Galway 4-21 Wexford 2-26 (aet)
Sean Bleahene was the hero for Galway as he struck a dramatic goal in the dying seconds of an epic encounter to capture the Leinster U-21 hurling title.
Wexford, having forced extra-time with a stoppage-time goal, looked set for their 18th Leinster crown at O’Moore Park in Porlaoise when they led by two points going into the dying moments of extra-time.
But Bleahane produced a stunning winner at the death to crown Galway’s first appearance in the Leinster U-21 championship with the most dramatic victory imaginable.
Galway opened up a six points lead at the end of the opening quarter but turned around at half-time trailing by two after a great Wexford rally.
The opening period of the game was played at an unreal pace, something emphasised by a scoreline of Galway 0-06 to Wexford’s 0-03 after just seven minutes.
Neither side hit a wide or conceded a free in that lightning start with Brian Concannon (two), Kevin Cooney, Tomas Monaghan, Cianan Fahy and Sean Loftus hitting the range for a rampant Galway side.
However, Wexford did not panic and senior star Rory O’Connor struck a point either side of efforts from midfielder Garry Molloy and corner-forward Seamus Casey.
Casey’s first free of the evening cut the gap to 0-06 to 0-04 before Galway pulled away again with a point from Evan Niland and a goal after a run in from the right by midfielder Monaghan.
That put them 1-07 to 0-04 in front after just twelve minutes but they only managed one more point from there to the break on an evening with little wind in Portlaoise.
Wexford took over. Casey and O’Connor hit good scores and when Fahy grabbed his second for Galway to lead by 1-08 to 0-06 after 16 minutes, few in the crowd envisaged they wouldn’t score again in the opening half.
Seamus Casey with a brilliant goal for @OfficialWexGAA pic.twitter.com/LWEgjMowOM
— The GAA (@officialgaa) July 4, 2018
Wexford hit seven points without replay with Casey and O’Connor leading the way and it took a superb double save from Galway goalkeeper Eanna Murphy to deny Liam Stafford and Rory Higgins a goal after 19 minutes.
Evan Niland pulled back a point for Galway after the restart but Wexford hit the next three from Joe O’Connor, Stephen O’Gorman and Rory O’Connor and would have been further ahead had Galway goalkeeper Murphy not saved a penalty from Casey.
Galway rallied with a couple of frees from Niland and a good effort from Monaghan but then Casey soloed through and blasted to the net to help Wexford lead by 1-17 to 1-12 going into the final quarter.
But then Galway got hope when Cooney scored a goal from an acute angle after 47 minutes and inside a minute Niland flicked home their third goal and Cooney pointed to suddenly lead by 3-13 to 1-17.
Sublime stickwork from Ian Carthy scoring this last gasp goal for @OfficialWexGAA pic.twitter.com/rI3rTO1Ezw
— The GAA (@officialgaa) July 4, 2018
Galway lost corner-back Shane Bannon to a second yellow card and Casey hit back with a free for Wexford before Fintan Burke responded for Galway.
But another free from Casey left just one between them with two minutes left but Galway pushed it out to three before Ian Carthy rescued Wexford with an equalising goal in the sixth minute of stoppage time.
Wexford outscored Galway by four points to one in the first period of extra-time to lead by 2-24 to 3-18 as they prepared for the final ten minutes.
Wexford looked set for victory until Bleahene popped up in the dying seconds to secure the title in the most dramatic fashion possible.
Galway: Eanna Murphy; Ian O’Shea, Jack Fitzpatrick, Shane Bannon; Jack Grealish, Fintan Burke (0-01) (c), Mark Hughes; Tomás Monaghan (1-02), Sean Loftus (0-01); Brian Concannon (0-02), Cian Salmon, Cianan Fahy (0-05, 0-01’65, 0-01f); Evan Niland (1-07, 0-07f), Sean Bleahene (1-00), Kevin Cooney (1-02).
Subs: Patrick Foley for Salmon (half-time), Conor Caulfield (0-01) for Hughes (41), Jack Canning for Bleahene (42), Ciaran Connor for Bannon (60), Ronan Murphy for Concannon (66), Michael Lynch for Monaghan (75), Sean Bleahene for Niland (77)
Wexford: Jack Cushe; Shane Reck, Darren Byrne, Ian Carthy (1-00); Aaron Maddock, Damien Reck, Garry Molloy (0-01); Conor Firman (c), Rowan White (0-02); Joe O’Connor (0-02), Rory O’Connor (0-07, 0-02f), Liam Stafford; Stephen O’Gorman (0-02), Rory Higgins (0-01), Seamus Casey (1-11, 0-09f).
Subs: Mikey Dwyer for O’Gorman (52), Oisin Foley for Stafford (52), Darren Codd for White (56), Stephen O’Gorman for Casey (66)
Referee: John O’Brien (Laois).
