Limerick suffer Division 4 Allianz Football League defeat to Wexford

“TOO many mistakes and we failed to make any use of the breeze in the first twenty minutes,” was manager Jimmy Lee's analysis of Limerick 0-17 to 0-13 defeat to Wexford in the second round of their National Football League Division Four campaign in Rathkeale's Mick Neville Part on Sunday.

“We just didn't perform to the best of our ability and never got everything going together at the same time.”

Following on the draw in their opening round fixture in Longford the previous Sunday, the result leaves Lee's charges with almost no wriggle room if they're to return to Division Three at the first attempt.

However, at least they have the consolation of having their clash with the favourites for promotion out of the way.

Although Wexford took their time to find the measure of the new rules before they imposed their superiority, the Model County got over three missed goal chances before the break and they ratcheted up the pressure to take the lead for the first time nine minutes after the restart and kept their noses in front all the way to the final whistle.

The biggest difference between the sides was in primary possession where Wexford's dominance of the kickout allowed them to respond quickly every time their opponents found the target as they not only found the space to attack at speed.

The winners also had the lethal free-taking of Seán Nolan to call on any time their attacks were fouled. Limerick did have James Naughton to reply in kind, but managed just six points of their tally from play and all were scored by either Emmett Rigter and Andrew Meade.

Yet despite the result, it was still a better overall performance from Limerick than against Longford, played at a faster pace and a higher level of physicality and a more rigorous test of the selection choices facing Lee and his management team.

Their ability to retain their focus despite the hiccups in the execution of their game may stand to them in the rest of their campaign.

Limerick won most of the early possession and, after James Naughton and Séan Nolan swapped frees, but they rode their luck when Pádraig Hughes lost possession on the end line with the goals in sight.

Using their width on the attack to draw another pair of fouls for Naughton to punish. However, that supply began to dry up when the Model County started to dominate the kickout going into the second quarter and missed a second goal chance when Josh Ryan raced off his line to smother Nolan's shot before Niall Hughes and Nolan drew them level.

With the momentum flowing against them, Limerick got the break when Emmett Rigter came out to collect and then whack over the county's first-ever two-pointer. After Mark Rossiter's speculative long shot was scrambled off the line, Nolan sent over a consolation free only to be cancelled by Rigter pointing on the run.

Coming up to the break, Nolan struck this time from play to reduce the margin to the minimum as did goalie Colin Feeny stepping up to send over a '45' after Rigter found the target looping around to take the backpass.

It left the Shannonsiders leading 0-7 to 0-6 as they the teams headed for the dressing rooms.

Restarting against the breeze, Limerick shot two wides before Kevin O'Grady equalised at the other end and, despite Naughton's free putting them ahead again, Rossiter's reply was followed by Nolan putting the Leinstermen two to the good off a two-pointer free.

Hampered by their difficulties, the home team struggled to find a response and even though Naughron pointed another free, the score was quickly cancelled by Nolan as was a Peter Nash free with Pádraig Hughes walloping over a huge two-pointer from out left.

Going into the final quarter, sustained Limerick pressure yielded points from Naughton and an Andrew Meade effort. After an exchange between Hughes and Meade, Limerick's big chance to strike back was foiled when Rigter's effort off a pass across the small square was smothered by a forest of legs.

Making the most of their escape, the Slaneysiders eased the pressure with a Glen Malone point and, settling for patient possession, kept their opponents at bay as Martin O'Connor and an added time Nolan free added to their score difference.

SCORERS: WEXFORD: Seán Nolan 0-8 (1 2x free, 3 frees), Pádraig Hughes 0-3 (1 2x), Niall Hughes, Colin Feeny ('45'), Kevin O'Grady, Niall Rossiter, Glen Malone, Martin O'Connor 0-1 each. LIMERICK: James Naughton 0-6 (6 frees), Emmett Rigter 0-4 (1 2x), Andrew Meade 0-2, Peter Nash 0-1 (free).

WEXFORD: Colin Feeny; Michael Furlong, Gavin Sheehan, Martin O'Connor; Eoin Porter, Pádraig Hughes, Glen Malone; Tom Byrne, Niall Hughes; Eoghan Nolan, Shane Pettit, Mark Rossiter; Ben Brosnan, Seán Nolan, Kevin O'Grady. SUBS: Dylan Furlong for Ben Brosnan (49 minutes), Conor Carty for Mark Rossiter (60 minutes), Seán Ryan for Kevin O'Grady (65 minutes), Cathal Walsh for Shane Pettit (63 minutes).

LIMERICK: Josh Ryan; Colm McSweeney, Fiachra Cotter, Mark McCarthy; Barry Coleman, Killian Ryan, Tony McCarthy; Tommie Childs, Emmett Rigter; Paul Maher, James Naughton, Cillian Fahy; Peter Nash, Bob Childs, Andrew Meade. SUBS: Iain Corbett for Killian Ryan (half-time), Darragh O'Hagan for Tommie Childs (half-time), Diarmuid Buckley for Barry Coleman (injured, 50 minutes), Darach Ó Siochrú for Peter Nash (55 minutes), Tadhg Ó Siochrú for Andrew Meade (68 minutes).

REFEREE: Christopher Ryan (Galway).