Allianz Hurling League Division One Group B

WEXFORD 2-29 CARLOW 1-11

By Ronan Fagan at Chadwicks Wexford Park

Wexford coasted past relegation-threatened Carlow in Sunday's derby at chilly Chadwicks Wexford Park, but Davy Fitzgerald's charges must settle for a place in the League quarter-finals.

That follows Clare's decisive victory over Dublin, which sees the Banner County finish top of Group B, while Wexford and Kilkenny end second and third respectively. The latter two won't know their respective opponents in the knockout stages until after next weekend's rescheduled Group A games.

Despite facing the strong wind, Wexford began purposefully against Carlow as Liam Óg McGovern, Rory O'Connor (3), Harry Kehoe, Jack O'Connor and Aidan Nolan found the range to build a 0-7 to 0-0 lead after 13 minutes.

But Carlow ruffled their neighbours' feathers with a hat-trick of points from Chris Nolan (2 frees) before Diarmuid Byrne forced home a long delivery by David English in the 19th-minute to cut the gap to 0-7 to 1-3.

Wexford responded with gusto as Diarmuid O'Keeffe, who was operating as 'sweeper', helped himself to two points to stretch the margin to 0-11 to 1-3.

The home team broke with a 1-13 to 1-6 lead after Rory O'Connor lashed a free low to the net in the 35th-minute.

Wexford utilised their wind advantage to strengthen their grip by 1-17 to 1-7 before gaining a numerical superiority on 47 minutes when Carlow no.14 Edward Byrne earned a second yellow-card.

Paul Morris certainly enjoyed the extra freedom as the substitute made an immediate impact with six unanswered points to extend the home-side's lead to 1-22 to 1-8 after 54 minutes before a 3,212 crowd.

Wexford wrapped things up in rather unfortunate means from a Carlow perspective when an attempted flicked clearance by Ger Coady was blocked into the net by Diarmuid O'Keeffe in the 70th-minute after Cathal Dunbar had forced Coady into a fine block initially.

Scorers for Wexford: Rory O'Connor 1-6 (5fs), Paul Morris 0-7 (4fs), Diarmuid O'Keeffe 1-2, Jack O'Connor 0-3, Harry Kehoe, Aidan Nolan, Conal Flood 0-2 each, Liam Óg McGovern, Conor McDonald, Simon Donohoe, Mikey Dwyer, Cathal Dunbar 0-1 each.

Scorers for Carlow: Chris Nolan 0-8 (6fs), Diarmuid Byrne 1-1, Ted Joyce, John Michael Nolan 0-1 each.

WEXFORD: James Lawlor; Shane Reck, Liam Ryan, Simon Donohoe; Conal Flood, Pádraig Foley, Matthew O'Hanlon; Diarmuid O'Keeffe, Aidan Nolan; Jack O'Connor, Conor McDonald, Liam Óg McGovern; Mikey Dwyer, Harry Kehoe, Rory O'Connor.

Subs: Paul Morris for R O'Connor (41); Shaun Murphy for Foley (44); Cathal Dunbar for Kehoe (55); Seamus Casey for J O'Connor (62); Gary Molloy for McDonald (67).

CARLOW: Damien Jordan; Michael Malone, Paul Doyle, Michael Doyle; Alan Corcoran, David English, Gary Bennett; Seán Whelan, Aaron Amond; Jack Kavanagh, Diarmuid Byrne, Jon Nolan; Ted Joyce, Edward Byrne, Chris Nolan.

Subs: John Michael Nolan for J Kavanagh (35+2); Ciarán Whelan for D Byrne (HT); Kevin McDonald for S Whelan (46); Cathal Tracey for J Nolan (49); Ger Coady for Corcoran (52); Jason O'Neill for English (61).

REFEREE: Colum Cunning (Antrim).