Cathal Dunbar's hat-trick of goals gave Wexford a 3-16 to 1-12 victory over Carlow at Wexford Park.

The result means the Model County will lock horns with Kilkenny in the provincial decider at Nowlan Park in a fortnight, having overcome the Cats in the finals of 2013 and 2015.

A brace of Dunbar goals had the hosts in command at half time as they carried a 2-6 to 0-5 advantage into the break. Kevin McDonald pointed first for the visitors and Sam Kelly and Joe O'Connor replied before two Chris Nolan frees fired the breeze-assisted Barrowsiders ahead by 0-3 to 0-2.

Nolan replied after Dunbar netted for the first time with a low shot in the tenth minute but Nolan's third point was cancelled out by Joe Coleman. The Yellowbellies moved three points clear by the 22^nd minute and a Coleman free made it 1-5 to 0-4 with five minutes left before the break.

Nolan pointed another Carlow free from in front of the posts and corner man Dunbar bagged his second major in the 28^th minute to effectively finish the game as a contest.

Courtesy of Conor Foley's eleventh-minute major, the losers had reduced the deficit by one point - to six - by the twelfth minute but it was all over bar the shouting when Dunbar completed his hat-trick at the midway stage in the second half - 3-11 to 1-8.

The Slaneysiders continued to push on and had compiled a double-scores advantage by the 55^th minute, 3-15 to 1-9, and the last six points of a decent game were shared as the Model advanced with ten points to spare to a decider date with their nearest and dearest rivals.

Wexford - D Hughes; B Quigley, D Byrne, S Reck; R White, A Maddock, G Molloy (0-1); J O'Connor (0-1), D Barden; H O'Connor, S Kelly (0-1), J Coleman (0-10, 7f); C Dunbar (3-0), S O'Gorman, D Pepper (0-1). Subs: C Firman for D Barden, R O'Connor (0-2) for S Kelly, J Firman for H O'Connor, C Moore for R White.

Carlow - D Jordan; A Casey, A Amond, P Coughlan; G Lawlor, E Redmond, A Dunne; G Coady, K McDonald (0-2); J Murphy, C Foley (1-0), O Roberts (0-1); C Tracey, C Nolan (0-8, 7f), S Whelan. Subs: Subs: J Wall for G Lawlor, G Lawlor for J Wall, S Brennan (0-1) for J Murphy.

Referee - J O'Brien.

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