Wexford conjured up the type of incredible performance that only they can when they saved their Leinster senior hurling championship season in wonderful fashion after a four-point win over Kilkenny at UPMC Nowlan Park on Saturday evening.
The Slaneysiders may have been shaken when drawing with Westmeath last weekend, but they produced a performance for the ages to defeat great rivals Kilkenny to deservedly prolong their season.
Because of the way the results ran, Kilkenny escaped into the Leinster final against Galway, while Wexford went into the preliminary All-Ireland quarter-finals where they will face one of the Joe McDonagh finalists.
Wexford have produced many rattling showings down through the years, but this first championship win in seven battles in Nowlan Park compared with the best. Their defence was wonderful during the second half when Diarmuid O'Keeffe was majestic as the free man in front of goal. Damien Reck was so disciplined in the way he marshalled Kilkenny danger man Eoin Cody. Further afield Lee Chin was an inspiring leader and deadly finisher.
Wexford just refused to yield ground against the Cats, who opted for Route 1 and showered high ball down in front of the visitors goal. O’Keeffe, Liam Ryan and company simply mopped it up.
And the Wexford bench was vital too, with subs Connal Flood, Mikie Dwyer and Cathal Dunbar all registering a white flag each.
The 13,565 crowd knew the battle was wide open when Wexford carried a three point lead into the second half (1-11 to 1-08) after playing with the wind. The home side went at them and picked off early points through Walter Walsh and TJ Reid (free).
Lee Chin halted the flow of scores before Rory O'Connor hit the target from distance. The defiant Wexford mood was set.
Sure, Kilkenny caught up in the 52nd minute when Reid punished a foul on Walsh, but again Chin perked up Wexford when he rifled over a point. The dogged Cats charged back, and it was all square again on the hour mark, 1-16 each.
Wexford produced a super charged effort during the following minutes when Liam Ryan, Connal Flood and Chin all pointed.
The Wexford goal was charmed in the 67th minute when Kilkenny created a goal chance, but frantic defending defied Billy Ryan, TJ Reid and Mossy Keoghan in quick succession. That sustained bout of action captured Wexford winning spirit.
The next score was a point from another Wexford sub, Mikie Dwyer. Kilkenny huffed and puffed with all their might after that, but Wexford refused to wilt.
The opening half had something a little special for both sets of fans before the teams retired to the dressing-rooms with wind assisted Wexford leading by 1-11 to 1-8.
Indeed, the Slaneysiders might easily have been further ahead. While they opened in busy, busy fashion their shooting was off. They ran up five wides during the opening 10 minutes when they failed to turn pressure into account. By the break they had registered nine wides.
Then on the stroke of the whistle for the rest, Kilkenny goalie Eoin Murphy brought off an amazing save from a whistling, point blank shot from the edge of the square by Conor McDonald. Wexford, for all their zip and industry, highlighted by the flying Diarmuid O’Keeffe and Simon Donohoe, didn’t always have the finishing good approach work deserved.
The visitors opened with back-to-back points from Jack O’Connor and Conor McDonald. When Kilkenny hit back through defender Mikey Carey and TJ Reid (free) the scores were level, a position that was repeated on three more occasions subsequently.
Once the Cats got going, they got going. They plundered gold in the the eight minute when referee, Fergal Horgan, waved advantage after Cian Kenny had been fouled, and after the ball was moved through TJ Reid to Martin Keoghan, the Tullaroan man claimed his third goal in two games to put Kilkenny 1-03 to 0-02 in front.
The home side roared one, and after 15 minutes they were doubles scores ahead, 1-05 to 0-04.
Lee Chin pointed a long range free on 17 minutes to mark a stirring Wexford revival. Simon Donohoe and Chin added to the gains before a fine point from Diarmuid O’Keeffe levelled it at 1-05 to 0-08.
It was nip-and-tuck for a while but Wexford gained the upper-hand when Oisin Foley zipped through the home defence in the 33rd minute before drilling a vicious dipping shot in the net.
That score took them into the lead at half-time. The thrilling action that followed was beyond what anyone might have envisaged, however. It was simply wonderful!
Wexford: M Fanning; S Donohoe (0-02), L Ryan (0-01), C Devitt; M O’Hanlon, D Reck, P Foley; D O’Keeffe (0-02), L Chin (0-09; 0-07 f); J O’Connor (0-01), K Foley, L Óg McGovern (0-01); O Foley (1-00), C McDonald (0-01), R O’Connor. (0-02).
Subs: C Flood (0-01) for Devitt (41), M Dwyer (0-01) for J O’Connor (54), C Dunbar (0-01) for K Foley (56), C McGuckin for O Foley (61), P Morris for McDonald (72).
Kilkenny: E Murphy; M Butler, C Delaney, T Walsh; M Carey (0-02), R Reid, P Deegan; A Murphy, A Mullen (0-02); W Walsh (0-01), TJ Reid (0-10; 0-08f; 1 65), T Phelan; C Kenny, M Keoghan (1-1), E Cody.
Subs: B Ryan (0-01) for Phelan (44), J Maher for A Murphy (53), P Walsh (0-01) for Kenny (67), J Donnelly for Keoghan (69).
Referee: Fergal Horgan (Tipperary).
