Wexford boss Keith Rossiter: 'I'll have a couple of sleepless nights' after ref decisions in Clare defeat

Johnny Murphy’s decision to send off Rory O’Connor had grated him. So irked was he at half-time that he and county chairman Micheál Martin approached the referee on the field.

The double yellow card dismissal, Rossiter claimed, “ruined the game”. He drew equivalence with the ever-so harsh penalty that was awarded to Eoin Cody and converted for a goal by TJ Reid in their previous championship defeat.

“Little things like that cost us all year,” he bemoaned about O’Connor’s first booking. “You go into the Kilkenny game, the last game of the (Leinster) championship and a penalty being awarded (for a foul) two or three yards outside of the box.

“You look at today, that first yellow card. I don’t know who is up there looking down on us not giving us the bit of luck but those are hard decisions to get over. I will have a couple of sleepless nights thinking about those. It is something that is not sitting that well with me at the minute.” 

Rossiter and Wexford certainly do have grounds to feel sorry for themselves and exasperated by officiating. That Liam Gordon call in Kilkenny was crucial and the departure of O’Connor, who had been their best player in the first half, for two bookings for fouls on David Reidy, the first of which was dubious in the opening seconds, was harsh.

Yet as much as O’Connor’s sending off might have spoiled the game as a contest, it unlikely decided the result. Clare were far too tuned in to be caught napping as they were by Wexford on occasions in this fixtures two years ago.

Reaffirming his status as a hurler of the year contender alongside Gearóid Hegarty and Paddy Deegan, Shane O’Donnell was sensational especially in the second half when he scored 1-3 of his 1-4 tally. His quick return to form would have been anticipated but possibly the biggest reason for cheer for Clare was Tony Kelly’s confirmation that he is well and truly match fit.

“He had a fairly serious operation and it’s taken him a while to get back,” said Brian Lohan. “Tony needs matches, he needs to get out on the field. Today was the opportunity for him to start and rebound. He didn’t play poorly in the Munster final but just rebound and get to the level he is capable of. So, delighted for Tony.” 

So comfortable were Clare in the end that Lohan was able to call ashore mainstays David Fitzgerald and John Conlon before the hour mark. They were seven points up in the 57th minute when Fitzgerald made way and eight to the good when Conlon left. Wexford were chasing goals but Éibhear Quilligan was shutting them out.

Clare had been in the ascendancy in the first half up to the 24th minute. They led by seven points. Kelly, O’Donnell and David Reidy were in dynamic mode while Lee Chin was being held at the other end.

Clare’s nagging habit of slacking when they have built an advantage returned when Wexford hit them for an unanswered 1-4 in nine minutes. O’Connor was instrumental in that purple patch, scoring the first point then pouncing on Adam Hogan’s stray pass to draw a penalty from David McInerney.

Chin spanked the ball to the net and McInerney was black carded, even though the foul didn’t meet the criteria for denying a goal-scoring opportunity. Conor Foley followed it up with a point and Wexford were level.

A couple of Kelly scores ensured Clare went into half-time ahead, 0-15 to 1-10, and with McInerney returning to the fray early in the second half Wexford’s challenge was going to be made greater.

They were coping up to the 43rd minute when Diarmuid Ryan returned Mark Fanning’s clearance to O’Donnell. His power was too much for Matthew O’Hanlon who fouled him but O’Donnell availed of the advantage to beat the Wexford goalkeeper.

Clare’s second goal, to put them six up like the first had, came just over 10 minutes later. Conlon sent the ball up the line and substitute Ian Galvin turned Eoin Ryan before rocketing it low and true.

Clare were on their way to washing that Limerick result at this same venue 13 days earlier out of their hair. “We were under pressure to get back winning after we lost the last day,” noted Lohan. “Pressure on our lads. They responded well, as they always do. Showed a bit of resilience, bit of toughness and came out with the result.

“We’ve a great bunch. We’re carrying a panel of 40 players and they’re a very competitive, very ambitious bunch. We’ve done a lot of things well this year but we haven’t jumped the biggest fences. That’s what we have to get to. We’ve a big fence coming against us now. We have to take that on and see can we deal with it.” What Wexford couldn’t contend with was losing O’Connor. “You are not going to beat a team of Clare’s calibre with 14 men,” rued Rossiter. 

Indeed, a reason for insomnia right there.

Scorers for Clare: S. O’Donnell (1-4); M. Rodgers (frees), T. Kelly (1 free) (0-6 each); I. Galvin (1-1); D. Reidy (0-3); D. Fitzgerald, D. Ryan (0-2 each); C. Leen, A. Shanagher, S. Meehan, A. McCarthy (65) (0-1 each).

Scorers for Wexford: L. Chin (1-6, 1-0 pen, 5 frees); C. Foley (0-3, 1 sideline); R. O’Connor, C. Byrne (0-2 each); M. Fanning (free), C. Hearne, C. McDonald, C. Dunbar, K. Foley, S. Casey (0-1 each).

CLARE: E. Quilligan; A. Hogan, C. Cleary, C. Leen; D. Ryan, J. Conlon, D. McInerney; T. Kelly (c), C. Malone; D. Fitzgerald, M. Rodgers, P. Duggan; S. O’Donnell, A. Shanagher, D. Reidy.

Subs for Clare: I. Galvin for P. Duggan (46); P. Crotty for D. Fitzgerald (57); C. Galvin for J. Conlon (59); S. Meehan for A. Shanagher (61); A. McCarthy for M. Rodgers (67).

WEXFORD: M. Fanning; S. Reck, M. O’Hanlon, E. Ryan; C. Foley, D. Reck, S. Donohoe; C. Hearne, L. McGovern; R. O’Connor, R. Lawlor, C. McGuckin; C. Byrne, L. Chin (c), C. McDonald.

Subs for Wexford: C. Dunbar for L. McGovern (44); K. Foley for C. McGuckin (46); C. Byrne-Dunbar for C. Byrne (56); D. Carley for R. Lawlor, S. Casey for C. McDonald (68).

Sent off: R. O’Connor (32, second yellow).

Referee: J. Murphy (Limerick)