No safety net on view in Wexford

Scoreboard To the chorus of voices who argue that counties have adopted a blasé approach to this league, given the threat of relegation is off the table, yesterday’s second half from Wexford Park should be made compulsory viewing.

No safety net on view in Wexford

[team1]Wexford[/team1][score1]1-15[/score1][team2]Tipperary[/team2][score2]1-14[/score2][/score]

To the chorus of voices who argue that counties have adopted a blasé approach to this league, given the threat of relegation is off the table, yesterday’s second half from Wexford Park should be made compulsory viewing.

You had Davy Fitzgerald down on one knee and his two hands covering his face in torment when Paudie Foley, on 53 minutes and Wexford behind by two, overcooked a handpass to the unmarked Seamus Casey on the edge of the Tipperary square.

Liam Sheedy was no less animated further up the sideline. Indeed, Colm Lyons had no sooner sounded the final whistle when the Tipp manager was straight out to remonstrate with the Cork referee. Tipperary coach Tommy Dunne, having spotted Sheedy making a beeline for Lyons, gestured to the Premier manager not to go near the man in black, but Sheedy wanted his say, before eventually shaking hands with Lyons.

The demeanour of the respective managers and, indeed, the reaction of the Wexford players at edging this contest and scoring a first victory over Tipperary under Davy’s watch, was not in keeping with the popular opinion that counties are not as invested in this league as they were recent editions.

“If you look at the managers on the sideline and the players on the field, I notice no difference to the last two years,” said Fitzgerald.

“I’ve watched the other games too, looking for signs that teams are taking it easy, and I haven’t seen any team that’s going out there not wanting to really burst it.

“You can tell me all you want that there’s no relegation, but you want to win. You get confidence from winning. The idea that you can use [no relegation] as a safety net is rubbish. You want to win every game you play in. I’ve been in the game a long time and that’s definitely how I’d feel about it.”

This second triumph of Division 1A for Wexford - their first on home soil - propels the Model County into second place on the table. All told, however, they shouldn’t have needed an Aidan Nolan point in the third minute of second-half stoppages to secure a dramatic one-point victory, the half-forward’s game-winning score nudging Wexford ahead for the first time in proceedings.

The home side should have been out the gap somewhat earlier, particularly when you consider the numerical advantage they enjoyed from the 34th minute onwards following Noel McGrath’s sending off and the strong breeze at their backs upon the change of ends.

Even allowing for the 1-11 to 0-6 advantage Tipperary enjoyed when Niall O’Meara (0-2), Seamus Callanan and Robert Byrne threw over four on the bounce early in the second period, Wexford created a far greater number of chances throughout and were equally dominant in the possession stakes.

Tipperary, to their credit, were at their most stubborn when reduced to 14 men and it was their collective work-rate which had them searching for a winner deep in second-half stoppages despite managing only three points in the half an hour previous.

Of course, the hosts didn’t help themselves by running up a wides tally of 14. Added to that, there were two clearcut goal openings which they failed to put away. Seamus Casey supplied their sole goal on 46 minutes, Cathal Dunbar and Ian Byrne central to the move. This green flag was part of an unanswered 1-5, decorated with points from Diarmuid O’Keeffe, Ian Byrne (two frees), Casey and sweeper Kevin Foley, which brought Wexford level with their opponents at 1-11 apiece.

Thereafter, a fairly frenetic finish played out, both teams trading blow for blow, before an unbroken passage of hurling which lasted for two minutes and 55 seconds preceded Nolan’s winner.

“We deserved to win, 100%,” Fitzgerald continued.

“When you’re playing against such a strong gale like we were in the first-half, even to hold it to four points (1-7 to 0-6 was the interval scoreline) was massive. We had some unreal passages of play in the first half. Their goal was totally our mistakes. It should have been cleared twice and apart from that, Eanna Martin hadn’t a shot to deal with.”

That Seamus Callanan goal, the spadework carried out by O’Meara, arrived as early as the 45th second. Callanan would account for 1-5 of the visitors’ 1-7 during a pedestrian opening 35 minutes. Thankfully, Tipperary and the game itself ratcheted up several notches following McGrath’s dismissal.

As mid-February meetings go, this was a second-half to savour, one, no doubt, which was enjoyed by 11-year old Killarney native Michael O’Brien - of Late, Late Toy Show fame - who was a special guest at Wexford Park and addressed Fitzgerald’s troops before throw-in. Relegation or no relegation, motivation was easily found elsewhere.

Scorers for Wexford:

I Byrne (0-6, 0-6 frees); S Casey (1-1); D O’Keeffe (0-3); P Foley, K Foley, A Nolan (0-1 sc), C Dunbar, R O’Connor (0-1).

Scorers for Tipperary:

S Callanan (1-7, 0-6 frees); J Forde (0-1 free), N O’Meara (0-2 each); J Morris, R Maher, R Byrne (0-1 each).

WEXFORD:

E Martin; D Reck, D Byrne, S Reck; S Murphy, M O’Hanlon, P Foley; D O’Keeffe, L Óg McGovern; A Nolan, S Casey, I Byrne; K Foley, C McDonald, C Dunbar.

Subs:

L Chin for D Reck (HT); R O’Connor for I Byrne (51); H Kehoe for Casey (62).

TIPPERARY:

Paul Maher; D Maher, J Barry, Padraic Maher; S Kennedy, R Maher, B Heffernan; R Byrne, M Breen; J O’Dwyer, N McGrath, Patrick Maher; J Forde, S Callanan, N O’Meara.

Subs:

J Morris for O’Dwyer (51 mins); W Connors for Heffernan (54); A Flynn for D Maher (57); J McGrath for O’Meara (59); T Fox for Byrne (67).

Referee:

C Lyons (Cork).

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