Allianz Hurling League Division 1A: Kilkenny 2-16 Wexford 2-16
Kilkenny could be forgiven for getting a bit vexed with Wexford. Leinster champions for the past four years, they have been to the last two All-Ireland finals but have developed a bit of a problem with the neighbours, whose big recent championship achievement was to stay out of the McDonagh Cup.
On Sunday in their first Allianz Hurling League outing of the season, the counties served up a cracking finale with a late, late goal from Cian Byrne tying it all up when Kilkenny looked certain to win after a 70th-minute penalty had pushed them ahead.
With a fistful of league debutants, Kilkenny won’t stress too much over the late thwarting, but this was the seventh time in the past nine league and championship meetings that Kilkenny didn’t manage to win. And of the two successes, the 2021 Leinster semi-final required extra-time, a record that is admittedly looks more a matter of irritation than heartbreak.
In the blustery sunshine at UPMC Nowlan Park, the home side looked likely winners for most of the 70 minutes. They started well, established a grip on the scoreboard in the first half and survived the third-quarter fightback and had apparently struck for the vital scores by the end.
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Billy Drennan came on for Kilkenny in the 49th minute, immediately took over on the frees from Eoin Cody and scored 2-3 in just over 20 minutes. He’ll probably remember the day more for the free he dropped short at the very end. It was from over 50 metres but represented a last chance to seize the points.
Wexford scrapped from start to finish, staying in touch on the scoreboard in the first half when the contest could have run away from them. They looked strangely listless for a team that had claimed the first silverware of the year, the Walsh Cup, and struggled as the opposition came at them in droves with the help of a strong wind.
Cody was accurate from the placed ball, missing just one out of seven, and although the team was more dependent on frees than scores from play, Wexford manager Keith Rossiter pointed out that his team’s fouling enabled that. In retrospect, Kilkenny’s problem was, as their manager Derek Lyng mentioned, inaccuracy.
Seven wides in the first half with the wind stopped them handing Wexford a more daunting task after the turnaround.
Lyng will be able to console himself that he has the O’Loughlin Gaels trio of Mikey Butler, Huw Lawlor and Paddy Deegan to return, which will strengthen the defence, but Darragh Corcoran played creditably at full back, putting himself in harm’s way to prevent a goal chance in the first half. Jordan Molloy flew the O’Loughlin’s flag and had a satisfactory debut at wing back.
Wexford hinted at menace when able to get decent ball into attack. Damien Reck set up Kevin Foley early on and Lee Chin got into his stride, galloping at the defence but was whistled for over carrying. The efforts weren’t consistent though and Kilkenny chipped away at the scoreboard.
Chin’s frees weren’t at their best either, including when he harassed a free out of Pádraic Moylan, who held on to the ball too long, but the opportunity wasn’t taken.
Wexford’s press began in the second half. They used the wind well and were more economical shooting. They also got some energy from the bench. Tomás Kinsella shot two points and Cian Byrne ended up with 1-1 – both helping to ramp up the attacking performance.
Kinsella’s had just arrived in the 47th minute when he almost set up a goal but Séamus Casey couldn’t quite connect. Wexford were now conjuring the familiar storm and Casey wasn’t denied a second time when Kevin Foley, whose clever use of ball was a constant threat, turned over possession and sent the corner forward in for a goal that pushed the visitors ahead, 1-11 to 0-12.
Lyng said afterwards that his team’s response to this was heartening. They used a more direct approach than they had in the first half and it nearly paid off. Drennan came on and converted two frees and he then dispatched a penalty after Martin Keoghan had been taken down to put his team back on top by three, 1-14 to 1-11.
The momentum was against them, however, and Wexford levelled by the 65th, Conor Foley rampaging up from full back to score a second point. It was all square when Kilkenny earned a second penalty in the 70th minute, Drennan popping a ball in for Billy Ryan, who was collapsed by Reck, already on a yellow card, who was sent off.
Drennan’s second precision strike appeared to have settled it but Byrne’s late, late intervention, scrambling the ball home after Chin’s effort had been blocked, saw the spoils shared.
KILKENNY: E Murphy; T Walsh, D Corcoran, P Moylan; D Blanchfield, R Reid, J Molloy; C Kenny, K Blanchfield (0-1); C Heary (capt), E Cody (0-7, 5f, 1 65), M Keoghan (0-1); H Shine, B Ryan (0-2), A Mullen (0-2).
Subs: C Fogarty for K Blanchfield (48 mins), B Drennan (2-3, 2-0 pens, 3f) for Shine (49), C Buckley for Kenny (66), M Carey for Reid (72).
WEXFORD: M Fanning; E Ryan, N Murphy, C Foley (0-2); C McGuckin, D Reck, C Molloy (0-2); C Byrne Dunbar (0-1), C Hearne; J O’Connor, K Foley (0-1), J Byrne (0-1); R Lawlor, L Chin (capt; 0-4f), S Casey (1-2).
Subs: S Reck for Hearne (41 mins), T Kinsella (0-2) for O’Connor (46), C Byrne (1-1) for Byrne Dunbar (56), C Dunbar for Byrne (64), S Donohoe for K Foley (67).
Referee: T Gleeson (Dublin).
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