A CAPTAIN’S display from Lee Chin helped Wexford get off to a good start in the Leinster SHC as they pulled away from Antrim in the second half.
Kevin Foley and Cian Byrne found the net within seven minutes of the restart to put the contest to bed.
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Both sides finished with 14 apiece as Jack O’Connor saw red for the hosts in the opening period at Wexford Park and Conor Boyd picked up two yellows in the second half.
Antrim, seeking to repeat last year’s win over the Slaneysiders, started with intent.
But Chin was at his brilliant best, creating and scoring as he finished with 16 points — with a dozen of those from the placed ball.
Wexford boss Keith Rossiter said: “The start that Antrim got could have been a lot worse for us. They hit the ground running with three or four points on the board before we could blink, but the lads dug in.
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“We were hurling fairly well when Jacko got sent off but credit to the lads, they kept fighting away, which is what you want.”
Antrim had the chance to make a dream start after two minutes when awarded a penalty as Conor Foley fouled Seaan Elliott, but Gerard Walsh shot too high.
The sharp Saffrons led 0-6 to 0-2 after nine minutes but went scoreless for 15. Chin was everywhere as he hit four on the spin, followed by back-to-back scores from Rory O’Connor to see their side two up.
Their momentum was halted on 22 as O’Connor was spotted taking a swing back at Joe Maskey and Colm Lyons flashed red.
James McNaughton ended Antrim’s barren spell as he began to build his own tally, but Chin had the final say of the half to give Wexford a 0-14 to 0-10 lead.
He extended the gap from a free upon the resumption with Boyd yellow-carded for a drag-back, but Antrim then enjoyed a nice spell with McNaughton pointing either side of one from Walsh to narrow the gap to two.
Chin continued to knock over frees with Rory O’Connor and Cathal Dunbar also on target, while at the other end, Mark Fanning got down to divert a Keelan Molloy shot up and over.
Still, Antrim were in it with Walsh and Molloy bringing them back to within four, but from Fanning’s long puckout, Foley rose and his momentum took him clear to blast home.
It got worse for the visitors in the 58th minute as Boyd picked up a second yellow for a loose stick on Foley, with Chin pointing again.
The game was put away three minutes later as Cian Molloy burst out of defence through the middle and found Byrne inside to finish.
The sides added three points apiece late on, but it is Wexford who gained revenge for their defeat in Belfast 12 months ago.
Antrim’s ex-Wexford boss Davy Fitzgerald was not happy with the officiating and said: “We hurled really well for 20 minutes in the first half and the first 15 of the second half.
“I’m not saying the frees weren’t frees, but it has to be the same for both sides. That is not a true reflection on that scoreboard out there.”
WEXFORD: M Fanning; E Ryan, R Lawlor, C Foley; C Molloy, D Reck, C McGuckin; C Hearne 0-3, S Donohoe; J O’Connor, R O’Connor 0-3, K Foley 1-0; C Dunbar 0-1, L Chin 0-16, 12f, C Byrne 1-0. Subs: S Casey 0-1 for C Byrne 61 mins, J Redmond for R O’Connor 66, D Carley for S Donohoe 66, N Murphy for R Lawlor 70, D Codd for K Foley 70+2.
ANTRIM: R Elliott; S Rooney, P Burke, C Boyd; J Maskey, E Campbell, C Bohill; N O’Connor, G Walsh 0-4, 2f, 0-1 pen; N Elliott 0-1, K Molloy 0-3, S Walsh; P Boyle, J McNaughton 0-8, 4f, 2 65s, S Elliott 0-1. Subs: C McKeown 0-1 for P Boyle h-t, S McKay for E Campbell 54 mins, J McLaughlin 0-1 for S Elliott 56, E O’Neill for N Elliott 68, R McGarry for S Rooney 70+3.
REF: C Lyons (Cork).
