A goal in the 21st minute from Aine Lacey was enough for Wexford to hold Down at arm’s length and see out a challenging relegation semi-final in Liatroim on Saturday.
The loss means Down have to face Offaly next weekend, with the loser of that encounter dropping down to the intermediate ranks for 2024. It is something Down would not deserve after being drawn in the toughest of the senior championship groups and then pushing the Slaneysiders close on Saturday.
There was little between the sides on Saturday. Down did what they did in each of their games through the summer: they chased down every ball, won plenty of one-on-one battles and troubled a team that was clear favourites going into the tie.
But they will probably look back to their only real goal chance that fell to Niamh Mallon in the 50th minute. The captain just took a split second too long to make up her mind and the chance was lost. Had it gone in, the teams would have been level.
But once again, you couldn’t fault Mallon’s contribution, five points in each half and a constant threat to the winners’ defence.
She was well-supported up front by her club-mate Saoirse Sands and Sara Louise Graffin, while Catherine McGourty, Dearbhla Magee in a sweeper-type role and midfielders Deirbhile Savage and Lauren Clarke were others to catch the eye.
For Wexford, it was hard to ignore Ciara O’Connor’s accuracy from frees, and the play of Shelly Kehoe, Sarah O’Connor, Anais Curran and veteran Ciara Storey. Indeed, seven different players found the target for the winners with only three doing the same for Down.
Mallon opened the scoring with a free, but that was the only time her side led. As Curran, Linda Bulger and Ciara O’Connor found the target, Mallon tried to keep her side in touch.
Sara Louise Graffin’s point in the 20th minute made it 0-6 to 0-5 in favour of Wexford and that was when Lacey hit the net for the only goal of the game.
When Ciara O’Connor followed up with two frees, there was a chance Wexford might pull away as they had done at the same point in a league game in March. But Mallon responded before the break with one from play and another from a free and Wexford’s lead had been cut to 1-8 to 0-8.
On several occasions during the second half, Down cut the gap further to two points, but each time Wexford responded and they closed out the game with late points from Chloe Foxe and O’Connor’s ninth.
MATCH STATS
Down: C McGourty, I O’Hare, D Coleman, A Savage, A Mallon, D Magee, R Smyth, D Savage, L Clarke, S McGrath, SL Graffin (0-2), S Sands (0-3), C Fitzsimons, N Mallon (0-10, 0-6 frees), O Boyle.
Subs: C McGilligan for McGrath (45), B Savage for A Mallon (45) A McAleenan for Boyle (52)
Wexford: L Brennan, M O’Dowd, C Storey, L Dempsey, R Cooney, S O’Connor, E Walsh, A Curran (0-1), O Sinnott, A Lacey (1-0), S Kehoe (0-3), K Kirwin (0-1), L Bulger (0-1), C O’Connor (0-9, 0-7 frees), C Foxe (0-1).
Subs: C Cashe for Bulger (52), A Dunne for Dempsey (54), A Neville for Lacey (60),
E Tomkins for Foxe (60+2), C Jackman for Cooney (60+4)
Referee: B Kearney (Louth)
