REPORT: Wasteful Laois left to rue chances as Wexford finish strongly and take spoils

Laois opened their National League campaign with a defeat down in Wexford Park on Sunday. While they were well beaten on the scoreline, the Laois men didn't lack enthusiasm or application but were found wanting in match sharpness.

Don't be fooled by the scoreboard. Laois were not 19 points inferior but with 21 wides to their name, they did have the chances to be a lot closer before Wexford tagged on two injury time goals to push out the final margin.

Wexford 4-17

Laois 0-10

The wides were a killer for Laois. While they never looked like winning the game, Wexford were not pushing on at the same time and Cheddar Plunkett's men wasted so many chances. The upside of that is that they were creating the chances and not afraid to have a go. The sharpness will come in time and the amount of chances they created will definitely be a positive they can take from the game.

It was their first game this year and they were never going to be razor sharp but they were sloppy with their shooting.

They only trailed by seven points with 66 minutes gone but Wexford cut loose in the remaining four minutes of normal time and the four minutes injury time.

The first half wasn't much of a spectacle. Laois did start well with Ross King putting them into an early three minute lead but Wexford wasted little time in cancelling that out with late replacement Harry Kehoe popping over the first of his three first half points for Davy Fitzgerald's men.

Cha Dwyer had a bright opening to the game and his perseverance won a free six minutes in for PJ Scully to tap over.

That would be the last time Laois would hold the advantage in the opening half despite having the aid of a strong breeze blowing down to the town end in Wexford Park.

Wexford weren't setting the world alight but slowly but surely, they took control of the half while Laois wasted decent opportunities amassing 10 first half wides.

Conor McDonald put Wexford 0-3 to 0-2 in front before midfielder Conor Hearne doubled their lead but the big swing came when Wexford fired in two goals in the space of three minutes.

Mikie Dwyer grabbed both, his first a neat flick over Enda Rowland and his second arrived after the ball broke free in the danger area after a long range free dropped short and the Fethard man simply ground stroked to the net.

Laois now trailed 2-4 to 0-2 after 25 minutes against the wind as, understandably so, their hurling looked rusty.

PJ Scully fired over a close range free for their first score in 21 minutes before he added another with a minute to go in the half. Ross King should have found the net just before the break  but an excellent Seamus Casey save kept the Wexford goals in tact.

Harry Kehoe put over Wexford's sixth point right on half time as the sides went in at half time, neither overly happy with their performance one would imagine, with Wexford leading 2-6 to 0-4.

Business picked up a bit in the second half with both sides looking sharper in the early stages. PJ Scully (65) and Diarmuid O'Keefe exchanged scores before a fine Paddy Purcell effort brought it back to a 2-7 to 0-6 game.

Enda Rowland denied Mikie Dwyer his hat-trick while at the other end, Cha Dwyer did have a half goal chance but he got crowded out and his shot drifted wide.

Just before the second half water break, there was some drama. Rory O'Connor was bearing down on goal only to be deliberately pulled down by Lee Cleere in the semi circle. Referee Thomas Walsh awarded the penalty and sent Cleere to the sin bin for 10 minutes under the new rules.

Enda Rowland then went on and saved Lee Chin's penalty and the scored read 2-9 to 0-7 with 15 minutes to go.

The game fizzled out after the water break. Wexford emptied the bench but with stars like Rory O'Connor and Lee Chin to spring, they weren't exactly weakening their hand.

Simon Donohoe landed two for Wexford as the wides piled on for Laois, 18 by the 60th minute.

Jack Kelly did fire over a massive score for Laois and a free from PJ Scully left it 2-11 to 0-10 with just under 10 minutes to play.

Lee Chin then landed two frees and goalkeeper Seamus Casey also landed a long range free to stretch the lead as the game entered injury time.

Rory O'Connor and Conor Hearne put the icing on the cake in stoppage time with two well taken goals as Wexford ended up convincing winners on the scoreboard.

LAOIS

Scorers: PJ Scully 0-6 (0-4 frees and 0-1 '65'), Ross King 0-2, Paddy Purcell and Jack Kelly 0-1 each

Team: Enda Rowland; Lee Cleere, Sean Downey, Donnacha Hartnett; Podge Delaney, Jack Kelly, Ryan Mullaney; Fiachra Fennell, Aaron Dunphy; Paddy Purcell, Ciaran Comerford, Ciaran Collier; Charlie Dwyer, Ross King, PJ Scully. Subs: James Ryan for Fiachra Fennell temp 13-16m), James Ryan for Aaron Dunphy (31m), Diarmuid Conway for Ciaran Comerford (53m), James Keyes for Paddy Purcell (63m), Colm Stapleton for Ciaran Collier (68m), Conor Phelan for Fiachra Fennell (70m), Ciaran McEvoy for Ryan Mullaney (70m)

WEXFORD

Scorers: Mikie Dwyer 2-0, Conor Hearne 1-1, Rory O'Connor 1-0, Lee Chin 0-3 frees, Harry Kehoe 0-3 (0-1 free), Gavin Bailey and Simon Donohoe 0-2 each, Seamus Casey (free), Jack O'Connor (65) Conor McDonald and Conor Devitt 0-1 each.

Team: Seamus Casey; Damien Reck, Liam Ryan, Conor Firman; Gavin Bailey, Simon Donohoe, Conal Flood; Diarmuid O'Keefe, Conor Hearne; Kevin Foley, Jack O'Connor, Mikie Dwyer; David Dunne, Conor McDonald, Harry Kehoe. Subs: Shane Reck for Damien Reck (29m), Rory O'Connor for Jack O'Connor (45m), Lee Chin for Harry Kehoe (45m), Liam Og McGovern for Conor McDonald (50m), Aidan Nolan for Mikie Dwyer (57m), Matthew O'Hanlon for Liam Ryan (67m), Conor Devitt for David Dunne (67m)

REFEREE: Thomas Walsh (Waterford)