Kildare crash to Wexford in O' Byrne Cup

Kildare slipped disappointingly out of the Dioralyte O’Byrne Cup at the quarter final stage as

a much-changed line-up shipped three goals to a lively Wexford outfit in Chadwick’s Wexford

Park this afternoon.

Manager Glenn Ryan made ten changes from the win over Carlow on Wednesday night and

perhaps that had an impact as his side continued a worrying trend from last year that saw

goals conceded too easily while struggling to convert at the other end.

In a close, competitive, opening half Kildare appeared to have settled well enough when they

went into a 0-4 to 0-2 lead after 16 minutes, but they allowed Cian Hughes to wriggle in from

the left corner to slip a shot past debutant goalkeeper Didier Cordonnier for the opening

goal.

The sides were back level at half-time at 1-4 to 0-7 with the returning Jimmy Hyland leading

the Kildare scoring with three points. But the home side took control in a ten minute spell

from the 46 minute in which they scored 1-4 to a single Daniel Flynn point in response.

A slick passing move pierced the Kildare defence for the experienced Ben Brosnan to palm

home their second goal on 49 minutes with Cordonnier stranded.

Half-time substitute Flynn was the dominant Kildare performer in the second half and points

from the Johnstownbridge man, Kevin Feely and a Callum Bolton mark narrowed the gap to

three points with eleven minutes remaining.

But Wexford pierced the Lilywhite defence with a lightening break from defence led by

Darragh Lyons and Cian Hughes turned inside Jack Sargent to set up wing back Páraic

Hughes for their third goal eight minutes from the end.

Late points from Flynn and Paddy Woodgate were mere consolation scores for a Kildare

team who had earlier failed to convert goal chances for Barry Kelly, Sargent, Mick O’Grady,

and Woodgate.

Plenty to ponder for Ryan, who now has no further competitive action until the league opener

against Cavan in Netwatch Cullen Park on 27 January.

Scorers: Kildare: Jimmy Hyland 0-3 (1 free), Daniel Flynn 0-3, Niall Kelly 0-2, Sam McCormack 0-1,

Aaron Masterson 0-1, Didier Cordonnier 0-1 (’45), Kevin Feely 0-1, Callum Bolton 0-1

(mark), Paddy Woodgate 0-1.

Wexford: Páraic Hughes 1-2, Cian Hughes 1-1 (1 mark), Ben Brosnan 1-1 (1 free), Tom

Byrne 0-2, Mark Rossiter 0-1 (m), Kevin O’Grady 0-1, Conor Kinsella 0-1.

KILDARE: Didier Cordonnier; Harry O’Neill, Mick O’Grady, Ryan Burke; Killian Galligan, Jack

Sargent, Brian Byrne; Brendan Gibbons, Aaron Masterson; Callum Bolton, Sam

McCormack, Barry Kelly; Niall Kelly, Shane Farrell, Jimmy Hyland. Subs: Daniel Flynn for

Niall Kelly, Paddy Woodgate for Hyland, Alex Beirne for Burke (all half-time), Kevin Feely for

Byrne (47 minutes), Kevin O’Callaghan for Galligan (66 minutes).

WEXFORD: Anto Larkin; Conor Kelly, Gavin Sheehan, Darragh Lyons; Dylan Furlong, Glen

Malone, Páraic Hughes; Liam Coleman, John Roche; Tom Byrne, Shane Pettit, Richie

Waters; Dean O’Toole, Mark Rossiter, Cian Hughes. Subs: Ben Brosnan for Pettit (23 minutes), Rory Tubritt for Larkin, Conor Kinsella for Rossiter, Niall Hughes for Waters, Kevin O’Grady for Roche (all half-time), Jonathan Bealin for Malone (52 minutes), Graeme Cullen for O’Toole (60 minutes), Conor Carty for Kelly (66 minutes), Cathal Walsh for Páraic

Hughes (69 minutes).

REFEREE: Seamus Farrelly, Dublin.