Hurlers go down to a one-point semi defeat
Super late save denies Wexford dramatic win over Cats
KILKENNY 0-15
WEXFORD 0-14
ANOTHER INTRIGUING chapter in the age-old Wexford versus Kilkenny rivalry was served up before an estimated 3,500 supporters in rain-lashed O’Kennedy Park, New Ross, on Sunday when a golden opportunity to forge a rare win over our neighbours wasn’t taken at the end of an absorbing Bord na Móna Walsh Cup Senior hurling tournament semi-final.
Forget about the date on the diary and the lowly stature of the game, because sparks are sure to fly whenever these keenest of rivals meet.
And while the poor weather conditions ensured that rucks for possession were a regular feature, there was no hiding the fact that the bragging rights a victory would ensure meant a lot to both sides.
The exchanges were tough and physical, with some bone-crunching tackles going in from both teams.
And while it was disappointing to lose given the way the last five minutes panned out, the match was the ideal tonic ahead of the league opener against Limerick on Sunday week.
There was a certain degree of experimentation from the mentors for this clash, with St. Martin’s duo Aaron Maddock and Jack O’Connor forming the midfield partnership after being college-tied with D.C.U. and U.C.D. respectively during the group games.
Shane O’Gorman, Kevin Foley and Nicky Kirwan also got chances to impress from the start, while Kilkenny combined a very strong defensive sextet with an experimental forward line.
Glenmore’s Alan Murphy, younger brother of Eoin and a former New Ross C.B.S. and Wexford Schools stalwart, was on free-taking duties for the visitors and opened their account in the third minute after an earlier miss.
Yellow cards for Liam Ryan and Jonjo Farrell suggested that this would be a spicy affair and, while it never boiled over, several players on both sides no doubt woke up with pains and aches yesterday morning.
Lee Chin posted the first of Wexford’s twelve wides (Kilkenny had eight) from a free before Murphy split the posts again in the tenth minute after Aaron Maddock over-carried.
Nicky Kirwan was off target from play before a neat move down the right led to the home side’s opening point in the twelfth minute. Eoin Moore, who had switched corners with Simon Donohoe, raced ahead of Lee Chin and called for a pass from a short free which he fired over the bar to halve the deficit (0-2 to 0-1).
Pat Lyng and Murphy (free) added to the Kilkenny lead but Wexford responded, with Chin punishing a foul on Diarmuid O’Keeffe before Matthew O’Hanlon - who really took the fight to Kilkenny in the first-half - availed of a Kevin Foley handpass to make it 0-4 to 0-3.
Although positioned in the left corner for the throw-in, Foley spent a lot of his time on the right wing in the space vacated by Shaun Murphy who moved back into his normal sweeping role.
While Wexford were never more than four points behind and drew level three times after the break, their failure to edge ahead at any stage was a telling factor in the outcome.
Alan Murphy had widened the gap to 5-3 when Lee Chin placed the ball into the left corner where Podge Doran availed of a slip by Robert Lennon in the 25th minute. The big full-forward shot a little early when he had a chance to bear down on goal, with his effort flying across the square and wide.
Kilkenny extended their lead to 0-7 to 0-4 by the interval, with scores from Alan Murphy (free) and Pat Lyng on either side of a good point from Jack O’Connor who was set up by Aaron Maddock’s handpass.
Lee Chin (two frees) and Nicky Kirwan had also struck further wides, with the latter mis-hitting another placed ball in the slippery conditions 30 seconds into added time.
Although Conor Martin widened the gap early on the re-start, a good spell yielded four points on the trot in just under five minutes and brought Wexford level.
Chin knocked over a free before Jack O’Connor sent a line ball from the left whizzing over the bar.
And there was more to come from Chin, as he superbly controlled a Shaun Murphy clearance before grabbing his sole score from play, and then hit the equaliser from a free after Matthew O’Hanlon was held by Conor Martin off the ball (0-8 each).
Alan Murphy restored the Kilkenny lead from a free made easier after some dissent, but the conditions weren’t entirely to his liking either as he shot wide from three more placed balls before the third quarter concluded.
Chin levelled after a foul on David Redmond who had moved to midfield following the introduction of David Dunne in the half-forward line.
That lead score Wexford needed so badly wouldn’t come though, with Chin (‘65) and Kevin Foley off target before Alan Murphy made it 10-9 with 16 minutes left.
Cathal Dunbar replaced Nicky Kirwan before the stylish Cillian Buckley shot a sweet point, although Chin quickly replied from midfield after Simon Donohoe was impeded.
A lovely pass from Seán Morrissey picked out Paddy Deegan in space and he made it 12-10, with Murphy quickly adding another point after a stray handpass by Liam Ryan led to a free.
Wexford didn’t lie down though, with an Aaron Maddock interception leading to a point for Podge Doran, now posted at centre-forward, from a Diarmuid O’Keeffe pass.
Chin made it a one-point game again when Pádraig Walsh was booked for a foul on Cathal Dunbar, but he followed with a wide from play after a promising overlap before Simon Donohoe’s effort dropped short.
Alan Murphy struck his ninth pointed free, only for Chin to bring Wexford level once more after fouls on Diarmuid O’Keeffe and David Dunne in the 60th and 63rd minutes.
Murphy missed a long-range placed ball before Podge Doran squandered a couple of point chances, the second coming 55 seconds into the three added minutes.
What proved to be the winning score arrived after Pádraig Walsh played the ball from right to left into space for substitute Michael Malone who ran at Liam Ryan and earned the free for Murphy to tap over.
Mark Fanning didn’t hang about with the puck-out, playing it short to Simon Donohoe who launched it goalwards.
It broke invitingly for Lee Chin who handpassed to his left where Cathal Dunbar was well placed to rattle the net, but his drive was superbly saved by Richie Reid.
Lee Chin stepped up to the ‘65 knowing it would be the last chance to force extra-time, but unfortunately his effort drifted to the left and wide as Kilkenny held on to set up a final clash with our second league opponents, Galway, this coming weekend.
Wexford: Mark Fanning; Simon Donohoe, Liam Ryan, Eoin Moore (0-1); Shane O’Gorman, Matthew O’Hanlon (joint capt., 0-1), Diarmuid O’Keeffe; Aaron Maddock, Jack O’Connor (0-2, 1 line ball); Shaun Murphy, Lee Chin (joint capt., 0-9, 8 frees), David Redmond; Nicky Kirwan, Podge Doran (0-1), Kevin Foley. Subs. - David Dunne for O’Connor (47), Cathal Dunbar for Kirwan (54), Aidan Nolan for Foley (64), Harry Kehoe for Redmond (64).
Kilkenny: Richie Reid; Joey Holden, Robert Lennon, Pádraig Walsh; Paul Murphy, Cillian Buckley (0-1), Conor Fogarty; Ollie Walsh, Paddy Deegan (capt., 0-1); Pat Lyng (0-2), Conor Martin (0-1), James Maher; Alan Murphy (0-10 frees), Jonjo Farrell, Richie Leahy. Subs. - Seán Morrissey for Maher (HT), Lester Ryan for O. Walsh (49), Michael Malone for Martin (64).
Referee: Brian Gavin (Offaly).