Cathal Mannion stars as Galway overcome Wexford

John Fallon reports from Pearse Stadium

CATHAL MANNION marked his 60th championship game for Galway with an exhibition of scoring as he landed 0-17 to drive Galway to an invaluable Leinster SHC win at Pearse Stadium in Salthill.

Mannion’s haul, which included 11 frees, came from 19 shots at the target from the Ahascragh-Fohenagh clubman as Galway made it two wins from three in this year’s championship.

Captain Conor Whelan, playing further out the field, did not score but won an enormous amount of turnovers to lay the foundation for victory.

The loss, their second in three games, leaves Wexford in serious trouble as they head into two final home games against Offaly and Kilkenny.

Galway got on top in the second quarter and were good value for their 0-15 to 0-11 interval, having played against the breeze in the opening half on a pristine surface at Pearse Stadium.

Cathal Mannion once again led the way for the Tribesmen and landed eight points, three of them from play, in that opening half, with centre-back Gavin Lee going forward to shoot a couple of excellent points from deep.

Lee Chin, yet again, led the Wexford challenge, but Keith Rossiter’s men did not make use of the wind and delivered very little ball directly.

They recovered well after Brian Concannon and Mannion gave Galway an ideal start and struck the next four points to lead by 0-4 to 0-2 after seven minutes.

Galway hit back and after drawing level, they opened up a three-point lead by the end of the opening quarter before Wexford responded with efforts from Kevin Foley, Chin and Conor Hearne drawing them level after 21 minutes.

But Galway got on top after that and outscored Wexford by seven points to three from there to the break to turn around leading by 0-15 to 0-11.

Tom Monaghan and Rory O’Connor exchanged points after the restart before O’Connor raced from deep through the Galway defence and set up Cathal Dunbar for a goal which cut the gap to 0-16 to 1-12 after 42 minutes.

Cathal Mannion wiped out that goal in just over three minutes with a fine effort from halfway, either side of two more pointed frees, while at the other end Darren Morrissey did well to deflect a goal effort from Rory O’Connor.

But Wexford got a second goal when Cian Byrne finished off a good move involving Chin, Rory O’Connor and Richie Lawlor to cut the gap to two points at 0-22 to 2-14 after 58 minutes.

Galway didn’t panic and continued to pick off points with Mannion leading the way before they wrapped up the win when Conor Cooney finished a rebound to the net after Mark Fanning did well to deny Kevin Cooney.

Scorers: Galway: Cathal Mannion 0-17 (0-11f), Conor Cooney 1-0, Brian Concannon 0-2, Gavin Lee 0-2, John Fleming 0-2, Cinan Fahy 0-2, Tom Monaghan 0-2, Colm Molloy 0-1, Sean Linnane 0-1.

Wexford: Lee Chin 0-12 (0-9f, 0-1 ’65), Cathal Dunbar 1-0, Cian Byrne 1-0, Jack O’Connor 0-1, Kevin Foley 0-1, Conor Hearne 0-1, Rory O’Connor 0-1.

Galway:

1. Darach Fahy (Ardrahan)

2. Pádraic Mannion (Ahascragh-Fohenagh) 3. Fintan Burke (St. Thomas’)

4. Darren Morrissey (Sarsfields)

5. Cianán Fahy (Ardrahan) 6. Gavin Lee (Clarinbridge)

7. TJ Brennan (Clarinbridge)

8. David Burke (St. Thomas’) 9. Tom Monaghan (Craughwell)

10. John Fleming (Meelick-Eyrecourt) 12. Tiernan Killeen (Loughrea)

13. Conor Whelan (Kinvara)

11. Cathal Mannion (Ahascragh-Fohenagh) 14. Brian Concannon (Killimordaly)

15. Colm Molloy (Kilnadeema-Leitrim)

Substitutes:

26. Anthony Burns (Loughrea) for Molloy (55) 23. Kevin Cooney (Sarsfields) for Killeen (55) 20. Seán Linnane (Turloughmore) for Fleming (60) 24. Conor Cooney (St. Thomas’) for Concannon (66)

21. Ronan Glennon (Mullagh) for Burke (69)

Wexford:

1. Mark Fanning (Glynn-Barntown)

5. Conor Foley (Horeswood) 3. Liam Ryan (Rapparees)

7. Eoin Ryan (St. Anne’s Rathangan)

10. Richie Lawlor (Faythe Harriers) 6. Damien Reck (Oylegate-Glenbrien)

9. Charlie McGuckin (Naomh Éanna)

4. Simon Donohoe (Shelmaliers) 8. Conor Hearne (Shelmaliers)

20. Jack O’Connor (St. Martin’s) 17. Séamus Casey (Oylegate-Glenbrien)

13. Cathal Dunbar (Naomh Éanna)

12. Kevin Foley (Rapparees) 11. Lee Chin (Faythe Harriers)

14. Rory O’Connor (St. Martin’s)

Substitutes:

26. Conor McDonald (Naomh Éanna) for Casey (50) 15. Cian Byrne (St. Mogue’s Fethard) for J O’Connor (53) 22. Jack Redmond (Rathnure St. Anne’s) for Lawlor (58)

21. Cian Molloy (Naomh Éanna) for McGuckin (67)

Referee: Thomas Walsh (Waterford).