Kieran Shannon: Leinster hurling on upward curve that could translate to wins

Ever since Leinster and Munster teams have been able to meet each other before the All Ireland final, no county has been beaten by a team from the other province as often as Wexford have been by Clare while Dublin have lost all six of their championship games against Cork. 

Lee Chin and Jack O'Connor of Wexford celebrates their side's 47th minute goal during the 2022 All-Ireland SHC quarter-final against Clare. Photo by Ray McManus/Sportsfile

We’ve an abiding memory from another All Ireland quarter-final day involving Wexford: a former Kilkenny hurler, doing some local radio, being strikingly triumphant around the Croke Park press box upon Damien Fitzhenry coming up from his own goal to fire a late 20-metre free into the net of the opposing one.

With one strike Tipperary had been dumped out of the 2007 championship, putting the county and Babs himself out of the agony of his self-confessed ill-judged second coming. More so, as far as our Kilkenny friend was concerned, the Wexford goalkeeper had struck a blow for his province and against the mythology of another.