Brooks' radar in as Wexford take revenge on Laois

Goalie Darragh Brooks and sharpshooter Seán Nolan each delivered magnificent seven-point hauls as promoted Wexford floored Laois in Saturday's second round Allianz Football League Division 3 clash at an icy Chadwicks Wexford Park.

After the noteworthy win away to Fermanagh, this 14-point victory consolidates Wexford’s solid start to life back in the division for the first time since 2018 .

In fact, this was Wexford’s first league success over Laois since 2005, when the Purple and Gold went on to contest the Division 1 decider.

Such lofty heights are a bit beyond them right now, but Wexford will be further emboldened as they prepare to face fellow promoted outfit Limerick on the road in a fortnight’s time, when Justin McNulty’s Laois will be seeking their first win, at home to Sligo.

Wexford had suffered a first-round Leinster championship trimming by Laois last summer (2-21 to 2-11), but they were well on the road to revenge in this rematch when leading 0-11 to 0-05 at half-time.

On a calm evening, wing-back Kevin Swayne and Evan O’Carroll (free) shot the visitors into a 0-02 to 0-01 seventh minute lead.

But, with Cathal Kehoe having got Wexford off the mark, the hosts led by 0-04 to 0-02 after 11 minutes as Niall Hughes, Tom Byrne and Seán Nolan obliged.

In fact, Nolan was unlucky not to net after intercepting a poor Laois kickout arising from Wexford’s third score.

And after Rioghan Murphy narrowed the gap, O’Carroll squandered a gilt-edged 16th minute goal chance for Laois after being threaded through by captain Brian Byrne.

The Hughes cousins, Niall and Páraic sparked a Wexford purple-patch with a point apiece, while sharpshooter Nolan added a quick four-point burst comprising a 24th minute two-pointer and a brace of frees.

Jack Higgins stretched the gap to 11-4, before Rioghan Murphy’s third contribution hauled Laois to within six points at the break.

The home side certainly weren’t resting on their laurels as goalie Brooks added a two-point free four minutes after the restart, before being off-cue from a ’45 arising from Liam O’Connor forcing a point-black save with a punched effort.

Conor Heffernan and sub Colin Dunne – the latter seconds after his introduction – sought to steady Laois, but Cathal Kehoe and free-taker Nolan quickly reasserted home supremacy after 48 minutes (0-15 to 0-07).

A further brace of two-pointer frees from Brooks helped consolidate Wexford’s clear-cut victory, their first in seven league attempts against the O’Moore County.

Wexford: Darragh Brooks (0-07, 3 tpf, 1 ’45); Gavin Sheehan, Liam O’Connor, Eoin Porter; Glen Malone, Shane Doyle, Dylan Furlong; Liam Coleman, Cathal Kehoe (0-02); Jack Higgins (0-01), Páraic Hughes (0-01), Mark Rossiter (0-01); Tom Byrne (0-01), Seán Nolan (0-07, 1 tp, 3 frees), Niall Hughes (0-02).

Subs: Robbie Brooks for Nolan (63), Cian Hughes (0-1) for Byrne (63), Colum Feeney for Higgins (66), Cian Ryle for Coffey (68), Seán Ryan for N. Hughes (70+3), Seán Barden for Malone (70+3).

Laois: Killian Roche; Trevor Collins, Ben Dempsey, Jack Lacey; Patrick O’Sullivan, Brian Byrne, Kevin Swayne (0-01); Robert Tyrell, Ciarán Burke; Niall Corbet, Ronan Coffey, Conor Heffernan (0-01); Rioghan Murphy (0-03), Daragh Galvin (0-01), Evan O’Carroll (0-01 free).

Subs: Matthew Byron for Roche (HT), Colin Dunne (0-1) for Burke (42), Paul Kingston (0-1) for Corbet (47), Mikie Dempsey for O’Carroll (50).

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