Report Ronan Fagan, Photos: Noel Reddy
Gusserane’s Mark Rossiter banged in two goals as the Wexford footballers maintained their push for a first promotion from Division 4 of the Allianz National League since 2017 with a comprehensive fourth-round triumph over London at sunny Chadwicks Wexford Park on Sunday afternoon.
Wexford now sit second in the division on 6 points, with 100% Limerick top on 8 points, Antrim in third on 5, while Wicklow and Sligo are on 4 each, as Carlow (3), Waterford (2) and London (0) complete the group.
Paul Galvin’s men are home to Sligo next Saturday at 2p.m., followed by a trip to Limerick on March 15th, and concluding the group section at home to Wicklow on March 22nd.
[nggallery id=589].
Wexford ruled the roost from the start against London amid near idyllic conditions, and the locals threatened early goals only for Ben Brosnan and Niall Hughes to be denied at the expense of ’45s, both of which the influential Brosnan slotted to help generate a 0-6 to 0-0 lead after 12 minutes.
Then, and rather appropriately just like London buses, when the crowd were expecting Wexford goals, two came along in short notice.
Eoghan Nolan played a one-two with Ben Brosnan before Nolan endured some pain in determinedly palming to the town-end net on 13 minutes.
And, on 15 minutes, Brosnan was again provider when delivering across the square for Mark Rossiter to make it 2-6 to 0-0.
Considering the paucity of the London threat, the Wexford rearguard displayed exemplary vigilance in negating any advances, and it appeared that London might draw a blank for the first-half until ‘keeper Noel Maher pointed a ’45 on 30 minutes.
Fearghal McMahon pegged back a further score at the end of the half to cut the gap to 2-11 to 0-2 at the break.
The gap was only ever likely to mushroom, and Mark Rossiter blasted home his second personal goal on 42 minutes – racing onto a Brosnan ball and rifling to the top far corner of the net – to stretch the margin to 3-12 to 0-4.
Glen Malone added a further goal on 48 minutes when, having been sent on his way by older brother Brian – the latter making a record-setting 165th appearance for the footballers – Glen played a one-two with Brosnan on the edge of the square before slotting to the Clonard-end net (4-13 to 0-5).
Home ‘keeper Ivan Meegan was obviously keeping his wits about him on a quite afternoon for the Ferns’ player as he was excellent in parrying a shot by Séan Hickey over for a point on 54 minutes.
London did squeeze home a rather unfortunate goal four minutes into added-time in the last real act of an otherwise largely confident showing by Wexford’s promotion hopefuls.
Wexford – Ivan Meegan; Jim Rossiter, Gavin Sheehan, Conor Carty (0-1); Eoin Porter, Robbie Barron, Brian Malone (capt.); Eoghan Nolan (1-1), Niall Hughes; Jonathan Bealin (0-1), Glen Malone (1-0), Tom Byrne (0-3, 1 free); Conor Devitt, Ben Brosnan (0-8, 2 ’45s, 3 frees), Mark Rossiter (2-0).
Subs: Oisín Foley for Sheehan (48); Rioghan Crosbie for Brosnan (55); Liam Coleman for Hughes (57); Seán Ryan for Rossiter (61); John Dunne (0-1) for Nolan (65).
London – Noel Maher (0-1 ’45); Philip Butler, Matthew Moynihan, Conor O’Neill; Ronan Slone (0-1), David Carrabine, Eoin Walsh; Eoin Flanagan, Charles Doherty (0-1); Seán Nolan, James Hynes (0-1), Thomas Clarke; Fearghal McMahon (0-1), Christopher Duggan, Liam Cavaghan (1-2, 0-2 frees).
Subs: Ryan Jones for Butler (20); Seán Hickey (0-2) for O’Neill (ht); Ryan Forde for Clarke (ht); Liam Gallagher for Nolan (49); Liam Turley for McMahon (60).
Referee – David Murnane (Cork).
