with Pearce Dolan giving away a needless foul on Wexford’s Niall Hughes, Mark Rossiter firing over to leave the scores level at 0-7 apiece at the break.

Wexford opened the second half with much more drive but they had four wides from Niall Hughes, Liam Coleman and Mark Rossiter inside the first five minutes. 

Leitrim almost broke through for a goal when Paul Keaney burst through the centre of the Wexford defence only to see Darragh Brooks save his shot and the Model county clear the danger and clear it they did, breaking down the field where Mark Rossiter fired over from distance to take the lead for the first time.

Wexford sub Ben Brosnan scores his team's goal late in Sunday's Tailteann Cup clash Picture: Willie Donnellan

Leitrim hit back immediately when Jack Heslin burst down the sideline and cut back to fire over the bar. Wexford won the kickout and worked the ball to Niall Hughes who spun around his man before unleashing a huge long range shot over the bar.

Wexford made two substitutions but it seemed to backfire as Darragh Brooks’ kickout went spectacularly wrong. Keith Beirne fed the ball to a charging Tom Prior who played the ball across the goal for Darragh Rooney to palm to the net for a dramatic goal.

Wexford’s Ben Brosnan saw a shot blocked out for a sideline ball and Wexford worked the ball to Glen Malone who broke through a tackle to score.

Leitrim looked to be taking control of the game when Donal Wrynn’s powerful run saw him break through. He fed the ball to Keith Beirne in front of goal, the Mohill man taken down as he prepared to pull the trigger. Unfortunately for Letirim, Beirne’s spotkick was brilliantly saved by Darragh Brooks with Paul Keaney’s 50 going wide.

Brooks had two placed balls miss the target, one tipped out for a fifty, the second going wide but there was controversy when Aidan Flynn was denied what seemed like a certain free with Wexford breaking down the field and Conor Carty scoring a brilliant point to draw the sides level.

Jack Heslin was lucky to escape a black card for bringing down a Wexford player off the ball, referee Paul Faloon issuing a yellow and the Model county regained the lead when Padraic Hughes broke up the left wing before fisting the ball over the bar on 57 minutes.

Jack Heslin, in his last act before being replaced by James Rooney, dodged through a couple of defenders to score a brilliant point to tie the scores one more with nine minutes of normal time left.

Wexford regained the lead when Glen Malone appeared to get away with a few steps but the ball went to Liam Coleman who curled a wonderful shot over the bar, putting Wexford back in front.

Wexford extended that lead to two points with less than four minutes left after Brooks hit another fifty over the bar. Eoghan Nolan stretched the lead to three after a clever move but a Keith Beirne free just into the first seconds of five minutes of added time cut the gap back to two points.

Mark Plunkett tries for an early point against Wexford Picture: Willie Donnellan

Wexford responded pretty quickly, sub Brian Molloy scoring a wonder point from the left corner and the Leinster side made sure of victory when Diarmuid Kelleher miscontrolled a ball in the middle of the park, Wexford broke with Padraic Hughes charging through before off-loading to sub Ben Brosnan who managed to force his shot through Nevin O’Donnell for the killer score.

Leitrim never gave up with Niall Hughes earning a black card for wrestling Darragh Rooney to the ground, Beirne converting the free. Leitrim would add one final score from Rooney but it was Wexford who took the victory.

LEITRIM

Scorers: Darragh Rooney 1-4; Keith Beirne 0-5, 4f; Jack Heslin 0-2; Tom Prior 0-1

Team: Nevin O’Donnell; Conor Reynolds; Mark Diffley; Cillian McGloin; Aidan Flynn; Shane Quinn; Jack Heslin; Pearce Dolan; Barry NcNulty, Tom Prior,; Darragh Rooney; Paul Keaney Keith Beirne, Donal Wrynn; Mark Plunkett. Subs: Oisin McLoughlin for Wrynn (49); Conor Farrell for McGloin (50); Michael McKiernan for T Prior (61); James Rooney for Heslin (62); Diarmuid Kelleher for Plunkett (66)

WEXFORD

Scorers: Darragh Brooks 0-4, 2f, 2 50; Mark Rossiter 0-3, 3f; Ben Brosnan 1-0; Padraic Hughes 0-2; Brian Molloy, Glen Malone, Eoghan Nolan, Conor Carty, Conor Kinsella, Niall Hughes, Liam Coleman 0-1 each

Team: Darragh Brooks, Brian Cushe, Páraic Hughes, Michael Furlong, Eoin Porter, Glen Malone, Dylan Furlong, Liam Coleman, Niall Hughes, Alan Tobin, Eoghan Nolan, Kevin O'Grady, Robbie Brooks, Mark Rossiter, Conor Kinsella. Subs: Ben Brosnan & Conor Carty for Tobin & Kinsella (44); Brian Malone for Rossiter (54); Cian Hughes & Darragh Lyons for O’Grady & R Brooks (66)

Referee: Paul Faloon (Down)