FITZ GUTTED AS CATS CLINCH IT 2-29 (AET)
Kilkenny 2-37 Wexford Leinster SHC semi-final, Croke Park
WEXFORD manager Davy Fitzgerald was gutted to come out the wrong side of an epic Croke Park encounter.
His men came up short in extra-time as Kilkenny pulled away to book a Leinster final showdown against Dublin.
They were level 13 times in the game but Wexford were unable to maintain the challenge as the Cats emptied their bench to secure a place in the final.
Fitzgerald sighed: “It’s so hard to take a defeat like that. There’s no way there were eight points between us. It’s gut-wrenching. I thought we were going to win it.
“It was some game and we are gutted we didn’t win it. But I’m really proud of these guys, they never stop fighting.”
Seven Kilkenny subs scored as Brian Cody steered them into his 20th Leinster final as manager and he paid tribute to those who came on.
He said: “They made a great contribution and they got scores at key stages. It was a real Championship game. It gets us to a Leinster final, there is no silverware yet but we are in the final and we will get ready for that.”
The trend of the game was set in the opening half when they were level seven times but Kilkenny went in leading by 0-15 to 0-14 at the break after a quality first 35 minutes where both sides picked off some excellent points.
Wexford were two in front after the second water break but the next four points came from Kilkenny before sub David Dunne drilled home the opening goal just seconds after coming on for Wexford.
Kilkenny got back on level terms and Eoin Cody looked like he had got the winner when he finished to the net.
But Wexford responded with three points in a row to force extra-time.
Wexford goalkeeper Mark Fanning scored a penalty within a minute of the restart when Eoin Murphy was binned for dragging down Connal Flood, with replacement custodian Darren Brennan almost saving after he came on.
Kilkenny responded well and outscored Wexford by four points to one to draw level for the 13th time but Lee Chin edged Wexford in front at the interval in extra-time when he pointed a free to lead by 2-29 to 1-31.
The Cats pulled away after the break with James Bergin adding two to another from Reid and Billy Ryan also pointed.
And then Walter Walsh sealed the issue with their second goal when he soloed and batted home.