Ruthless Cork power past under-strength Wexford

Beaten All-Ireland SHC finalists Cork ravaged an understrength Wexford in Saturday's opening Allianz NHL Division 1A clash at a frosty and rain-swept Chadwicks Wexford Park.

Starting with nine of last July’s line-up from the epic Liam MacCarthy Cup decider against Clare, Pat Ryan’s charges made a decisive start against a Wexford side shorn of an array of talent.

Indeed, Model County supremo Keith Rossiter had lost Diarmuid O’Keeffe, Matthew O’Hanlon and Liam Óg McGovern through retirement, while injuries also robbed him of Liam Ryan, Conor McDonald, Damien Reck and Jack O’Connor, with talisman Lee Chin away on his travels.

That left Wexford to field just five of their 2019 Leinster champions – Mark Fanning, Simon Donohoe, Cathal Dunbar, Rory O’Connor and Kevin Foley – as Rossiter lent upon several of those who were Under-20 provincial final runners-up under his charge in 2022 and 2023, including Senior debutant David Codd.

The strong Cork selection revelled in the circumstances, posting a 1-12 to 0-05 lead at half-time before consolidating their position with an early second-half goaled penalty by Declan Dalton.

Despite Brian Hayes excelling from the outset, poor finishing plagued Cork’s early endeavours, although they crafted a 0-04 to 0-01 lead after the first quarter courtesy of Hayes, Declan Dalton, Pádraig Power and Darragh Fitzgibbon (free).

Wexford deployed Kevin Foley as a sweeper while facing the strong wind.

But despite Cian Byrne pegging back a pointed free, Cork’s underlying superiority was reflected in them stretching 0-09 to 0-02 ahead with the aid of a crowning line-ball conversion by Declan Dalton.

The Fr O’Neills man was really hitting his stride and contributed to a 29th minute goal, when his long delivery was