Galway 1-20 Wexford 1-17
Free-taker Rory Burke rifled a dozen points to boost Galway's ambitions of gaining direct passage to the semi-finals of the oneills.com Leinster Under-20 hurling championship after Friday's closing group victory over Wexford at Netwatch Cullen Park.
Dublin lead this section on a maximum four points as they head into Saturday’s trip to Kilkenny, who are now joined on two points by both the Tribesmen and Yellowbellies.
And with the top two counties ultimately earning straight passage to the semi-finals – and the others destined for quarter-finals – the race for the second semi-final ticket looks set to come down to score-difference between Kilkenny (+3) and Galway (-5) if the somewhat weakened Cats succumb to the Dubs.
On the eve of the counties’ opening round showdown in the senior championship, commitments at the higher grade deprived Galway of Liam Collins and Wexford of Conor Foley, while Tiernan Killeen (Galway) and Oisín Pepper (Wexford) were both out through injury.
Galway hadn’t trailed in the first-half of their previous games against Dublin and Kilkenny, but Wexford denied them such luxury as Shamey O’Hagan and Corey Byrne-Dunbar generated a two point gap inside six minutes.
The Tribesmen seized the initiative between the seventh and thirteenth minutes though, with two separate three point bursts transforming matters by 0-6 to 0-3 through free-taker Burke (0-4) and Colm Molloy (0-2).
Wexford struck back to lead 0-7 to 0-6 after 19 minutes as O’Hagan, impressive centre-back Darragh Carley, Séan Rowley and Darragh Farrell re-engerised the purple and gold.
However, after Gavin Lee tied matters for a fourth time (0-8 apiece), the resultant Wexford puck-out was turned over to devastating effect.
Darren Shaughnessy gathered on the left wing and flighted the ball inside where Reuben Davitt flicked to an empty net despite being shadowed by the keeper and a defender to claim a 1-8 to 0-8 lead in the 24th minute.
Galway quickly extended 1-11 to 0-8 clear courtesy of free-taker Burke (two) and Tiarnán Leen.
Wexford responded through Byrne-Dunbar, Luke Roche and Luke Murphy to preserve their hopes as they trailed 1-12 to 0-11 at half-time.
Despite Burke firing three early second-half wides, he displayed brilliant composure with three further points – one from play – to help Galway surge eight points clear for a second time after 39 minutes, 1-17 to 0-12.
But Wexford were brimming with determination, and a pacey burst from lively number fourteen Luke Murphy saw him release to Jack Redmond for an uplifting 41st minute goal, and the goal-scorer quickly added two frees to shave the gap to 1-17 to 1-14.
Galway held strong in the face of Wexford’s spirited efforts to clinch a potentially significant victory in the race for that direct route to the last-four.
Galway: Darragh Walsh; Kieran Hanrahan, Michael Walsh, Adam Nolan; Seán O’Hanlon, Cillian Trayers, Patrick Burke; Tiarnán Leen (0-1), Gavin Lee (0-3); Darren Shaughnessy, Rory Burke (0-12, 11 frees), Greg Thomas (0-1); Darren Murphy, Reuben Davitt (1-0), Colm Molloy (0-2).
Subs: Joshua O’Connor for O’Hanlon (temp. 15-16), Liam Leen for T Leen (temp. 25-27), Ronan Killilea (0-1) for Murphy (38), Diarmuid Davoren for Trayers (55), Liam Leen for Davitt (57), Oisín Lohan for Thomas (60+3).
Wexford: Derry Mahon; Simon Roche, Darragh Kehoe, Cian Ó Tuama; Liam Schokman, Darragh Carley (0-1), Dylan Purcell; Luke Roche (0-1), Seán Rowley (0-1); Darragh Farrell (0-2), Corey Byrne-Dunbar (0-2), Jack Redmond (1-5, 0-4 frees); Tadhg Brohan, Luke Murphy (0-1), Shamey O’Hagan (0-2).
Subs: Cillian Byrne (0-2) for Byrne-Dunbar (26-27), Byrne for L Roche (36), JJ Twamley for Brohan (43), Darby Purcell for Farrell (55), Cormac Walsh for Murphy (57), Eoin O’Meara for Rowley (60).
Referee: David Hughes (Carlow).
Elsewhere in the Leinster U20 preliminary quarter-finals, there were was a comfortable win for Offaly over Kildare, while penalties were required as Westmeath overcame Laois at O'Moore Park.
In a goalless first half, Laois led by a point at the interval. Indeed the first green flag was only raised in second-half injury-time as Laois' Cillian Dunne drew the sides level with the final score of normal time to make it 1-14 to 0-17.
Level at half-time in extra-time, the sides shared the final four points, the last coming courtesy of a Padraig Brennan free for Laois to ensure a dramatic final where Westmeath won out 3-2 on penalties.
A sixth minute goal from Shane Rigney at O’Connor Park saw Offaly move into a lead they would never relinquish, with Adam Screeney raising a second green flag to give the hosts a 2-08 to 0-6 interval lead.
Offaly were always in control of the second half, with the Lilywhites managing an injury-time goal to make the final scoreline 2-20 to 1-10 in the Faithful County’s favour.
