TJ Reid's artistry sends holders Kilkenny into Leinster SHC final
ARTIST: Kilkenny's TJ Reid during the warm-up. Pic Credit: Laszlo Geczo, Inpho.
TJ Reid's artistry from placed balls paid off yet again with 1-13 from the veteran colossus at Nowlan Park propelling holders Kilkenny through to another Leinster SHC final.
Reid didn't score from play, and for the second game running he was guilty of shooting several poor wides by his standards, but he still did enough to secure a highly significant win.
Trailing by five points after 22 minutes and still two behind at half-time, it took a third quarter revival from Kilkenny to halt Wexford's gallop and it was only when Reid converted a 52nd minute penalty that the home fans began to breathe out.
Wexford argued the toss over the penalty award for what referee Liam Gordon deemed a foul by Liam Ryan on Eoin Cody.
Reid didn't look that gift horse in the mouth but while Kilkenny soared six ahead with 15 minutes to go, Wexford responded strongly to cut the deficit to the minimum late on.
Cian Byrne's 65th minute goal pulled them back into it but Kilkenny managed to hold on and will face Dublin in an unexpected Leinster final. As for Wexford, they'll still advance to an All-Ireland preliminary quarter-final against a Joe McDonagh Cup finalist as third place finishers in Leinster.
With the tie billed as a de facto Leinster semi-final the terms of engagement were clear, it was win or bust. The consolation of potentially finishing third in the table didn't seem to appeal to either side.
And with traffic tailbacks all the way from the ground right out to the motorway an hour before throw-in, it was clear that winning meant everything to the travelling Wexford fans too.
They gave roars of approval throughout the first-half as the 2019 champions opened encouragingly and sped five points clear at one stage.
Kilkenny were ahead briefly on a couple of occasions in the opening quarter but it was Wexford that were largely on top.
Lee Chin, the Championship's top scorer, started on the edge of the square initially and was picked up by Huw Lawlor but the Wexford forwards consistently rotated positions to keep the Kilkenny backs on their toes.
Byrne, back in the Wexford attack after suspension, was marked by Mikey Butler and escaped his man for two tidy points in the first-half.
Cathal Dunbar wore nine but played in attack again and sniped a brace of points also with clear daylight emerging between the teams when Conor McDonald netted in the 21st minute.
Cody kicked himself for gifting possession away to Damien Reck who was sweeping for Wexford at the time, allowing the number six to play a long ball back downfield which McDonald grabbed and fired to the net.
Dunbar added a point and suddenly Wexford led 1-8 to 0-6. TJ Reid had an off day by his standards in last weekend's win over Dublin and started slowly here, giving a hand-pass away and then drilling a poor wide.
But he eventually found his range and finished the half with five points, all from frees.
Paddy Deegan, forming a midfield partnership with Cian Kenny, nailed a couple from long range too with the wind assisting the Cats in the opening half.
Kilkenny hit the last three points of the first-half to cut Wexford's lead to two at the interval, 1-11 to 0-12.
Carrying that momentum into the second-half, they wiped the deficit out entirely by the 42nd minute and a terrific Deegan score from just inside his own half nudged Kilkenny ahead soon after, 0-16 to 1-12.
Kilkenny were now operating with half-time sub Conor Fogarty at midfield beside Richie Reid, with Kenny pushed to wing-forward and Tom Phelan benched.
They took over completely and the penalty conversion helped them open up a 1-20 to 1-14 lead with 15 minutes to go. Wexford looked down and out but responded brilliantly and the Byrne goal hauled them right back into it.
Conor Hearne hit the last point of the game to leave just a point in it but time simply ran out for Wexford.
TJ Reid (1-13, 02f, 1-0 pen, 0-1 s/l), P Deegan, B Ryan (0-3 each), J Donnelly, R Reid, M Keoghan, M Carey, E Cody (0-1 each).
L Chin (0-7, 6f), C Byrne (1-3), C McDonald (1-2), R O'Connor, C Dunbar (0-2 each), L Og McGovern, K Foley, J O'Connor, Conor Hearne (0-1 each).
E Murphy; T Walsh, H Lawlor, M Butler; D Blanchfield, R Reid, M Carey; P Deegan, C Kenny; J Donnelly, TJ Reid, T Phelan; E Cody, B Ryan, M Keoghan.
C Fogarty for Phelan (h/t), W Walsh for Keoghan (62), O Wall for Ryan (72), H Shine for Kenny (73).
M Fanning; M O'Hanlon, L Ryan, S Reck; C Foley, D Reck, E Ryan; C Hearne, R Lawlor; R O'Connor, L Og McGovern, C Dunbar; C Byrne, L Chin, C McDonald.
S Donohoe for O'Hanlon (45-47 blood), K Foley for Lawlor (52), J O'Connor for Dunbar (56), C McGuckin for McGovern (60).
Liam Gordon (Galway).
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