Cork are through to the semi-finals of the Allianz National Hurling league after coming from behind to beat Wexford at Páirc Uí Chaoimh.
The Rebels, who had to fight back from an eight-point deficit on the opening day against Limerick, could have been five down if not for a stunning save by Patrick Collins to deny Jack O'Connor with four minutes left.
Shane Barrett and Cork's Jack O’Connor then scored two points in quick succession and substitute Cormac Beausang tapped the ball into the City End net as the Rebels ended up three in front as the clock turned red.
It was a frantic finish to a game that often saw Pat Ryan’s team struggle with a defensive Wexford unit that played Diarmuid O’Keeffe and Cathal Dunbar as sweepers. This allowed the team to soak up pressure in their own half and break with pace.
Conor McDonald, Charlie McGuckin and Lee Chin excelled here and they shot their county into an early six-point lead.
Wexford should have capped off this run with a goal when Conor Hearne and Dunbar played Liam Og McGovern into space but the forward hit the side netting.
The biggest testament to Wexford’s first-half performance was that Cork were left with just two scores from open play at the break, with Barrett and Brian Hayes putting those over.
It seemed like this pattern was set to continue once the game restarted as Chin put over two more points and Simon Donohoe got another. Then a long ball from Barrett got stabbed in from the tightest of angles by Padraig Power and Cork cut Wexford’s lead to just three points.
Things opened up massively after this as Kingston converted four frees in a row, and this made it a one-point game in the final ten minutes.
It seemed that the Rebels had found a way around Wexford’s sweeper system, but their opponents were still scoring. Chin kept up his 100% record from taking frees and Mikie Dwyer put over his second point of the game. That made sure Wexford remained at least two in front as the clock began to wind down.
The moment that should have settled things came from Wexford’s O’Connor drawing that stretched save from Collins. The '65 was missed and Barrett scored from the puckout, meaning Cork trailed by just a point.
O’Connor tied things up with a point from open play, and then a Cork free was broken down to Beausang, who slotted it underneath James Lawlor. The best Wexford could do, even with Cork’s Jack O’Connor sent off, was one point and that meant very little as the Rebels hung on to get the win.
Cork: Patrick Collins; Niall O’Leary, Eoin Downey, Eoin Roche, Ethan Twomey, Ciarán Joyce, Tommy O’Connell, Brian Roche, Luke Meade, Declan Dalton, Conor Cahalane, Shane Barrett (0-3), Shane Kingston (0-08, 7f), Padraig Power (1-01), Brian Hayes (0-01).
Subs: Seamus Harnedy for Declan Dalton (45), Jack O’Connor (0-01) for Brian Hayes (45), Rob Downey for Luke Meade (49), Cormac Beausang (1-00) for Ethan Twomey (66), Alan Cadogan for Padraig Power (70).
Wexford: James Lawlor; Simon Donohoe (0-02), Matthew O’Hanlon, Shane Reck, Ian Carty, Danien Reck, Connal Flood, Diarmuid O’Keeffe, Cathal Dunbar, Conor Hearne (0-01), Liam Og McGovern, Charlie McGuckin (0-01), Lee Chin (0-09, 4f), Conor McDonald (0-01), Rory Higgins (0-02).
Subs: Mikie Dwyer (0-02) for Conor McDonald (14), Kevin Foley for Damien Reck (33), Jack O’Connor for Liam Og McGovern (43), Rory O’Connor for Rory Higgins (52), David Clarke for Matthew O’Hanon (55).
Referee: Sean Cleere.
