Kildare dismiss Wexford with ease in O'Byrne Cup

Kildare opened their 2023 senior football season tonight (Wednesday January 4) when they took on Wexford at St Patrick's Park, Enniscorthy recording a comprehensive win over the home side on a final score line of Kildare 1-18 Wexford 0-11.

Kildare manager Glenn Ryan experssed his satisfaction after the game and while admitting there is much room for improvement, acknowledged his side did ok.

The star of the show for Kildare was undoubtedly Jack Robinson while Darragh Kirwan was not too fare behind, each scoring six points.

Wexford's best was corner forward Mark Rossiter who notched up nine points of his side's total.

Kildare led at the break, 0-11 to 0-6 with the Clogherinkoe man causing all sorts of problems with his pace and direct running, hitting all of his six points total in that half.

On the resumption a Paddy Woodgate goal early on all but put an end to the contest, the Raheens man did well scoring 1-3, and with Darragh Kirwan hitting a further three points from play, Kildare ran out comfortable winners.

Overall a decent game and with Louth defeating Westmeath, the clash this Saturday in Newbridge, will all but guaranteed a semi-final spot for the winner.

Scorers: Kildare, Jack Robinson 0-6 (1 free), Darragh Kirwan 0-6, Paddy Woodgate 1-3 (2 frees), Alex Beirne 0-1 (mark), Darragh Malone 0-1, Cein McMonagle 0-1.

Wexford, Mark Rossiber 0-9 ( 2 45s, 4 frees), Kevin O'Gradvy 0-1, Conor Kinsella 0-1.

KILDARE: Mark Donnellan; Jack Quinn, Michael Joyce, Darragh Malone; Paddy McDermott, Jack Sargent, Kevin Flynn; Aaron Masterson, Alex Beirne; David Hyland, Barry Coffey, Shane O'Sullivan; Jack Robinson, Darragh Kirwan, Paddy Woodgate. Subs: Jimmy Hyland for Jack Robinson (48 minutes); Brendan Gibbons for Aaron Masterson (54 minutes); Cein McMonagle for Barry Coffey (54 minutes); Tony Archbold for Shane O'Sullivan (61 minutes).

WEXFORD: Craig McCabe; Jim Rossiter, Eoin Porter, Rioghan Crosbie; Glen Malone, Dylan Furlong, Brian Cushe; Eoghan Nolan, Darragh Lyons; Liam Doyle, Dean O'Toole, Conor Kinsella; Kevin O'Grady, Ben Brosnan, Mark Rossiter. Subs: Cathal Stokes for Dylan Furlong (27 minutes); Liam O'Connor for Mark Rossiter (63 minutes); Gavin Sheehan for Rioghan Crosbie (63 minutes); Robbie Brooks for Jim Rossiter (63 minutes); Cormac Cooney for Conor Kinsella (67 minutes).

REFEREE: James Foley, Carlow.