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Post by ballhopper34 on Jun 9, 2019 21:21:32 GMT
Leinster hurling finely balanced with Wexford/Kilkenny and Dublin/Galway next weekend.
Galway 5 points (+7), Kilkenny (+18)and Wexford (+15) both on 4, Dublin on 3 (+7), Carlow (-47)no points.
Galway make the final with a draw or a win.
The winner of Wexford/Kilkenny make the final, loser in third place if Dublin lose or if Dublin draw and fail to make up the points difference on Wexford (Kilkenny have the head-to-head over Dublin).
Dublin make the final with a win and Wexford/Kilkenny produces a winner.
If Dublin win and Wexford/Kilkenny draw, all four on 5 points...Galway will be eliminated. If Dublin win by less than 12 points, it will be a Wexford/Kilkenny final, if Dublin win by more than 12, it will be a Kilkenny/Dublin final. If Dublin win by exactly 12, they make the final on third tie-breaker (total scores for, Dublin currently ahead of Wexford by 4-65 to 4-63).
All to play for next weekend.
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Post by ballhopper34 on Jun 9, 2019 23:31:48 GMT
Meanwhile in Munster we have Clare/Cork and Tipp/Limerick next weekend.
Current table has Tipp top (+38) on 6 points, Cork (+13) ahead of Limerick (+31) by head-to-head in second, both on 4 points, Clare (-30) on 2 points and Waterford (-52) no points.
For Clare to advance, Clare must beat Cork and Limerick draw or win versus Tipp (Cork would be eliminated). All other scenarios sees Clare eliminated.
Not sure if there is an advantage in making the Munster Final versus the third place team's route via Joe McDonagh finalist and then Leinster champs. Limerick finished third in Munster last year and they took Liam home. That's a discussion for next week.
Anyway, to make the Munster Final for each of the 3:
Tipp will make the Munster Final if they do anything better than a four point loss (ie, lose by 1, 2 or 3 points; draw; or win).
Limerick guaranteed a Munster Final slot with a four point or more win in Thurles.
Cork in the final with a win and a Limerick draw or loss.
A pair of draws next weekend (not the worst bet in the world) will see a Tipp/Cork Munster Final.
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Post by veteran on Jun 10, 2019 19:13:10 GMT
Brendan Cummins made the astute comment that to beat Kilkenny by one point you need to be better than them by six points. There was a time when that used to be said of Kerry.
Brian Cody erred badly yesterday in taking off a corner back while leaving the other corner back , Paul Murphy, in-situ even though he had picked up a yellow card. He paid the price later on when Paul got his second yellow . It is madness having a player on a yellow card in your last line of defensce. Replace him or move him out.
Davy Fitzgerald would have been in Dublin Joe’s face all day in 2011? Rest assured Davy would have been banished to the stand after the first outburst. Dublin Joe is not known as Dublin Joe for nothing.
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Post by Mickmack on Jun 14, 2019 21:42:28 GMT
Jackie Tyrrell: Battle lines drawn ahead of hurling’s D-Day
Kilkenny under no illusions about scale of the challenge facing them at Wexford Park
There’s a bit of a World War II feel about the hurling championship, with battle being waged on two fronts – Eastern (Leinster) and Southern (Munster). If that’s the case, then we’re heading into D-Day this weekend, for the battles that will decide the direction the rest of the summer takes. Every game is important, none more so than when Kilkenny go to Wexford.
Wexford Park is without doubt the most hostile environment I have ever played in. The Wexford fans have the ability to create a real noise level, an eerie vibe to the place. There’s a tribal war feel to the stadium that makes you feel uneasy as soon as you set foot in the place.
It’s like they’re saying, ‘Hey, this is our house and we will protect it with everything we have’. Anytime I went there, I always felt like a young lad robbing an orchard, looking over your shoulder waiting for a farmer to chase you out the gate with a pocketful of apples. You never felt comfortable, you were always on edge.
I never liked going there. Normally, the only nice thing from days going to Wexford Park was the steak in the Ferrycarrig Hotel after the game. Beautiful county, great spot to visit, lovely people. But a brutal place to go and hurl.
We played down there in an under-21 Leinster final in 2001 and they beat us that day, 0-10 to 1-5. They sensed it from early on that there was blood to be got here – it was potentially a big scalp for them and like good assassins they took it. When the game finished, they ran through us like we didn’t exist – this is the supporters I’m talking about! They flooded the field after the final whistle and claimed it.
They had been down for a few years and had taken a few beatings from Kilkenny. This was payback. You could see the sense of relief in them as they let all that built-up hurt out and let a few of us know about it along the way. I admired that from them. It was not a pleasant place to go.
Which is exactly how it should be. Wexford supporters are one of the most passionate set of hurling fans I’ve witnessed. They make their voices heard and it takes very little for them to get excited. All you have to do is look at the Leinster final crowds over the past few years – 29,000 in 2016, then 60,000 in 2017 and back to 40,000 last year. No prizes for guessing which year Wexford were there.
It’s easy to love your county when it’s doing well. But plenty of Wexford supporters kept going even when things were bad. And they were never worse than in this fixture, which was one-sided for so long. Kilkenny and Wexford were in different places in every respect – teams, players, managers, underage systems. All of it told on the pitch and Kilkenny were able to hammer it home regularly.
But it has levelled out now. Wexford dominated at Leinster under-21 level in the early and middle part of this decade and these players have filtered through to the senior ranks. They’ve clawed Kilkenny back to the pack and have made this a really tight rivalry. The O’Connors, Liam Ryan, Conor McDonald and Lee Chin now make up such a strong backbone. They’ve grown up beating Kilkenny and there is no emotional hang-up in the fixture for them.
Clean possessions More than that, they love it when Kilkenny come to town. The atmosphere down there on Saturday night will be buzzing because they know they have every chance of a win. Their mouths will be watering and it won’t be for the local strawberries – it will be the thoughts of getting their teeth into Kilkenny.
And there’s plenty for them to get their teeth into. I wrote here last week of the concerns about Kilkenny’s overreliance on TJ Reid and that holds even more weight after the Galway game. TJ has taken his game to a level that’s not even on planet Earth anymore. It’s only where the elite can survive.
When players of the calibre of Padraic Mannion and Gearóid McInerney can’t hinder TJs influence, then you know you’re operating at a different stratosphere. It reminded me of Henry Shefflin in the drawn 2012 All-Ireland final against Galway when he was in a place where nothing could curtail him. He was everywhere the action was and his influence over the game was unstoppable.
Leave aside his scoring figures, which are unprecedented obviously. Think about this on top of them – TJ caught nine clean possessions on Sunday. Nine! In a single game. You will see a lot of interesting stats and figures over this summer but I’m saying here and now that nine catches in a game will not be beaten or even threatened. I don’t think I caught nine balls in 14 years playing for Kilkenny.
There have been subtle changes to Wexford since they turned Kilkenny over down there in 2017. Shaun Murphy isn’t the sweeper any more – Kevin Foley is now the nominated spare man and he offers more forward-thinking ideas and options. They still do a lot of their attacking from deep rather than keeping men forward and getting the ball into them. But when they push forward at the correct times, picking scores and creating overlaps, they are dangerous.
Structurally, they like to push up man-on-man for puck outs, particularly when they play with the breeze at their back and are putting the squeeze on teams. Rory O’Connor has offered a real goal threat to an attack that, for all its honesty and work-rate, lacked that X factor. Liam Óg McGovern offers a different dynamic since he came back from his injury and he’s a quality finisher with real pace.
So how do they set about Kilkenny? Just like it was for Galway, TJ has to be the starting point for Davy Fitz and Wexford here. The big complicating factor is the availability of Walter Walsh. It’s no accident that TJ caught nine balls when Walter was sitting in the stand. On another day, with the pair of them there, Darren Brennan would have been aiming at least half his puck-outs at Wally.
When Kilkenny are in a corner and backs are to the wall, they go back to what they know best. Dogs of war hurling, fight for every inch So if Brian Cody can get him on the pitch, he will. Wally’s physicality in the middle third as he drops into midfield is so important for Kilkenny. He fills pockets of space in front of the Kilkenny half-back line and offers them a security blanket. That’s before he does any attacking, which they need from him even more.
The reason he complicates things for Wexford is that anytime the teams meet, Matthew O’Hanlon picks him up. They are well matched physically and know each other well from their school days together. They more or less cancel each other out, getting into a wrestling match and hammering into each other like giants, taking blows that would level anyone else on the field and still coming back for more.
A conundrum What’s important with this is that O’Hanlon generally picks up the opposition’s key forward, the bread winner who will win puck-outs, fight for scraps, get on breaking ball and give the team oxygen to breathe. The likes of Joe Canning of Galway, John Conlon, Séamus Harnedy are always on the menu for O’Hanlon.
But if Wally and TJ are both playing, it gives Davy a conundrum. What’s the best match-up? TJ is the main man but if O’Hanlon goes on him, what do they do with Wally? The only other Wexford defender with the height and physicality for the job is Liam Ryan but I can’t see Davy moving him out from the edge of the square. So Wexford are left with the same big question Galway faced last week – who has the defensive instincts, the pace and grit to try and stop TJ Reid?
This is so nicely poised to be a belter – maybe not necessarily in quality but definitely in tension, atmosphere and drama. When Kilkenny are in a corner and backs are to the wall, they go back to what they know best. Dogs of war hurling, fight for every inch. There’ll be nothing mysterious getting off the Kilkenny bus in Wexford Park.
Wexford will match them but I just about see Kilkenny finding a way through. It’s D-Day for both and Wexford Park is Normandy. Let battle commence.
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Post by Mickmack on Jun 14, 2019 21:43:16 GMT
Jackie captures the essence of KK perfectly here
This is so nicely poised to be a belter – maybe not necessarily in quality but definitely in tension, atmosphere and drama. When Kilkenny are in a corner and backs are to the wall, they go back to what they know best. Dogs of war hurling, fight for every inch. There’ll be nothing mysterious getting off the Kilkenny bus in Wexford Park.
Wexford Park will be electric tomorrow evening. Hard to see KK losing though.
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Post by Mickmack on Jun 15, 2019 10:35:51 GMT
TJ Reid much more than the point of the spear for Kilkenny Cats in need of another magical display from the gifted Ballyhale stalwart in Wexford about 9 hours ago Malachy Clerkin
Nobody has ever started a championship the way TJ Reid has begun this one. Not even TJ Reid.
This is the 23rd summer of hurling since the old straight knock-out days were brought to an end in 1996. The 5-35 Reid has already amassed in Kilkenny’s opening three games would be enough to make him overall leading scorer in eight of the 22 seasons that have gone before this one. It would be enough for second place in another six.
The numbers can be a bit blinding but indulge us here for a second. Thus far this summer, Reid is responsible for 56.8 per cent of Kilkenny’s scores. To put that in context, Patrick Horgan is averaging an outlandish 13 points a game so far for Cork and his chunk of their overall total only comes to 42.3 per cent. Aaron Gillane has put up 10 points a game, or just a shade over 36 per cent of Limerick’s number.
It’s not all placed balls either for Reid. Take out frees, penalties and 65s and the Kilkenny centre-forward is still the joint-leading scorer from play in the championship. Both he and Séamus Callanan have put up 3-7 from open play.
His five goals would be enough to make him the leading goalscorer either jointly or on his own in 12 of the past 22 championships. All this after only – and apologies for going all Grandstand vidiprinter here but it feels called for – 3 (THREE) games.
Despite it all, there’s no guarantee it will get Kilkenny anywhere. Defeat at home to Galway last Sunday makes it perfectly feasible that they could go out of the championship tonight in Wexford. Home wins for Dublin and Wexford would leave Kilkenny in fourth place in the Leinster table, making them the odd men out as the others advance.
If it all washed out that way, Reid would likely still win an All Star. Hell, at this rate, you could probably make a case for a Hurler of the Year nomination. We are thoroughly without precedent here.
In his early life as a Kilkenny hurler, TJ Reid was regarded as a bit of a child prodigy. This was not, it’s fair to say, an entirely positive grading. The Brian Cody empire was built on many things but neither children nor prodigies ranked overly high on the list. There were plenty in the county who viewed Reid and Richie Hogan as fully-formed entities upon their arrival on the scene in the mid-2000s, stork-delivered to Cody’s doorstep, bundled up and ready to go. The man in a cap shrugged his shoulders and they had to take a ticket like everybody else.
Michael Fennelly grew up next door to the Reids in Ballyhale. His best friend is TJ’s older brother, Eoin, and they all killed whatever time they had together hurling on the Reid farm. The wide open spaces, the gable walls, the unpredictable bounces thrown up by the land – Fennelly puts them all in the mix that shaped the hurlers they became. But good and all as they were, TJ found a level of skill the rest of them couldn’t access.
A wizard “He always gets a flick to a ball,” Fennelly says. “I don’t know how he does it. It can throw you when you’re playing against it because there’s always a hurl coming from somewhere and next thing he’d be gone with the ball. He’s very deceiving that way to play against.
“He’s like a wizard with a hurl is the best way I can describe it. You hear people using that phrase but not all hurlers have it. TJ has it, JJ Delaney had it. Getting the hurl in, flicking the ball, flicking it on the ground or in the air. You’re right there, thinking you’re going to grab it yourself and all of a sudden it’s gone and he’s gone after it.
“I’ve seen it so often, it just leaves players puzzled as to what is after happening. The hurl comes in from nowhere. I haven’t come across another player either playing with or against that could do that so often. Maybe only JJ – the two of them are left-handed so possibly that has something to do with it.”
So he was good and he was coming, everyone knew that. Reid won an All-Ireland Under-21 medal in 2006 as an 18-year-old, scoring five points from play in the semi-final against Galway – a game in which he enjoyed himself by flicking a ball over his marker’s head at one point and collecting it unruffled at the other side. It’s not recorded anywhere if he ever tried that in senior training. If he did, he probably didn’t try it twice.
Brian Cody: proved reluctant to avail of Reid’s services until he produced the required workrate. Photograph: Morgan Treacy/Inpho Brian Cody: proved reluctant to avail of Reid’s services until he produced the required workrate. Photograph: Morgan Treacy/Inpho Whatever he tried, it didn’t see him fast-tracked in those early seasons. Nothing like it. Reid joined the senior panel in 2007, made a couple of substitute appearances in 2008 and 2009, including the All-Ireland finals both years. He didn’t make a championship start until 2010, by which time he had been put forward as captain for the year by county champions Ballyhale.
It took until that year’s Leinster final win over Galway for him to complete a championship 70 minutes. By that stage, just short of four years had passed since that under-21 game against Galway.
In a way, it was understandable that it had taken so long – this breaking into the Kilkenny forward line in the late 2000s was no picnic. But on the flipside, everyone know Cody’s aversion to a settled team would withstand a nuclear attack. It was an environment where an up-and-coming shaper was always in with a chance.
“People could see he had talent,” says Michael Fennelly. “Everyone could see that. It did take a bit of time for him to get hold of what it takes to be a senior player though. He had the skill but the work-rate, which is what Brian looks for above all, that aspect of it wouldn’t have been in TJ right away.
“Not as much as it should have been or needed to be anyway. When it came to winning one-on-one balls, I’d say he won 80 per cent of them. But the ones that needed to be chased down, he was probably lacking a bit. Maybe he was hard done by a bit as well because it did take him a few years to nail down a position. But his work-rate is phenomenal now, as everyone can see.”
Attack leader Within the Kilkenny set-up in those early years, Reid was seen as a skilful hurler who didn’t yet realise what it took to play inter-county. As the end began to loom for the greats of the four-in-a-row team, management were only dying for Reid to get it. The ground he had to make up was psychological more than physical. But he had to do it himself. Nobody could do it for him.
He got there gradually. He played his first full 70-minute All-Ireland final in the drawn game against Galway in 2012, a couple of months short of his 25th birthday. He didn’t miss a minute of the 2014 drawn final or replay, by which time he was established as the attack leader. The greats were gone or going, Richie Hogan was Hurler of the Year out in midfield, it was time. If not him, who? If not then, when?
He was Hurler of the Year himself in 2015 but by his own admission, he didn’t kick on from it. In 2016, he made a fairly massive life change by leaving his job as a sales rep for an agri-food company and setting up his own gym. Talk to those within the Kilkenny set-up now and they point to the move as the true starting point for the player we’re seeing now.
After Reid’s 5-35 (50 points), the drop-off to the next highest Kilkenny scorer is sheer as a cliff-face On top of giving him more time and space to concentrate on getting his body right, it gave him no choice but to learn to be the leader Kilkenny needed him to be. When you put your name above the door of a business, you take on more than just giving a few fitness classes. You assume responsibility for employees, for organisation, for payroll and ordering and all that jazz. You become a leader, whether you like it or not.
It is no coincidence that his outsized role as the leader of the Kilkenny team has been cemented in the past three seasons since he opened Reid Fitness. Be the person, be the player. It’s all baked in.
“He would have had to work on leadership over the years,” Fennelly says. “His leadership comes through action. His rating in every game is probably around seven-plus so that’s the leadership he shows. Winning ball is his big thing, catching a puck-out, taking pressure off his defence and his goalkeeper. Performance on the field is his big way of showing leadership.
“Off the field, he’s very passionate about it and well able to talk. But it’s his commitment levels that stand out for everyone else to see. From his later-20s onwards, he became really interested in gym-work and strength and conditioning. Opening his own gym meant that he was able to really focus on it and add that physique to his natural hurling ability. He’s been injury-free since he opened it and he’s been able to maintain his speed and strength.”
An outlier It all adds up to what we’ve seen from him over the past month. Reid is more than the point of the spear for Kilkenny now. The heavy scoring is eye-catching but it’s really just the recordable manifestation of his overall worth.
As Jackie Tyrrell pointed out in his column yesterday, Reid took nine clean catches in the Galway game. He kept Kilkenny in with a shout despite only having 18 possessions across the afternoon. That it felt like he was on the ball way more than that tells you everything about his influence and efficiency.
This is not normal. Not in Kilkenny, not under Brian Cody. In a set-up so fundamentally based on the collective, Cody has never had room for an outlier. Or maybe he’s never needed one this badly.
After Reid’s 5-35 (50 points), the drop-off to the next highest Kilkenny scorer is sheer as a cliff-face. Alan Murphy has 0-6 to his name, Ger Aylward has 1-3. When there is a 44-point lag between your first and second scoring threat after just three games, Cody doesn’t have a lot of choice in the matter.
Put it this way, Reid has put together this unfathomable run of games and they still need to go to Wexford tonight and get a result. Where would they be without him?
For Kilkenny people, it doesn’t bear thinking about.
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Post by Mickmack on Jun 15, 2019 10:39:36 GMT
Plenty of food for thought there about how long it took TJ Reid to become the player he is. His workrate wasnt up to what Cody wanted and he didnt really become a leader till recent years.
In another article today, Nicky English says he is the best he has seen. High praise indeed.
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Post by ballhopper34 on Jun 15, 2019 19:44:47 GMT
Leinster hurling finely balanced with Wexford/Kilkenny and Dublin/Galway next weekend. Galway 5 points (+7), Kilkenny (+18)and Wexford (+15) both on 4, Dublin on 3 (+7), Carlow (-47)no points. Galway make the final with a draw or a win. The winner of Wexford/Kilkenny make the final, loser in third place if Dublin lose or if Dublin draw and fail to make up the points difference on Wexford (Kilkenny have the head-to-head over Dublin). Dublin make the final with a win and Wexford/Kilkenny produces a winner. If Dublin win and Wexford/Kilkenny draw, all four on 5 points...Galway will be eliminated. If Dublin win by less than 12 points, it will be a Wexford/Kilkenny final, if Dublin win by more than 12, it will be a Kilkenny/Dublin final. If Dublin win by exactly 12, they make the final on third tie-breaker (total scores for, Dublin currently ahead of Wexford by 4-65 to 4-63). All to play for next weekend. Wexford meet Kilkenny in the Leinster Final, while Dublin advance to the preliminary All-Ireland quarter final where they will meet the Joe McDonagh winner.
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Post by Annascaultilidie on Jun 15, 2019 19:56:26 GMT
Galway out 😳😳😳
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Post by kerrygold on Jun 15, 2019 20:52:38 GMT
Joe Canning obviously a big loss. You cant thrive without your very best players.
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Post by Mickmack on Jun 15, 2019 20:55:05 GMT
When the final whistle blew after a brilliant game in Wexford Park, the place went silent. No one knew what the draw meant. Thankfully it meant that these two will meet again in the Leinster final.
The hits were ferocious, the hooking and blocking incessent and a draw was fair. Wexford nullufied TJ so up steps a 20 year old Adrian Mullen... what a prospect he is. KK found others to step up when TJ was held.
On 55 mins all four teams playing tonight were on 17 points. A last second score for either side in wexford would have saved Galway.
A brilliant Leinster round robin sees Galway go out. They were poor v Wexford at home and lost away to Dublin. They were very good last week v KK but Dublin didnt play last week and were fresher tonight.
KK v Wexford in Wexford Park is turning into a real rumble in the jungle. I wonder will it be different in Croker in the Leinster final.
Galway were a great team over 5 years and a few semi finals v Tipp were classics but this shows how much Joe Canning wss missed this year even if he came on tonight v Dublin.
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Post by ballhopper34 on Jun 15, 2019 21:54:59 GMT
If Limerick manage to beat Tipp tomorrow and Cork fail to close the scoring difference gap, we will see a Limerick/Tipp Munster Final.
What odds they meet a third time in the All-Ireland Final? Play each other 16 June, 30 June and 18 August.
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Post by Ard Mhacha on Jun 15, 2019 22:47:39 GMT
So, KK and Wexford go at it full pelt in Leinster final. The losers then play the third placed team in Munster, for a place in the AI semi?
If that’s the case, wouldn’t it work out better for the third placed teams than the team that loses the provincial final? One less game, fresher, less risk of injury/suspension etc?
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Post by john4 on Jun 15, 2019 23:14:22 GMT
So, KK and Wexford go at it full pelt in Leinster final. The losers then play the third placed team in Munster, for a place in the AI semi? If that’s the case, wouldn’t it work out better for the third placed teams than the team that loses the provincial final? One less game, fresher, less risk of injury/suspension etc? The third placed teams in Munster and Leinster must yet play the finalists in the Joe McDonagh cup in what's called the preliminary quarter finals. Games the third placed teams should win, but all the same risks outlined are still there.
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Post by ballhopper34 on Jun 15, 2019 23:41:58 GMT
So, KK and Wexford go at it full pelt in Leinster final. The losers then play the third placed team in Munster, for a place in the AI semi? If that’s the case, wouldn’t it work out better for the third placed teams than the team that loses the provincial final? One less game, fresher, less risk of injury/suspension etc? The third placed teams in Munster and Leinster must yet play the finalists in the Joe McDonagh cup in what's called the preliminary quarter finals. Games the third placed teams should win, but all the same risks outlined are still there. In the AI Preliminary quarter-finals, the Joe McDonagh winner plays Dublin and the loser plays whoever finishes third in Munster. The winners will the face off against the losing provincial finalists in two quarter-final games. The provincial champions go straight to the AI semi-finals, where they will try not to have repeat fixtures.
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Post by Mickmack on Jun 16, 2019 9:31:52 GMT
Wexford 0-21 Kilkenny 1-18
Oh come on. Something about the wild, wild rivalry between these teams keeps drawing out the best from each other and if they fought this one as if their season depended on it that’s because it did.
It started and ended in a crossfire hurricane and in the final clearing they were still level. True to the rivalry, both teams had their chance to win and lose it but there was simply no separating them and they will get their their chance again – in the Leinster final.
Because with four big wheels of the Leinster hurling championship still in spin at the start of the evening, the end result here was also going to heard beyond Innovate Wexford Park. Dublin beating Galway 150km up the road in Parnell Park means Galway’s season is over, leaving Wexford, Kilkenny and Dublin all on five points; on scoring difference Wexford and Kilkenny will contest the final, Dublin go into the All-Ireland preliminary quarter-final.
There was controversy at the finish here when match referee Fergal Horan blew up about 30 seconds short of the allotted four minutes of added time, although Kilkenny boss Brian Cody afterwards suggested the problem may have been with the stadium clock stopping for a minute before spilling into injury time. At that stage it felt properly wild, Lee Chin hitting the last free for Wexford two minutes into that added time, levelling it again.
It was entirely deserved as they refused to let go of Kilkenny, who held the advantage for the second half after Adrian Mullen’s brilliant goal on 44 minutes. In that last hurricane of a few minutes Wexford were without Matthew O’Hanlon, who was sent off on a second yellow card for a hit on Jason Cleere, and Aidan Nolan was also shown a straight red card after the final whistle for remonstrating with the referee.
If the Leinster final offers any sort of reprise it will be wilder again. Mullen celebrated as if his season hinged on it, as well it might have, the Ballyhale Shamrocks newcomer finishing with 1-3 in a stellar display. Pádraig Walsh was immense in the second half, Paul Murphy and Joey Holden both scoring from corner back.
TJ Reid started with 5-23 already next to his name from Kilkenny’s opening three games: he finished with 0-7 here, all frees, a little more muted but well marshalled by O’Hanlon.
After Mullen’s goal Wexford chased flat out, points from Rory and Jack O’Connor huge in keeping them in touch, Chin missing a few placed balls he will regret.
They reached half-time at breakneck speed and in the still blazing evening sunshine. Wexford had the summer breeze in their backs and must have felt it too as they raced into an early lead – Conor McDonald firing over the first point after 15 seconds.
It was positively end-to-end from there, essentially point-for-point too, Diarmuid O’Keeffe and Kevin Foley setting the pace for Wexford, Conor Fogarty and Reid matching it for Kilkenny.
Walter Walsh’s boomer levelled it at 0-5 apiece after 15 minutes, only not long after that Wexford surged again. McDonald had a super goal chance on 21 minutes before Pádraig Walsh made an equally super flick; Kilkenny won back possession and chased up the field and Colin Fennelly split the posts.
Two minutes after that Rory O’Connor’s shot at goal was stopped just short of the line by Huw Lawlor, and sent out for a 65. Chin converted that, but still the sense was these were the sort of gaol chances that Wexford are often left to rue.
Back and forth they went, O’Keeffe hitting his fourth excellent point from play from the Wexford midfield, while Reid swept over every free chance they got. Still Wexford kept that glimpse of daylight, McDonald also closing out the half with his second from play to keep Wexford in front 0-13 to 0-10.
The bumper crowd of 15,200 were loving every second and it stayed that way until the end.
Untypical of Cody there was a significant shake up of the Kilkenny team before throw-in, essentially beefing up the defence. Cillian Buckley made his first appearance all year, starting at midfield; Walter Walsh, Enda Morrissey and Joey Holden were also given starting places. Eoin Murphy was also back in goal for the first time this summer after being out with a knee injury.
Kilkenny hadn’t exited the hurling championship as early as June in 23 years, after Wexford took them out in that summer of 1996 – the last year before the backdoor was introduced. A distant memory perhaps but maybe enough to ensure it would not that happen again just yet.
They’ll get to go at each other again on Sunday, June 30th at Croke Park. Something about this wild, wild rivalry.
WEXFORD: M Fanning; D Reck, L Ryan, S Donohoe; P Foley (0-2, both frees), M O’Hanlon (capt), S Murphy; K Foley (0-1), D O’Keeffe (0-4); R O’Connor (0-2), L Óg McGovern, P Morris (0-2); C Dunbar, L Chin (0-6, five frees, one 65), C McDonald (0-2).
Subs: J O’Connor (0-2) for Dunbar (h/t), A Nolan for McGovern (53 mins), D Dunne for Morris (64 ).
KILKENNY: E Murphy; P Murphy (0-1), H Lawlor, J Holden (0-1); E Morrissey, P Walsh (0-1), P Deegan (0-1); C Buckley, C Fogarty (0-1); W Walsh (0-1), TJ Reid (capt) (0-7, all frees), R Leahy; A Mullen (1-3), C Fennelly (0-2), B Ryan.
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Post by Mickmack on Jun 16, 2019 13:46:25 GMT
Should Tipp beat Limerick and Clare beat Cork, then three counties would be on 4 points and scoring difference would eliminate Clare in that scenario. at half time in both games it looks like the above scenario will play out. RTE should have sent the cameras to Ennis. Limerick v Tipp lacks an edge
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Post by Mickmack on Jun 16, 2019 14:51:01 GMT
Hard to believe these two are gone so early
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Post by Mickmack on Jun 16, 2019 19:13:41 GMT
www.rte.ie/sport/results/gaa/2019/6154/tables/Limerick and Tipp had nothing to play for today. It need not have been that way Should they change things so that the head to head result takes precedence over scoring difference. If that were the case Limerick would have tried to beat Tipp today. Why? Cork were on 4 points before today and had won the head to head game v Limerick. Limerick would have needed something from the Tipp game to reach the Munster final
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Post by veteran on Jun 16, 2019 19:50:15 GMT
I am delighted that Clare gained some redemption today. In that context , it is a shame that Limerick did not see the need to pick their strongest team the Tipperary match . Conceivably, in that case it would be Clare rather than Cork would be advancing.
The round robin worked perfectly in Munster last year when the participants were more or less of equal ability . Not so well this year when it appears that Clare and Waterford regressed resulting in some some lopsided matches.
Conversely, it worked well in Leinster this year because of the parity of the teams. If Kilkenny become a major force again that parity could evaporate resulting in a less than compelling Leinster championship.
I did not see the match in Wexford last night so it is hard for me to evaluate the Leinster final. I have been ruminating that if Wexford were to lose that match they would be advancing to the knockout stages on the strength of three draws, one loss and one victory, that against Carlow! Scarcely convincing.
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Post by Annascaultilidie on Jun 16, 2019 19:52:24 GMT
www.rte.ie/sport/results/gaa/2019/6154/tables/Limerick and Tipp had nothing to play for today. It need not have been that way Should they change things so that the head to head result takes precedence over scoring difference. If that were the case Limerick would have tried to beat Tipp today. Why? Cork were on 4 points before today and had won the head to head game v Limerick. Limerick would have needed something from the Tipp game to reach the Munster final You can't use head to head with three teams.
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Post by Mickmack on Jun 16, 2019 20:41:24 GMT
www.rte.ie/sport/results/gaa/2019/6154/tables/Limerick and Tipp had nothing to play for today. It need not have been that way Should they change things so that the head to head result takes precedence over scoring difference. If that were the case Limerick would have tried to beat Tipp today. Why? Cork were on 4 points before today and had won the head to head game v Limerick. Limerick would have needed something from the Tipp game to reach the Munster final You can't use head to head with three teams. Spose! Is there any other way. Maybe not counting the scoring difference against the lowest team...Carlow and Waterford this year. A system that rewards a hammering of the weakest team isnt great. Could the bonus point idea be borrowed from rugby
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Joxer
Fanatical Member
Posts: 1,364
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Post by Joxer on Jun 16, 2019 21:35:07 GMT
So Limerick could lose 3 matches and still end up in the AI Qtr Final and obviously could go on to win the AI. The hurling championship seems harder to get out of than stay in!
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Post by ballhopper34 on Jun 16, 2019 21:48:02 GMT
A mini-league among those teams on the same points would be the fairest way.
Clare beat Cork and lost to Limerick; Cork lost to Clare and beat Limerick; Limerick beat Clare and lost to Cork. So all three have one win each.
Scoring difference would see Limerick +11, Cork +2 and Clare -13...so no change to the way things ended up.
Some European soccer leagues (Serie A in Italy is one) have head-to-head as the first tie-breaker rather than goal difference as in the EPL.
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Post by Annascaultilidie on Jun 17, 2019 5:46:45 GMT
Scoring difference is the way to go once for three way ties.
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Post by Mickmack on Jun 17, 2019 9:01:12 GMT
Was talking to a Galway man today. He said Galway ran the bench v Carlow and eased off to an extent.
Ultimately that was ctitical. The others obliterated Carlow.
In my opinion racking up scores against a tiny county like Carlow should not be the factor that decides who loses out.
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Post by dc84 on Jun 17, 2019 9:21:50 GMT
Was talking to a Galway man today. He said Galway ran the bench v Carlow and eased off to an extent. Ultimately that was ctitical. The others obliterated Carlow. In my opinion racking up scores against a tiny county like Carlow should not be the factor that decides who loses out. True ,really weird anomolly in fairness who could be predicted so many draws!
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Post by Mickmack on Jun 19, 2019 21:06:03 GMT
Joe McDonagh Cup final 30/6/19
Laois vs Westmeath
Leinster final 30/6/19
Kilkenny vs Wexford
Munster final 30/6/19
Tipperary vs Limerick
All-Ireland Preliminary quarter-finals 6-7 july
Dublin vs Laois/Westmeath winners
Cork vs Laois/Westmeath losers
All-Ireland Quarter-finals 13-14 july
Kilkenny/Wexford losers vs Cork/Laois/Westmeath
Tipperary/Limerick losers vs Dublin/Laois/Westmeath
All-Ireland Semi-finals 27-28 July
Kilkenny/Wexford winners vs Tipperary/Limerick/Dublin/Laois/Westmeath
Tipperary/Limerick winners vs Kilkenny/Wexford/Cork/Laois/Westmeath
All-Ireland Final 18/8/19
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Post by kerrygold on Jun 19, 2019 21:43:04 GMT
Who'll win the two provincial finals mickmack?
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Post by Mickmack on Jun 19, 2019 21:56:31 GMT
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