Wing-back Paudie Foley was the hero for Wexford as he landed a point in the fourth minute of injury-time to capture the Walsh Cup at O’Moore Park in Portlaoise.

It was only the first step on the road, but Wexford put down a marker as they beat Kilkenny to secure a place in the Walsh Cup final.

A baptism of fire is de rigueur in becoming the GAA’s national match officials manager. Nine years ago, Pat Doherty stepped into the role the day after Martin Sludden awarded Joe Sheridan that goal in the Leinster final.

The winners had three goals disallowed but finished strongly to secure a final berth against Kilkenny - the county that Cleere hails from.

When you are old and grey and full of sleep, all you will need to wake up will be yesterday’s All-Ireland semi-final, in whatever format you fancy.

There’s no value in told-you-so’s and there’s no satisfaction in them either but what happened yesterday was in the offing.

Liam Sheedy believes his Tipperary side silenced their many critics by squeezing past Wexford in Sunday afternoon's epic All-Ireland semi-final at Croke Park.

A powerful final 25 minutes by 14-men Tipperary sent them into next month’s All-Ireland final against Kilkenny.

Liam Sheedy was ebullient about his Tipperary team when talking on local radio this week. “We feel we pushed a bit of energy back in by taking a little bit of a break in the early part after the Laois match so preparations have gone extremely well and I honestly can’t wait to get out on this pitch next Sunday.”

Lee Chin confessed himself to being “a bit lost for words” afterwards, an occurrence he promptly acknowledged to be unusual. But, in the circumstances, why not?

There was always an understanding, an acceptance even, that if Wexford were going to win a first Leinster senior hurling title in 15 years on Sunday afternoon then they would have to do it the hard way.

The revamped hurling championship has given us many wondrous memories this last 13 months but the sight of Wexford and Kilkenny supporters jiving away together to the tune of 'Dancing at the Crossroads' may well be the most bizarre.

Derek McGrath’s musings on the weekend’s hurling.

Everyone wants to know at what stage of the All-Ireland series Joe Canning will make his return — but has anyone stopped to consider the growing possibility that Galway might not see beyond Leinster, putting paid to any late-summer running of The Joe Show?

A sterling second-half comeback from Wexford earned the visitors to Salthill a share of the spoils in this error-ridden Leinster SHC clash.

The questions which Ger Cushe pose have been asked before. The ever so slight frustration in his tone has been heard before also.

When Dublin, trailing by three points, were awarded a free deep into injury-time at Parnell Park and centre-back Sean Moran strode forward, the mind was drawn back to Croke Park last year.

Galway advanced to the semi-finals of the Allianz League thanks to an impressive display in the second-half when they were playing against the wind at Pearse Stadium.

Any time I’m on the road on a Saturday evening, I always tune into Céilí House, one of RTÉ Radio’s most popular programmes of traditional Irish music and song, writes Anthony Daly.

Far more satisfying for Limerick than the two points banked was the manner in which they ground out the county’s first top-flight league win since 2009.

Colin Fennelly produced his best display for some time with a sparkling 4-4 in his side’s 16-point rout of first-time Wexford champions, Naomh Éanna, in this Leinster Club SHC semi-final at Innovate Wexford Park yesterday afternoon.

Enda McEvoy look at the key takeaways from the weekend's action...

What an amazing spectacle in Thurles yesterday and James McGrath can believe he contributed to it, writes Brian Gavin.

First All-Ireland quarter-final win in five years. First time heading back to Croke Park in five years. Redemption for a Munster final that didn’t go to plan. Visible progress — at long, long last.

While soccer, courtesy of Croatia, is no longer winging home, hurling truths are dropping towards a roost.

A stunning second-half comeback by Kilkenny this evening saw them exact revenge on Wexford for last year’s Leinster semi-final defeat.

The tag of up and coming is one that comes affixed with an expiry date, and for the

Lee Chin, a full-time hurler with Wexford, has admitted he supports the idea of a special allowance for inter-county players, though claims it won’t happen anytime soon.

Relax. We won’t say ‘they haven’t gone away’. We won’t inflict ‘write Kilkenny off at your peril’. We promise to stay away from talk of nine lives.

Wexford 1-23 Galway 0-23: Well, the revolution isn’t just being televised. It’s being snapped and shared and streamed so much by the people of Wexford, that every advance being made by the county hurlers is being captured for posterity as it’s happening.

Wexford’s unbeaten start in 2018 came to at Semple Stadium on Saturday night, but Davy Fitzgerald remained upbeat with a patchy performance that might have brought more reward with greater cutting edge in front of goal.

Tipperary 3-21 Wexford 1-21: Tipperary were forced to withstand a late Wexford rally as Patrick Maher’s injury time goal sealed victory for the home side.

Walsh Cup final: Wexford 1-24 Kilkenny 1-24 (After extra-time: Wexford win 3-2 after free-taking competition): There was silverware to show for their efforts, but Wexford manager Davy Fitzgerald sounded a note of caution after Saturday’s dramatic Walsh Cup final win over Kilkenny.

Wexford 1-20

Tom Devine was hardly expecting his first Páirc Uí Chaoimh performance to be like this.

Ducking the issue of Sunday’s performance, Davy Fitzgerald seized the underdog factor, writes PM O’Sullivan.

Wexford were outwitted and outworked by a Waterford team who will feel there is still plenty in them after this handsome win, writes John Fogarty.

You can try all the favourites talk you want, Dan Shanahan isn’t buying. The big man from Lismore has been down the road too many times to give in that easily.

Anytime I get the lift down from the press box to level 2 in the Hogan Stand, I always look over at the hurling roll of honour as I make my way out through the corridor of the main exit.

Leinster SHC Final Galway 0-29 Wexford 1-17 

Joe Canning and Conor Cooney weighed in with 0-18 between them at Croke Park as Galway came good with a storming second-half performance to claim the Leinster SHC title.