Agony for Wexford as Kilkenny have too much in extra time.

Kilkenny 2-37 Wexford 2-29

Kilkenny prevailed over Wexford after extra time in an amazing game in Croke Park Saturday evening. The game ebbed and flowed throughout the afternoon, as Wexford led, then Kilkenny led and vice versa. Ultimately Kilkenny were stronger and had more in the tank for the extra time period which saw them victorious by eight points at the end of a pulsating encounter. 

119 scoring chances, 70 scores, 27 different players scored and it’s fair to say we’ll be lucky if we see a game as exciting as this for the rest of the year. It looked like Conor MacDonald had won it for Wexford in the final minute of normal, he expertly flicked the ball to the net after Eoin Murphy thought he had stopped the equalising point, only for hawkeye to intervene and award the point. 

With Matt O’Hanlon doing his usual job of man marking TJ Reid, it was Young Hurler of the Year Eoin Cody who was Kilkenny’s most dangerous forward. He was excellent from the beginning and finished with 1-5 from play. Early on Wexford were on top and in particular Rory O’Connor was on fire knocking over points, they led eight to six at the first water break. 

For the second quarter Kilkenny pushed up more on the Wexford puckout and turned things around and half time was a welcome opportunity to reset for Wexford. Kilkenny had surged ahead in the second quarter, mainly through the scores of Cody (3) and Reid (4). The outstanding Lee Chin brought the deficit to the minimum just before halftime, 0-14 to 0-15.

Kilkenny began the changes at half time, James Maher and Conor Fogarty replaced Darragh Corcoran and Richie Leahy; these would prove telling. The second half was even more back and forth. Kilkenny were threatening to pull away early as they got the first three scores and went four ahead with Reid (2) and Fogarty, only for the superb Liam Óg McGovern to halt their ascent and pull one back for Wexford. They then went on a run with six of the next seven, Chin from frees (2), Shaun Murphy with two from distance and a sublime catch and score from Jack O’Connor put Wexford two up. Kilkenny then flipped it again, with Reid, a huge Eoin Murphy free and Maher restored their lead.  

A massive moment occurred when a long ball broke to David Dunne and he finished to the net, Chin immediately knocked over a point and Wexford were three up. 

It was then Kilkenny’s turn to fight back, and they completed a five point swing, Cody finishing smartly to the net and it was the cats who were in the driving seat. 

Again Wexford fought back, Chin brought the deficit to one and then Wexford thought they had won it. Liam Ryan’s effort for a point was knocked back from over the crossbar, MacDonald amazingly guided the ball into the net. Only for hawkeye to intervene. 1-27 apiece and extra time was upon us. 

It could not have started better for Wexford, Conall Flood went one on one with Eoin Murphy in the Kilkenny goal, and before he could go around him was hauled down. Mark Fanning converted the penalty and Murphy is in the sin bin. 

However this was as good as it got for Wexford, they were outscored 1-10 to 0-2 for the rest of extra time. Kilkenny had the energy and Wexford hadn’t got much left. While Kilkenny brought in fresh legs and had significant impact from their bench, Wexford brought back on players who appeared to be exhausted from normal time. Shaun Murphy returned, Diarmuid O’Keefe returned, McGovern looked shattered, and Rory O’Connor looked drained. 

Substitute Walter Walsh provided the killer blow, batting the ball past Fanning, but in truth it had been over already. 

A disappointing ending to a thrilling contest.

Kilkenny: Eoin Murphy (0-01, 0-01f); Tommy Walsh (0-01), Huw Lawlor, Paddy Deegan; Darragh Corcoran, Padraig Walsh, Conor Browne; Richie Reid (0-02), Richie Leahy; Billy Ryan, Adrian Mullen (0-01), Martin Keoghan (0-01); Alan Murphy (0-01), TJ Reid (0-16, 0-12, 0-01 ’65), Eoin Cody (1-05).

Substitutes: Conor Fogarty (0-01) for Leahy (half-time), James Maher (0-02) for Corcoran (half-time), John Donnelly (0-01) for Ryan (45), Walter Walsh (1-01) for R Reid (53), James Bergin (0-02) for Murphy (64), Michael Carey (0-01) for Fogarty (70), Cillian Buckley for Browne (70), Darren Brennan for Bergin (71-81 BC), Billy Ryan (0-01) for Keoghan (80).

Wexford: Mark Fanning (1-01, 1-00 pen, 0-01f); Liam Ryan (0-01), Matthew O’Hanlon (0-01), Shane Reck; Shaun Murphy (0-02), Simon Donohoe, Gavin Bailey; Diarmuid O’Keeffe (0-01), Lee Chin (0-14, 0-10f); Paul Morris (0-01, 0-01f), Liam Og McGovern (0-02), Conor McDonald (0-02); Mikie Dwyer, Rory O’Connor (0-03), Kevin Foley.

Substitutes: Jack O’Connor (0-01) for Morris (50), David Dunne (1-00) for Dwyer (59), Connal Flood for O’Keeffe (70), Conor Firman for Murphy (72), O’Keeffe for McGovern (77), Murphy for Bailey (80), Cathal Dunbar for Chin (85), Conor Hearne for O’Keeffe (88).

Referee: Fergal Horgan (Tipperary)