Sluggish Limerick hurlers beaten by Wexford in opening game of Allianz Hurling League

DEFEAT for Limerick in round one of the Allianz Hurling League this Sunday.

In Chadwicks Wexford Park it finished Limerick 0-11 Wexford 1-11.

A Mikie Dwyer goal in the 58th minute proved the winning score. Limerick failed to score beyond the 19th minute of the second half and finished with 16 wides - two more than the winners.

Limerick now regroup to play Henry Shefflin's Galway in the TUS Gaelic Grounds next Saturday evening.

Limerick were 0-7 to 0-6 ahead at half time - only taking the lead for the first time in the 32nd minute.

It was an opening half in which Limerick had the breeze but hit 10 wides - double that of the home side. Indeed the men in green scored just three points from play in the half, in which they found it hard to make inroads against a packed Wexford defence.

The Darragh Egan managed Wexford gave Limerick a guard of honour onto the pitch but hit the ground running themselves with the opening two points from Jack O'Connor frees.

It was the eighth minute before captain Declan Hannon opened the Limerick account.

Aaron Gillane added a pointed free but The Model County were 0-4 to 0-2 clear on 13-minutes.

Indeed they could have been further clear but for a top class save from Nickie Quaid on 17-minutes to deny Conor McDonald a goal.

Patrickswell team-mates Diarmaid Byrnes and Gillane landed scores from placed balls as Limerick grew into this contest.

Still Wexford were 0-6 to 0-4 ahead on 26-minutes.

Then came a strong Limerick finish to the half spurred by two quick-fire points from Gearoid Hegarty.

When Byrnes (free) made it a three successive Limerick scores, the men in green were ahead for the first half and that's how they went to the half time dressing room.

Byrnes with another free increased the advantage on the change of ends but scores were proving hard to come by.

David Reidy took over the free-taking from the replaced Aaron Gillane and his score helped tied up the contest for the fourth time - 0-9 each and 11-minutues played in the new half.

Robbie Hanley and Hegarty scores left Limerick two clear with 15-minutes to play. 

Wexford then rocked Limerick back with a 58th minute goal - Mikie Dwyer showing great perseverance to somehow squeeze the sliothar under Quaid in a crowded goalmouth. That had Wexford 1-9 to 0-10 ahead.

Conor McDonald added a point and Limerick were left seeking a goal of their own to rescue something from this contest.

SCORERS: Limerick: Diarmaid Byrnes (1 '65, 2 frees) and Gearoid Hegarty 0-3 each, Aaron Gillane (2frees) 0-2, Declan Hannon, David Reidy (1free) and Robbie Hanley 0-1 each. Wexford: Jack O'Connor 0-5 (4frees), Mikie Dwyer 1-0, Oisin Foley and Connal Flood 0-2 each, Diarmuid O'Keeffe and Conor McDonald 0-1 each.

LIMERICK: Nickie Quaid; Barry Nash, Dan Morrissey, Richie English; Diarmaid Byrnes, Declan Hannon, Colin Coughlan; Robbie Hanley, William O'Donoghue; Cathal O'Neill, Tom Morrissey, Gearoid Hegarty; Aaron Gillane, Pat Ryan, David Reidy. Subs: Seamus Flanagan for Aaron Gillane (h-t), Oisin O'Reilly for Pat Ryan (46mins), Conor Boylan for Cathal O'Neill (59mins), Darren O'Connell for David Reidy (66mins), Brian O'Grady for Robbie Hanley (68mins).

WEXFORD: Mark Fanning; Simon Donohue, Liam Ryan, Matthew O'Hanlon; Damien Reck, Paudie Foley, Connal Flood; Diarmuid O'Keeffe, Cathal Dunbar; Oisin Foley, Liam Og McGovern, Charlie McGuckin; Jack O'Connor, Conor McDonald, Mikie Dwyer. Subs: Aodhan Doyle for Cathal Dunbar (58mins), Oisin Pepper for Charlie McGuckian (63mins), Paul Morris for Jack O'Connor (68mins).

REFEREE: Thomas Walsh (Waterford).