Bord na Móna Walsh Cup Final

WEXFORD 1-24 KILKENNY 1-24 (After extra-time Wexford win free-taking competition 3-2)

Nerves of steel and an eye for the posts helped Wexford get one over their old foes Kilkenny and pick up the Walsh Cup – eventually!

The Model County had to wait some time to get their hands on the silverware, with a free-taking competition needed to separate the sides after 80 minutes of hurling could not.

In the end, a free from goalkeeper Mark Fanning saw Wexford come from two down to beat the Cats 3-2 at a chilly Nowlan Park.

It was all so different at the start as Kilkenny roared into action, shooting the first five points to take an early stranglehold on the game. Ollie Walsh picked off the first point within seconds of throw-in, before Alan Murphy helped himself to two pointed frees.

Murphy had the game’s first goal chance soon after, bringing a good diving save from Mark Fanning in the sixth minute. The Cats moved smartly to recycle possession, ending with a point for Richie Reid, before Murphy’s first score from play pushed them 0-5 to 0-0 up after eight minutes.

Wexford took some time to get going, but found their mark when Eoin Moore and Jack Guiney picked off points within seconds of each other in the 13th minute.

It didn’t take long for Kilkenny to muster a response. Murphy tacked on another point from a 65, then rifled a penalty to the net after a sweeping move ended with a foul on Pat Lyng.

They built on that goal and by the 23rd minute were eight points clear of their rivals (1-10 to 0-5). However, Wexford kicked things up in the closing stages of the half, getting to within four of the Cats thanks to a string of scores that included a free converted from half-way by goalkeeper Mark Fanning.

Kilkenny ended their barren run, Murphy (free) and Conor Fogarty finding scores that helped leave their side in a good position at the break (Kilkenny 1-13, Wexford 0-11).

The second half was a livelier affair, not least as Kilkenny were reduced to 14 men after Richie Reid was dismissed within three minutes of the restart. That gave Wexford more room to move and cut the gap to a point by the 48th minute (1-13 to 0-15) but the Cats hit six of the next eight scores – Alan Murphy picked off three - to pull away again (1-19 to 0-17).

Wexford weren’t out of the game by any stretch and drove back at Kilkenny. They got a big score when Kevin Foley scrambled a loose sliotar into the net in the 67th minute before two injury-time points from Paul Morris had them level at the end (1-21 to 1-21).

The sides battled for scores in extra-time, the tough conditions sapping the last of their energy. Two more Morris frees edged Wexford 1-23 to 1-22 in front at half-time, but Alan Murphy drew the Cats level in the 82nd minute. Wexford thought they had won it when Conor McDonald struck a late point, but another Murphy free sent the game to its novel finish.

Kilkenny made the best of the early frees, going 2-0 up thanks to Eoin Murphy and Conor Martin, but misses allowed Conor McDonald and Jack Guiney to level matters before Mark Fanning pushed them ahead. When John Walsh failed to score Kilkenny’s last free, the Cup was Wexford’s.

Scorers for Wexford: Paul Morris 0-9 (6f); Jack Guiney 0-5 (3f); Kevin Foley 1-0; Harry Kehoe 0-3; Mark Fanning 0-1f; Cathal Dunbar, Eoin Moore, David Dunne, Lee Chin, Conor McDonald, Jack O’Connor all 0-1

Scorers for Kilkenny: Alan Murphy 1-13 (1-0 pen, 0-7f, 0-1 '65), Eoin Murphy 0-2 (2f) Ollie Walsh, Martin Keoghan, Walter Walsh all 0-2, Conor Fogarty, Richie Reid, Conor Martin all 0-1

WEXFORD: Mark Fanning; Simon Donohoe, Liam Ryan, Shaun Murphy; Kevin Foley; Eanna Martin, Aaron Maddock, Eoin Moore; Joe O’Connor, Aidan Nolan; Harry Kehoe, Jack Guiney, Cathal Dunbar; Paul Morris, David Dunne.** Subs used:** Damien Reck, Paudie Foley, Matthew O’Hanlon, Diarmuid O’Keeffe, Lee Chin, Conor McDonald, Jake Firman, Jack O’Connor. 

**KILKENNY: **Eoin Murphy; Joey Holden, Padraig Walsh, Paddy Deegan; Enda Morrissey, Conor O’Shea, Cillian Buckley; Conor Fogarty, Ollie Walsh; Martin Keoghan, Richie Reid, Pat Lyng; Alan Murphy, Walter Walsh, Conor Martin. **Subs used: **Tommy Walsh, Lester Ryan, James Maher, Ger Malone, John Walsh, Chris Bolger, Conor Browne.

**Referee: **John O’Brien (Laois).