Seán Nolan scored 2-3 for Wexford against Antrim. Photo by Piaras Ó Mídheach/Sportsfile
Tailteann Cup Preliminary Quarter-Final
Wexford 5-23 (5-4-15) Antrim 2-21 (2-4-13)
By Ronan Fagan at Chadwicks Wexford Park
Seán Nolan crashed home two goals as Wexford soared back into the quarter-finals of the Tailteann Cup with a resounding victory over Antrim at Chadwicks Wexford Park.
Nolan and veteran Ben Brosnan pounced for first-half goals to send John Hegarty’s men 2-14 to 0-7 clear at half-time as Wexford sought to avenge group stage defeats on home soil to Antrim in the last two campaigns.
They were out of sight after 59 minutes as Nolan, with his second, and Mark Rossiter netted to swell the margin to 22 points (4-21 to 0-11) and send Wexford through to a visit to Kildare, Limerick or Wicklow in the last-eight.
It was a disappointing season for Andy McEntee’s Saffrons who were semi-finalists in the last couple of Tailteann Cups.
While Antrim midfielder Conor Hand pointed the ice-breaker, Wexford were soon into their stride as they shook off the lethargy from defeat to Fermanagh a week earlier.
Ben Brosnan forced a fine save before home ‘keeper Darragh Brooks slotted the resultant ’45, and Brooks added a two-pointer free as Martin O’Connor and sharpshooter Seán Nolan bedded the purple and gold into a 0-5 to 0-2 lead after ten minutes.
Brooks then demonstrated his goalkeeping class when saving smartly from Dominic McEnhill as Antrim continued to search for breakthroughs.
Ryan McQuillan and Dominic McEnhill obliged for the Saffrons, but Wexford were soon sent soaring clear.
Indeed, Brosnan sent over a two-pointer from the left flank moments before Seán Nolan buried a 22nd minute goal after neat work by Martin O’Connor and Jack Higgins to drive open a 1-8 to 0-4 margin.
That soon swelled to 1-12 to 0-4 as Brooks tagged on another two-pointer free, with Nolan and Jack Higgins also registering.
Mark Rossiter messed up a gilt-edged goaling chance much to Antrim’s relief, before the sides exchanged two-pointers – Antrim goalie Michael Byrne (free) drawing a quick response from O’Connor.
But Wexford netted a second major three minutes into stoppage-time when Brosnan touched home from a Rossiter set up as the hosts broke leading 2-14 to 0-7.
Wexford tagged on two quick second-half points before losing the influential Martin O’Connor to a leg injury.
Seán Nolan offset their disappointment somewhat when goaling on 52 minutes to blow open a 3-18 to 0-10 advantage after superb play involving Higgins, captain Liam Coleman and Brosnan.
And points from Mark Rossiter and Nolan together with an angled Rossiter goal from a Kevin O’Grady set up had the home-side 22 points clear (4-21 to 0-11) before gallant Antrim rustled up something of a comeback.
Substitute Patrick Finnegan latched onto an ill-judged Wexford kick-out to sprint through and cut the gap to 4-21 to 1-12 on 61 minutes.
Dominic McEnhill looped a neat finish to the Wexford net two minutes later from a Niall Burns’ assist to shave it to 4-23 to 2-14.
But Wexford were never going to be caught, and substitute Robbie Brooks – elder brother of ‘keeper Darragh – consolidated passage when netting five minutes into added-time from a neat Páraic Hughes’ set up.
Scorers for Wexford: Seán Nolan 2-3 (1f), Darragh Brooks 0-6 (2tpf), Ben Brosnan 1-2 (1tp), Mark Rossiter 1-1, Robbie Brooks 1-0, Martin O’Connor (1tp), Páraic Hughes, Jack Higgins 0-3 each, Glen Malone 0-2
Scorers for Antrim: Dominic McEnhill 1-5 (1tp, 1’45), Michael Byrne 0-6 (3tpf), Ryan McQuillan 0-5 (2f), Patrick Finnegan 1-0, Eunan Quinn (1tp), Conor Hand 0-2 each, Eoghan McCabe 0-1
Wexford: Darragh Brooks; Michael Furlong, Gavin Sheehan, Eoin Porter; Martin O’Connor, Glen Malone, Dylan Furlong; Liam Coleman, Niall Hughes; Michael Kinsella, Páraic Hughes, Mark Rossiter; Jack Higgins, Seán Nolan, Ben Brosnan.
Subs: Kevin O’Grady for O’Connor, inj. (43), Robbie Brooks for Brosnan (54), Cathal Walsh for Nolan (59), Ruairí Martin for Rossiter (66), Conor Carty for Kinsella (70+2).
Antrim: Michael Byrne; Eoghan McCabe, Kavan Keenan, Eunan Walsh; Ronan Boyle, Joseph Finnegan, Dermot McAleese; Conor Hand, Conor Stewart; Patrick McBride, Adam Loughran, Marc Jordan; Ryan McQuillan, Ruairí McCann, Dominic McEnhill.
Subs: Niall Burns for Jordan (53), Patrick Finnegan for McBride (53), Eunan Quinn for Stewart (56), James McAuley for McCabe (62).
Referee: Conor Lane (Cork).
