A sensational last-gasp goal from Rory McCarthy earned Wexford a replay against Cork as Croke Park was treated to a breathtaking All-Ireland Senior Hurling Championship semi-final today. In a see-saw battle, Cork had looked home and dry after their second half Joe Deane-inspired revival saw them lead by three points in injury time. However, McCarthy's dramatic equalising score means the Model men deservedly live to fight another day - Cork 2-20, Wexford 3-17.
The match opened at a blistering place, with Joe Deane pucking over the first score. Wexford got their first score through Mick Jacob and they took a stranglehold on the game after a great goal by Paul Codd who got on the end of a long puck in to beat Pat Mulcahy and drive home.
That goal would prove to be the difference between the sides for the remainder of the half. Wexford played some fine hurling to maintain this gap while Cork, although ring-rusty after six weeks without a game, showed some fine style through the likes of Joe Deane and Setanta O'hAilpin.
Larry Murphy, Mick Jacob, Mitch Jordan, Paul Codd, Rory Jacob and Adrian Fenlon scored great points for the Model County. For Cork, Deane, Setanta ó hAilpín, Timmy McCarthy, Alan Browne and John Gardiner all scored to ensure the match remained competitive. With only seven frees in the first half, it was not only competitive, but free flowing and entertaining.
The frenetic opening pace began to slow half way through the first half but the quality of Wexford's play did not dip at all and Cork were still struggling to get a handle on the game. Wexford were lucky though when David O’Connor escaped a red card for an apparent elbow incident.
Leading 1-11 to 0-10 at the interval, Wexford resumed the second half in dominant fashion. Points from Adrian Fenlon and Mick Jacob helped put two goals between the sides, while Cork continued to hit wides. Deane got a point for Cork but Larry Murphy answered easily for Wexford. However, Cork began to fight back and a great individual point from Micky O’Connell was followed by a goal by Ó’hAilpín after he received the ball from a Diarmuid O’Sullivan puck-in and turned to kick home.
With only a point in the game, Cork turned the screw. Deane, Ben O’Connor, Niall McCarthy all pointed, while only Paul Codd could answer for Wexford. On 56 minutes, Deane got his eighth score (1-07) when, after a scamble in the Wexford square, he found space to knock in Cork’s second goal. Wexford looked in trouble but their nerve held and goalkeeper Damien Fitzhenry drove straight down the other end. Larry Murphy collected and passed to Mitch Jordan, who drove it straight to the back of the net to leave the score 2-17 to 2-15.
Both sides traded points but, with less than two minutes to go, Cork notched unanswered points through John Gardiner and Alan Browne and looked the likely victors. Cork players, fans and selectors no doubt believed they had done enough to secure a place in the final. They reckoned too early. Fitzhenry’s puck-out after Browne’s point went the length of the pitch and fell to McCarthy who drilled it to the back of the net to level the match with the very last puck of the game in the most dramatic manner possible.
The replay has been fixed for next Saturday, 3.30pm, at Croke Park.
Filed by Barry J Whyte
