Leinster MHC: Win for Galway over Wexford

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Electric Ireland Leinster minor hurling championship

Tier 1, Round 3

Galway 3-19 Wexford 1-15

Preliminary quarter-finals

Kildare 1-20 Westmeath 1-17

Offaly 4-16 Laois 4-13

By Paul Keane

Brian Callanan helped himself to 1-9 as holders Galway overcame hosts Wexford to secure the first of the Electric Ireland Leinster MHC semi-final places.

Last year’s All-Ireland runners-up turned on the style in the second-half at Chadwicks Wexford Park to secure a 10-point win in their final Tier 1 group game.

Ardrahan’s Callanan registered 1-6 of his tally from open play with his stoppage time goal setting the seal on an impressive win.

All three of Galway’s goals came in the second-half with Sean Moran and Stephen Keane also raising green flags in the south-east.

Galway’s second win from three outings means they have finished the group with four points and only Kilkenny or Dublin – who meet tomorrow at UPMC Nowlan Park (2pm) – can join them.

With the top two teams going forward to the provincial semi-finals, it means Galway are guaranteed their place and will be joined by the Cats or Dublin.

All is not lost for Wexford as the teams that finish third and fourth in the four-team top tier group advance to next weekend’s quarter-finals.

It was nip and tuck between Galway and Wexford for the entire opening half which Galway eventually edged by 0-10 to 0-9.

The sides were level seven times in that first 30 or so minutes though Galway dominated the second half with 34th, 46th and 62nd minute goals.

Moran struck the first of those, a blistering effort from inside the 20-metre line and Keane punished Wexford for Galway’s second goal after a short puck-out was turned over.

Wexford’s cause wasn’t helped by their reduction to 14 players in the 52nd minute due to a red card and Callanan capped a great day with Galway’s third goal in stoppage time.

Goalkeeper Sean Kelly was among the Galway scorers though 15 wides over the 60 minutes leaves them with room for improvement ahead of their semi-final.

Free-taker Sean O’Brien sniped 1-10 overall for Wexford while Ciaran Gethings, Cathal Sinnott, Jack Dunne, Kevin O’Mahony and Jamie Kennedy hit a point each.