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.