Wexford V Offaly

[EddieMerx]

Really looking forward to this game tomorrow, there should be some good championship intensity to this game. My heart says Wexford but my head is saying Offaly should take advantage of a Wexford team missing Quigley.

Wexford: D Fitzhenry; M Travers, D O'Connor, A O'Connell; M Jacob, S Nolan, D Stamp; C Farrell, C Kenny; D Lyng, A Ahore, P Carley; R Jacob, S Banville, D Redmond.

Offaly: B Mullins; D Franks, G Oakley, S Wynne; K Brady, C Horan, P Cleary; R Hanniffy, J Rigney; B Carroll, J Bergin, D Molloy; C Parlon, S Dooley, D Currams.

[slow corner back]

This should be a good game and show what, if any, progress wexford have made under Colm Bonnar. After ousting John Meyler the players should have something to prove. However having seen them early in the campaign against Antrim a lot the old failings, going to sleep for long stretches, missing easy scores, wobbly full back line were still present. Maybe that was just a bad day at the office tomorrow will tell. A wexford win virtually gaurantees them a place in the div2 final, lose and they are relying on other results.

[EddieMerx]

The players really have to step up to the plate tomorrow. They have slept their way through the campaign so far an really need to lay a marker down, Rossi and Roche are a big loss in defence, DOC simply is not good enough to play full back. I think we will always miss easy scores because none of our forwards bar Barry Lambert and to a lesser extent Jacob are what you would call marksmen, the rest it is a case of play the percentages and hope that you score more than you miss. It is such a pity for Wexford hurling that both Quigley and Lambert are injured because we simply have very little in reserve.

[Guillem2]

I expect Offaly to win this one. Not impressed with Wexford.

[slow corner back]

Big win for wexford they certainly have an eye for goal

[EddieMerx]

Kilkenny light

[slow corner back]

Were you at the match Eddie? They reported on the radio that the biggest cheer was when the Kilkenny Cork half time score was read out. Not often you would here wexford fans cheering the cats

[EddieMerx]

Yep was there, there was a massive cheer when the Kilkenny half time score was broadcast.

[Bord na Mona man]

Any reports?
This shows how reliant Offaly have become of David Kenny at full back.
If the Offaly full back line gets the jitters, an opponent has a great chance to go to town on them.

[slow corner back]

In fairness to wexford they have been scoring loads of goals all season, they even managed 4 in 15 minutes while  loosing in belfast

[EddieMerx]

NHL: Model rout Faithfuls
05 April 2009

Offaly left Wexford Park red-faced after being thumped by 5-14 to 0-17 by a goal-hungry Wexford in this top-of-the-table Division Two clash.

The win sees the Model men draw level with Offaly at the top of the table on ten points apiece, one ahead of third-placed Antrim (winners today in the early throw-in at Portlaoise).

It's also a notable confidence boost for the winners as these two sides will meet again this summer in the championship at the same venue. There's every chance they'll also be renewing acquaintances before that in the Division Two decider.

Four first-half goals placed Wexford in complete command at the interval.

Offaly had the game's first two points before Andrew Shore pointed and David Redmond fired a Wexford goal. Shane Dooley and Derek Molloy replied from frees for the Faithfuls to tie up the scores on 0-4 to 1-1 after eleven minutes.

When the ever-dangerous Stephen Banville's shot was saved, Rory Jacob found the net from the rebound for the Model County's second goal. Two more points followed instantly as the hosts pulled clear.

Diarmuid Lyng got Wexford's third goal after collecting a pass from Jacob. Marauding full forward Banville grabbed the fourth major for the hosts, who led 4-6 to 0-7 after 25 minutes.

The winners were applauded off the pitch at the short whistle as they led by double scores, 4-8 to 0-10.

Rory Hanniffy pulled one back for the visitors on the restart, but Redmond soon added his second goal and the home team led by 5-9 to 0-11.

Not surprisingly, the game died off from there to the end and the next ten points were shared as Wexford remained 13 points ahead.

Molloy's late point was no more than a consolation for Offaly, who still top the table narrowly on points difference but will have some soul searching to do after this performance.

[INDIANA]

If wexford can knock the shite out of whoever they are playing next they'll probably get promoted on points difference as offaly are playing antrim. Didn't see that one coming yesterday. But things are picking up in Wexford- some very good underage teams coming though and good counsel are in the colleges final as well.

[EddieMerx]

Do 1 and 2 not have to play-off to see who goes up? GC are in the final but there are a few Kilkenny hurlers on the team

[INDIANA]

just the top team. Can't see antrim being hammered.

[AZOffaly]

There's a league final Indiana. Offaly need to beat Antrim to qualify for it, and the winners of that go up. At least that's what I assumed to be the case. There was talk that Offaly may have to face Wexford 3 times this year before any of the other 'big' counties. That would have been yesterday, Teh Div 2 final (assuming they make it) and the Championship game.