Kilkenny survive Eoin Murphy sin-binning to take epic Leinster tussle
Kilkenny's Eoin Murphy competes with Conor McDonald of Wexford
An unanswered 1-6 in the second period of extra-time handed victory to Kilkenny in this pulsating and quite simply epic Leinster semi-final contest.
Trailing by 2-29 to 1-31 at the end of the first period, a TJ Reid free at the beginning of the second period levelled proceedings for the 13th time.
Thereafter, Cody’s charges, despite having 80-plus minutes in the legs, sprinted for the line. A further 1-5 they added to their tally to run out eight-point winners.
Kilkenny led 1-35 to 2-29 when Walter Walsh struck for the game-sealing goal on 86 minutes. The play previous to this goal had been of seismic proportions as Kilkenny keeper Eoin Murphy superbly saved a Rory O’Connor green flag attempt, with possession swept down the field where Billy Ryan split the posts for a four-point swing.
Murphy had spent the first period of extra-time sitting in the Hogan Stand after being sin-binned for hauling down Conal Flood in the first minute of extra-time. Mark Fanning converted the resultant penalty to put Wexford 2-27 to 1-27 in front.
Crucially, though, Wexford would add just two more scores to their tally - a pair of Lee Chin frees - in the remaining 19 minutes of action, with the Model County failing to raise a flag of any description in the second period of extra-time Three unanswered Wexford points between the 69th minute and fifth minute of second-half injury had cancelled out Eoin Cody’s 68th minute goal and, in the process, ensured extra-time was required for the first time in this year’s hurling Championship.
Kilkenny looked a good bet for a Leinster final berth when Cody found the net after Liam Ryan failed to gather possession in the air, the scoreboard reading 1-27 to 1-24 in favour of the reigning provincial champions.
Wexford, to their credit, quickly set about preserving their provincial involvement. Chin banged over his ninth and 10th frees, with the aforementioned Ryan providing the leveller from well inside his own half.
There was a smidgen of drama attached to Ryan’s 74th-minute equaliser as Eoin Murphy took the sliotar down from above the crossbar, only for Conor McDonald to sneak in and flick to the net. The goal, however, did not stand as the umpires judged Ryan’s initial effort to have gone over the crossbar when Murphy got his hurl to it.
Tied at 0-19 apiece at the second water break, Wexford opened up a two-point lead entering the final quarter thanks to Shaun Murphy and Lee Chin (free) points.
Four in as many minutes from TJ Reid (free), Eoin Murphy (free), James Maher, and a superb off the hurl effort from corner-back Tommy Walsh shoved Kilkenny in front 10 from home, but there was still a full motorway of hurling to get through.
Wexford sub David Dunne stole in for a goal on the hour mark and when Chin and goalkeeper Mark Fanning followed with a converted free each, Davy Fitzgerald’s charges stood three clear.
Such was the to and fro rhythm of proceedings, it was only inevitable that back would come Brian Cody’s side and respond they duly did with four on the trot as the lead changed hands once again.
Eoin Cody’s earlier mentioned green flag wasn’t far off in the distance. Beyond that was Wexford’s late fightback. Thereafter, came extra-time. We got a winner, eventually.
Kilkenny held the narrowest of half-time leads (0-14 to 0-13), but given the wind that was behind them in the opening 35 minutes and the five-goal opportunities not taken, there is no question but it is a lead Kilkenny wouldn’t have been at all pleased with.
The first of those goal chances presented itself as early as the sixth minute, Eoin Cody’s low effort crashing off the Wexford post. The same player was presented with a second opportunity shortly after. On this occasion, it was Wexford’s extra defender Kevin Foley who blocked the corner-forward’s shot.
Wexford corner-back Shane Reck thwarted a TJ Reid handpass bound for Alan Murphy in the 11th minute, with Martin Keoghan having no one to blame but himself when fumbling possession after being put through by Conor Browne 10 minutes later.
Their fifth and final chance was most definitely the outstanding of the bunch. Eoin Cody supplied Martin Keoghan, but his shot was kept out by Fanning.
TJ Reid, as ever, was their contributor-in-chief during what was a most enjoyable first-half of hurling, the 33-year-old hitting five frees, one ‘65, and a further one from play.
Standing out among the supporting cast was Eoin Cody with three from play and a Richie Reid pair.
Wexford, with so few bodies operating close to Eoin Murphy’s goal, created little by way of green flag opportunities. More than compensating for this, though, was their point-shooting from out the field, Conor McDonald and Rory O’Connor, in particular, arrowing over a handful of terrific scores from a variety of difficult angles and distances.
Wexford twice built up a three-point advantage when moving 0-7 to 0-4 clear on 13 minutes and 0-10 to 0-7 in front after 22 minutes. Kilkenny replied to the latter by reeling off four on the bounce through Alan Murphy, TJ Reid (free) and an Eoin Cody brace.
Wexford countered with a three-point burst to wrestle back the lead (0-13 to 0-11), to which Kilkenny answered with a second four-in-a-row to go in ahead at the break.
The pace and scoring kept up its breakneck speed upon the restart and, indeed, into extra-time, with Kilkenny first to the line at the end of a truly gripping contest.
For Brian Cody, it is safe passage to a 20th Leinster final as manager.
Even in a game of endless twists and roundabouts, one passage of play stands out from the crowd. Five minutes into the second period of extra-time, Kilkenny's Eoin Murphy produced a superb save to deny a Rory O’Connor goal attempt at a time when Wexford trailed by two. Possession was quickly swept down the field where Billy Ryan split the posts for a four-point swing that left Kilkenny three clear and Wexford fatally deflated.
Wexford’s inability to raise a flag of any description during the second half of extra-time. The Model County did not score from play during the 20-plus minutes of extra-time.
Brian Cody is back on level terms with Davy Fitzgerald in their Kilkenny-Wexford Championship head-to-head. Saturday’s result makes it two wins apiece, with the 2019 Leinster round-robin game ending in stalemate.
On 64 and 66 minutes respectively, with Wexford in front on both occasions, Conor McDonald struck an extremely poor wide, while Lee Chin hit the post from directly in front of Eoin Murphy’s goal. Two costly misses from two of Wexford’s more experienced campaigners.
Lee Chin, as ever, got through an amount of possession for Wexford. His freetaking was more than up to scratch. In the winning corner, 33-year-old TJ Reid stroked over 11 frees, one ‘65, and five from play. Equally impressive and no less influential was his young Ballyhale Shamrocks clubmate Eoin Cody who hit 1-5 from play.
Wexford got 1-1 from their bench, whereas seven Kilkenny subs - Conor Fogarty, Walter Walsh, John Donnelly, Michael Carey, James Maher, Alan Murphy, and James Bergin - contributed 1-9 between them. Beyond the scoresheet arithmetic, Walsh and Donnelly exerted noticeable influence from general play.
Fitzgerald lamented the unavailability of the injured trio of Aidan Nolan, Damien Reck, and Joe O’Connor.
“I’d love to have had them. It would have made a massive difference to the way we play. We had a lot of lads that hadn’t the experience that we require.”
Fergal Horgan’s most lenient approach enhanced rather than diminished proceedings. As mentioned elsewhere, Davy was none too pleased with the 58th-minute free given against Jack O’Connor which Eoin Murphy sent between the Wexford posts. It should have been a free for Wexford, not Kilkenny, he argued.
Kilkenny contest Leinster final number 20 of Brian Cody’s tenure on Saturday, July 17. Wexford must regroup for the qualifiers.
TJ Reid (0-16, 0-11 frees, 0-1 ‘65); E Cody (1-5); W Walsh (1-1), R Reid, J Maher, J Bergin (0-2 each); E Murphy (0-1 free), T Walsh, C Fogarty, A Mullen, J Donnelly, M Keoghan, A Murphy, B Ryan, M Carey (0-1 each).
L Chin (0-14, 0-12 frees); M Fanning (1-1, 1-0 pen, 0-1 free); R O’Connor (0-3); D Dunne (1-0); L Óg McGovern, S Murphy, C McDonald (0-2 each); M O’Hanlon, D O’Keeffe, P Morris (0-1 free), J O’Connor, L Ryan (0-1 each).
E Murphy; T Walsh, H Lawlor, P Deegan; D Corcoran, P Walsh, C Browne; R Reid, R Leahy; B Ryan, A Mullen, M Keoghan; A Murphy, TJ Reid, E Cody.
C Fogarty for Leahy, J Maher for Corcoran (both HT); J Donnelly for Ryan (45); W Walsh for R Reid (52); J Bergin for A Murphy (64); M Carey for Fogarty, C Buckley for Browne (both 70); D Brennan for Bergin (71); J Bergin for Brennan (80); B Ryan for Keoghan (80).
M Fanning; L Ryan, M O’Hanlon, S Reck; S Murphy, S Donohoe, G Bailey; D O’Keeffe, L Chin; P Morris, L Óg McGovern; C McDonald; M Dwyer, R O’Connor, K Foley.
J O’Connor for Morris (48); D Dunne for Dwyer (60); C Flood for O’Keeffe (70); C Firman for Murphy (73); D O’Keeffe for McGovern (77); S Murphy for Bailey (80); C Hearne for O’Keeffe (88).
F Horgan (Tipperary)
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