COOL CATS GET THE FINAL SAY
Kilkenny edge rivals in tense tie to set up a Dublin showdown
ACHAMPIONSHIP Sunday when the myriad permutations around the top three qualifying spots in Leinster suggested a degree in advanced probability would be an essential requirement.
In fact, each and every one of the six teams in Leinster were left with a season-defining game.
For Antrim and Carlow, it was to decide relegation to the Joe McDonagh Cup – at Nowlan Park and Pearse Stadium in Salthill, it was all about the top two places to clinch a Leinster final spot, and the third-place finish to guarantee a slot in the All-Ireland series.
For all the possibilities, it ended up with a very straightforward answer. Kilkenny and Wexford provided yet another frantic thriller to go with their recent modern history and, when the dust settled, this time it was Kilkenny who sneaked the victory by a single point.
That result – combined with Dublin’s win on the road against a Galway team reduced to 14 men after the dismissal of David Burke – set up a Dublin-Kilkenny provincial final, with Wexford taking the coveted third spot.
In the fourth and final minute of injury time, as Lee Chin pulled down Eoin Murphy’s last puckout from the clouds, Wexford were still playing as if their very survival depended on it.
And they worked one last move to create an equalising chance, only for substitute Jack O’Connor to see his pass intercepted.
A draw actually wouldn’t have been enough to send Wexford through to the final – by virtue of Dublin’s victory, they needed the win. So, while a place in the final eluded Keith Rossiter’s team, he will take much from this campaign.
When Cian Byrne sprinted on to take Rory O’Connor’s pass and finish to the net in the 64th minute, it set up that grandstand finale. Not for the first time, it was TJ Reid who won some crucial ball, and was fouled for a few steadying frees to help Kilkenny over the line.
There will be plenty of debate, though, about the contentious penalty that he stuck away in the 52nd minute, and that was a critical score.
Eoin Cody looked to have been fouled outside the large parallelogram, but referee Liam Gordon waved his arms wide to signal a penalty – but didn’t show a black card for a deliberate foul involving a goal-scoring opportunity.
At a time when Kilkenny had taken control of the game with a third-quarter surge that AllIreland champions Limerick would have been proud of, it was a big call.
No matter, the holders now remain on course for a fifth Leinster title in a row, even if Dublin will be itching for revenge after coming so close to beating them in the group game last weekend.
Bruce Springsteen’s recent concert left a bare patch around the D at one end of Nowlan Park and had Wexford manager Keith Rossiter a bit disgruntled by it afterwards.
Once again, he set his team up bravely, operating with no outand-out sweeper, even into a strong wind gusting into the corner. Instead, Wexford trusted in going man-to-man, which allows them to do the same up front rather than being outnumbered.
Conor McDonald then proved to be a great ball-winning presence in a full-forward line where Cian Byrne was buzzing around him to great effect.
It was 0-6 apiece after the first quarter. Very much tit for tat.
No score from play from Cody or TJ Reid in that first half summed up how the Kilkenny attack was being stifled, Reid left to sling over six points from placed balls in the half.
Then, after a Chin free had edged Wexford ahead 20 minutes in, McDonald goaled. Because of that bravery in their set-up and keeping inside forwards up,
McDonald was there on the edge of the square to catch Damien Reck’s long delivery after Cody had misplaced a pass straight to the Wexford centre-back.
He turned and shook off the attention of Tommy Walsh to bounce a low ball across Eoin Murphy to the far corner, wheeling away in celebration.
Cathal Dunbar pinched another quality point soon after and suddenly Wexford were up by five, 1-10 to 0-8.
With Kilkenny’s attack blunted, it was left to Paddy Deegan and Richie Reid to bomb over three different points from distance.
When Damien Reck pickpocketed Billy Ryan and was then fouled, it drew a huge roar from the large Wexford support, the player fist-pumping in response.
Kilkenny were a bit flat again, not playing with their trademark intensity.
That was also down to the tenacity of the Wexford full-back line, and also how well Damien Reck and their team-mates out the field were doing to restrict the supply line.
Martin Keoghan finally got a score for the Kilkenny inside line, and another from Billy Ryan helped Kilkenny to stay in touch, trailing 1-11 to 0-12 at the break.
A TJ Reid sideline cut from all
of 50 metres proved to be an inspiring score as the home side took over. When the same player thumped over a free into the wind from over halfway, it had only taken the home side seven minutes to level.
With tails up, Deegan whacked another one over from inside his own half before the big penalty call. Replays seemed to confirm a foul outside the relevant area, and that left Kilkenny ahead 1-18 to 1-13.
Keith Rossiter gambled with fresh blood off the bench, and Kevin Foley and Jack O’Connor made big impacts with quick scores.
And the goal they needed came via route one. Goalkeeper Mark Fanning bombed a puck-out long, Rory O’Connor swept onto the break and played in Cian Byrne for a fizzed finish to the net.
At this point, the match was building to a frenetic finish, even as the heavens opened.
Reid made a huge catch and slotted a free, and then earned another that he converted before McDonald slotted home a brilliant score.
When Chin and Conor Hearne pilfered points in injury time, Wexford still had a Leinster final place in mind before time just ran out.
E Murphy; M Butler, H Lawlor, T Walsh; D Blanchfield, R Reid, M Carey; C Kenny (H Shine 73), P Deegan; J Donnelly, TJ Reid, T Phelan (C Fogarty h-t); E Cody, B Ryan (E Wall 72), M Keoghan (W Walsh 62). Scorers: TJ Reid 1-13 (1-0, 12fs 1 s-l), P Deegan, B Ryan 0-3 each, M Keoghan, J Donnelly, R Reid, M Carey, E Cody 0-1 each. WEXFORD: M Fanning; S Reck, L Ryan, M O’Hanlon (S Donohoe 45-47); C Foley, D Reck, E Ryan; C Hearne, R Lawlor (K Foley 52); L Óg McGovern (C McGuckin 60), L Chin, C Dunbar (J O’Connor 56); C Byrne, C McDonald, R O’Connor. Scorers: L Chin 0-7 (6fs), C Byrne 1-3, C McDonald 1-2, C Dunbar, R O’Connor 0-2 each, K Foley, J O’Connor, L Óg McGovern, C Hearne 0-1 each. Yellow card: M O’Hanlon 14, E Ryan 62. Referee: L Gordon (Galway). Attendance: 18,785.