Under-21s pay penalty
Plucky Wexford undone by crucial Larkin goal
EOIN LARKIN was a scourge of Wexford for many years, and one of the first glimpses of his talent was witnessed in Wexford Park on June 22, 2005.
A plucky home side had been matching Kilkenny stroke for stroke until the 49th minute when a goal from the James Stephens attacker effectively ended their hopes in this Leinster Under-21 hurling championship semi-final clash.
A well-drilled and confident Wexford side had been hanging on to a narrow, yet deserved, onepoint lead of 0-14 to 1-10 when Larkin slammed the rebound to the net after his initial penalty was well saved by Dermot Flynn.
Within two minutes, there was a chance for an immediate response when Stephen Nolan stepped up to take a penalty at the other end, but Kilkenny netminder Damien Fogarty somehow managed to deflect his piledriver over the bar.
That proved to be the last Wexford score, with their rivals adding three points without reply to make sure of a hard-earned place in the final against Dublin on a 2-13 to 0-15 scoreline.
There was bitter disappointment for players and management afterwards, because they had done a superb job in limiting the threat posed by the dangerous trio of Richie Power, Eoin Larkin and James ‘Cha’ Fitzpatrick.
Power was held scoreless throughout, and while Fitzpatrick did register 1-1 in the opening 20 minutes, impressive Wexford captain Andrew Kavanagh was switched across to shadow him and effectively kept him out of the game thereafter.
Larkin was in accurate form from placed balls, but his input from general play wasn’t as high as feared beforehand due to some close attention from the defiant Ciarán Kenny.
And the Buffers Alley man’s first cousin, Barry, gave an outstanding display at full-back, keeping four different Kilkenny attackers scoreless, namely Michael Rice, Willie O’Dwyer, Eoin Reid and Richie Power.
Kilkenny-born Stephen Nolan was flawless from placed balls for Wexford and really prospered after his move from full-forward to the ’40, while the elusive Marty Kelly chipped in with three good points and gave Donncha Cody a torrid time.
Kilkenny led by 1-4 to 0-3 after 21 minutes, with an O’Dwyer handpass feeding Fitzpatrick for the goal, but that blow sparked
Wexford to life as they outscored the opposition by 0-8 to 0-2 in the lead-up to half-time.
Michael Doyle joined Nolan and Kelly on the scoresheet, and it was an encouraging sign to see the hosts ahead at the interval by 0-11 to 1-6.
Wind advantage was with Kilkenny on the re-start, but it didn’t really work in their favour until Eoin Larkin pounced for that gut-wrenching goal.
Even still, luck deserted the losers, as that Nolan penalty was hit with such force that it broke the shoulder of netminder Fogarty en route to being deflected over for a point.
Wexford: Dermot Flynn (Rathnure); John Roche (Oulart-The Ballagh), Barry Kenny (Buffers Alley), Andrew Kavanagh (Oulart-The Ballagh, capt.); James Tonks (Ferns St. Aidan’s), Ciarán Kenny (Buffers Alley), Richie
Kehoe (Faythe Harriers); Colin Breen (Tara Rocks), Michael Heffernan (Oylegate-Glenbrien); Pat Doran (Buffers Alley), Michael Doyle (Glynn-Barntown, 0-1), Jim Berry (Faythe Harriers, 0-1); Pierce White (St. Anne’s, 0-1), Stephen Nolan (Faythe Harriers, 0-9, 6 frees, 1 pen.), Marty Kelly (Monageer-Boolavogue, 0-3). Subs. - Pádraig Ryan (Ferns St. Aidan’s) for Kehoe (temp.), Darren Foran (St. Mary’s, Rosslare) for White, P.J. Nolan (Askamore) for Berry, Colm Farrell (HWH-Bunclody) for Breen.
Kilkenny: Damien Fogarty; Donncha Cody, John Tennyson, Pádraig Holden; John Dalton, P.J. Delaney, Stephen Maher; Michael Fennelly, Eamon O’Gorman; Willie O’Dwyer, Eoin Larkin (1-7, 0-5 frees, 0-1 ’65), Richie Power; Eoin Reid (capt., 0-2), Michael Rice (0-2), James Fitzpatrick (1-1). Subs. - Ciarán Hoyne (0-1) for Cody, David McCormack for Fitzpatrick.
Referee: Brian Gavin (Offaly).