In-form Wexford too strong for Carlow in Leinster

Mark Rossiter netted a second-half double as Wexford romped past neighbours Carlow in Sunday's Leinster SFC opener at Chadwicks Wexford Park.

A month after hammering the Barrowsiders by 1-14 to 0-7 in the league, Wexford were more convincing in this rematch, as John Hegarty’s men cruised into a quarter-final against Louth, last year’s beaten provincial finalists.

Carlow, without a victory in the provincial championship since making the semi-finals in 2018, must wait for the start of the Tailteann Cup on the second weekend of May.

Carlow endured the double blow of losing the influence of captain Darragh Foley - their all-time record scorer - and midfielder Jordan Morrissey prematch, and rather peculiarly they opted to face the strong wind first after winning the coin toss.

The sides traded early frees – Colm Hulton’s ice-breaker for Carlow being matched by Seán Nolan – before wind assisted Wexford settled into a tenth minute 0-3 to 0-1 lead through midfielder Liam Coleman and Mark Rossiter (mark).

Conor Kinsella endured the misfortune of both uprights keeping out his effort at extending the lead after intercepting a back-pass.

Regardless, Wexford stretched ahead by 0-05 to 0-03 as Seán Nolan (mark) and Niall Hughes sandwiched a Carlow response from Conor Doyle (free), before Conor Kinsella forced the Carlow 'keeper into saving a tame low effort in the eighteenth minute.

But with Wexford seeking to deposit a tidy advantage with the wind favouring them, they summoned score merchant Ben Brosnan from the ‘bench on fifteen minutes in place of Kinsella.

Brosnan became their sixth scorer as Wexford dominated the second quarter to ease ahead by 0-12 to 0-03 at half-time, mainly through the placed-ball execution of Seán Nolan, who added