Páraic Hughes is a key performer for Wexford. Photo by Sam Barnes/Sportsfile
Click here to listen to a pre match interview with Wexford senior football team manager John Hegarty.
Allianz Football League Division Four
Wexford 0-20 (0-4-12) Wicklow 0-12 (0-1-10)
By Ronan Fagan at Chadwicks Wexford Park
Wexford footballers have escaped Division Four of the Allianz league for the first time since 2018 after maintaining their 100 per cent run with Saturday’s derby victory over Wicklow at Chadwicks Wexford Park.
The home-side held sway much of the way and forged ahead by 0-12 to 0-4 at half-time with a brace of two-pointers from Shane Pettitt.
While John Hegarty’s charges had to weather some determined Wicklow raids in the closing period, Wexford finished resounding winners.
But Wicklow are very much in the promotion picture, facing a key fixture at home to Limerick next Sunday, before Oisin McConville’s men head to Tipperary.
Shane Pettitt put the icing on a sure-footed Wexford opening when slotting an eighth minute two-pointer to add to earlier scores from Seán Ryan and Ben Brosnan (free) to carve out a 0-4 to 0-0 lead.
Ryan went close to netting on 12 minutes only to be smothered by Wicklow netminder Cathal Fitzgerald before Mark Rossiter capitalised upon the rebound to slot over.
That restored a four point gap (0-5 to 0-1) after wing-back Joe Prendergast had registered for Wicklow after 10 minutes
A two-pointer free from John Paul Nolan had Wicklow shaping as meaningful challengers as they closed to within 0-5 to 0-3 after seventeen minutes.
Wexford controlled the remainder of the half as a second two-pointer from Pettitt and a two-pointer free by ‘keeper Darragh Brooks powered the hosts 0-12 to 0-4 ahead at the interval.
Defender Eoin Porter and Páraic Hughes swept Wexford 10 points clear (0-14 to 0-4) before the neighbours began to cause them increasing bother.
Experienced midfielder Dean Healy together with Eoin Darcy pegged it back to 0-14 to 0-6 before substitute Jack Kirwan was denied moments after his introduction as the Wexford ‘keeper stood strong after a neat set up by Pádraig O’Toole.
The Garden County’s leading-shooter Kevin Quinn eventually hit the mark with a brace of frees, and Darcy also made a further indent as Wicklow closed to within 0-15 to 0-9 after 54 minutes.
Wexford responded through Glen Malone and Kevin O’Grady before Niall Hughes made a superb intervention in the 59th minute when denying Conor Fee at the expense of a fruitless ’45 after a long-range free crashed off an upright.
Darragh Brooks, meanwhile, slotted a second two-pointer free as Wexford completed a fifth straight victory and the step up to the third tier with games to come against Tipperary (home) and Longford (away).
Achieving their primary goal after six frustrating years was especially satisfying for captain Eoghan Nolan, Kevin O’Grady, Conor Carty, Niall Hughes, Michael Furlong and Ben Brosnan – the survivors from their last promotion in 2017.
Scorers for Wexford: Shane Pettitt (2tp), Darragh Brooks (2tpf) 0-4 each, Ben Brosnan 0-3 (2fs), Kevin O’Grady, Glen Malone, Páraic Hughes 0-2 each, Seán Ryan, Mark Rossiter, Eoin Porter 0-1 each
Scorers for Wicklow: Kevin Quinn 0-3 (3fs), Joe Prendergast, John Paul Nolan (1tpf), Eoin Darcy 0-2 each, Christopher O’Brien, Dean Healy, Patrick O’Keane 0-1 each
Wexford: Darragh Brooks; Michael Furlong, Gavin Sheehan, Martin O’Connor, Glen Malone, Eoghan Nolan, Eoin Porter; Tom Byrne, Niall Hughes; Páraic Hughes, Shane Pettitt, Mark Rossiter; Ben Brosnan, Kevin O’Grady, Seán Ryan.
Subs: Liam Coleman for Ryan (HT), Cathal Walsh for Byrne (46), Conor Carty for Pettitt (47), Dylan Furlong for Brosnan (53), Liam O’Connor for Porter (68),
Wicklow: Cathal Fitzgerald; Tom Moran, Craig Maguire, Malachy Stone; Joe Prendergast, Patrick O’Keane, Matt Nolan; Dean Healy, Pádraig O’Toole; John Paul Nolan, Christopher O’Brien, Mark Kenny; Andy Maher, Kevin Quinn, Eoin Darcy.
Subs: Cian Deering for Maher (10), Conor Fee for Kenny (42), Jack Kirwan for O’Brien (46), Cathal Baker for Nolan (60), Oisín McGaynor for O’Toole (60).
Referee: David Hickey (Carlow).
