Mikie Dwyer, Wexford, and Padraic Moylan, Kilkenny, in Leinster SHC action. Photo by Thomas Flinkow/Sportsfile
Leinster SHC Round Five
Wexford 2-19 Kilkenny 1-15
By Ronan Fagan at Chadwicks Wexford Park
Rory O’Connor and Lee Chin netted as Wexford gained some consolation despite their exit from the All-Ireland Senior hurling championship with Sunday’s closing Leinster round-robin triumph over neighbours Kilkenny at Chadwicks Wexford Park.
Wexford led 0-12 to 0-5 after a wind-assisted opening period, and O’Connor sank an early second-half goal to help pave for Keith Rossiter’s charges and their support amongst the 4,623 attendance to derive some satisfaction.
Already-qualified Kilkenny made wholesale changes, including most notably trialling gunslinger Adrian Mullen at centre-back as boss Derek Lyng seeks a solution to this problematic position for the black and amber.
But with Mullen being left loose as his marker Lee Chin went roaming, there were hardly any conclusive answers provided in that particular debate as Kilkenny head into the Leinster decider on Sunday week against Galway.
This first defeat of the Leinster campaign mightn’t have been had Kilkenny enjoyed better luck in front of goal as a wealth of chances were foiled by Wexford in addition to Fionán Mackessy twice bolting gilt-edged chances wide.
After sharing the first six points, Wexford made good use of first assistance of the strong wind amid rain showers to edge 0-6 to 0-3 clear after 16 minutes as Mikie Dwyer, full-back Simon Donohoe – the latter from his own half – and Lee Chin (free) struck an uninterrupted burst.
Cian Kenny responded on 17 minutes, but Kilkenny were destined not to score again during the opening period until Luke Connellan pegged back a point three minutes into added-time.
Meanwhile, Wexford made hay with five further additions from captain Chin – four frees – and midfielder Conor Hearne to break 0-12 to 0-5 clear at the break.
But Kilkenny had squandered a gilt-edged goaling opportunity on 28 minutes when Fionán Mackessy drove wide of the near post after being put through by Luke Connellan.
The black and amber had seen a goaling attempt from Owen Wall in his seasonal bow blocked bravely by experienced Wexford defender Damien Reck moments earlier, with Reck being forced off just injury as a result.
Wexford pounced with a Rory O’Connor goal three minutes after the resumption when O’Connor fielded Conor Foley’s long delivery over Tommy Walsh and sped in from the right corner to blow open a 1-12 to 0-6 advantage.
Kilkenny’s frustrations around the Wexford goal was added to when Mackessy again blazed wide from a TJ Reid assist 11 minutes into the closing-half, while home defender Eoin Ryan swept off the goal-line minutes later when Cats’ sub Stephen Donnelly touched a long delivery towards the net.
Three more Chin frees and one from play by Rory O’Connor helped keep Wexford comfortably ahead before they made up for producing a rather ineffective second-half when Conor McDonald emerged from the subs to point before crossing from the left for Lee Chin to stitch a 60th minute goal (2-17 to 0-11).
Meanwhile, Kilkenny sub Gearoid Dunne and TJ Reid – the latter from a free – had further efforts foiled, before Reid managed a consolation major 73 seconds into added-time when flicking home a neat assist by sub Niall Shortall.
Still, the Cats got the cream in the shape of another provincial final, while Wexford, though boosted by this derby success, are left to reflect upon what might have been.
Scorers for Wexford: Lee Chin 1-13 (9fs), Rory O’Connor 1-1, Jack O’Connor, Mikie Dwyer, Simon Donohoe, Conor Hearne, Conor McDonald 0-1 each
Scorers for Kilkenny: TJ Reid 1-4 (1f, 2 65s), Cian Kenny 0-3, Luke Connellan 0-2, Billy Drennan, Killian Doyle, Stephen Donnelly, Adrian Mullen, Richie Reid, Fionán Mackessy 0-1 each
Wexford: Mark Fanning; Eoin Ryan. Simon Donohoe, Conor Foley; Cian Molloy, Damien Reck, Darragh Carley; Conor Hearne, Corey Byrne-Dunbar; Jack O’Connor, Lee Chin, Rory O’Connor; Cian Byrne, Mikie Dwyer, Kevin Foley.
Subs: Cathal Dunbar for Byrne, temp. (19-10), Niall Murphy for Reck (29), Dunbar for Dwyer (50), Conor McDonald for Byrne (55), Darren Codd for J O’Connor (67), Charlie McGuckin for Molloy (69).
Kilkenny: Eoin Murphy; Peter Connellan, Pádraic Moylan, Tommy Walsh; David Blanchfield, Adrian Mullen, Zach Bay Hammond; Killian Doyle, Peter McDonald; Luke Connellan, Cian Kenny, Fionán Mackessy; Billy Drennan, TJ Reid, Owen Wall.
Subs: Stephen Donnelly for McDonald (44), Gearoid Dunne for Wall (49), Richie Reid for Bay Hammond (59), Niall Shortall for Drennan (66), Shane Staunton for Mullen (68).
Referee: Seán Stack (Dublin).
