FOLEY FOILS CATS TO SET UP FINAL DATE
DAVY FITZGERALD’S Wexford are on course to retain their Walsh Cup title after seeing off Kilkenny in yesterday’s semi-final which was a repeat of the 2018 decider. Paudie Foley took the scoring honours for the Model men with a personal haul of seven points (six frees) as his side won out on a 0-16 to 0-13 scoreline. The exchanges got a little heated at times and both sides finished with 14 players after the Cats’ Liam Blanchfield and Wexford substitute Jack O’Connor were ordered off early in the second period. It was a closely fought encounter throughout and only a converted free from Harry Kehoe gave Fitzgerald’s men the edge, 0-8 to 0-7, at the interval. Wexford appeared to have pulled clear on the hour mark when Diarmuid O’Keeffe edged them 0-14 to 0-11 ahead. However Brian Cody’s men battled back and a brace of points from Martin Keoghan had them back on terms before Foley had the final say by hitting the winner. Wexford will now face Galway in the decider after the beaten All-Ireland finalists edged out Dublin, 0-21 to 1-17, at Parnell Park. Not for the first time, it was Joe Canning who stole the show as he fired over an injury-time sideline cut to give the Tribesmen a narrow victory. Breezy conditions gave Micheál O’Donoghue’s men a significant advantage in the opening period and they opened up a 0-15 to 0-8 interval lead. Half-forward Cathal Mannion led the scoring charge for the Connacht men in the first half and ended the game with a personal tally of 10 points. The picture changed, however, on the restart when Dublin hit 1-4 on the bounce with Seán Moran netting from a penalty. It wasn’t enough, though, as Canning came off the bench to record his wonder score.