Good afternoon and welcome to the next episode on what is a bumper Saturday of GAA action.
Derry and Cork are safely through to Round 3 of the football qualifiers while the summer is over for Meath and Limerick.
Meanwhile in Castlebar, Mayo’s championship challenge hangs in the balance as they trail Fermanagh with 15 minutes to play.
We’re turning our attention to Semple Stadium and the second part of today’s triple-header as the hurlers of Cork and Wexford do battle in Round 2 of the qualifiers.
Throw-in is at 5pm.
TEAM NEWS: Here’s the Cork starting XV as named last night — two changes with captain Stephen McDonnell and Conor O’Sullivan returning to the full-back line.
Cork
1. Anthony Nash (Kanturk)
2. Stephen McDonnell (Glen Rovers – captain)
3. Damien Cahalane (St Finbarrs)
4. Conor O’Sullivan (Sarsfields)
5. Mark Ellis (Millstreet)
6. Christopher Joyce (Na Piarsaigh)
7. Aidan Walsh (Kanturk)
8. Bill Cooper (Youghal)
9. William Egan (Kilbrin)
10. Luke O’Farrell (Midleton)
11. John Cronin (Lisgoold)
12. Conor Lehane (Midleton)
13. Alan Cadogan (Douglas)
14. Seamus Harnedy (St Ita’s)
15. Patrick Horgan (Glen Rovers)
TEAM NEWS: It’s as you were for Wexford as Liam Dunne sticks with the same side that beat Offaly last weekend.
Wexford
1. Mark Fanning (Glynn Barntown)
2. Eoin Moore (Oulart-the-Ballagh)
3. Matthew O’Hanlon (St James)
4. James Breen (Adamstown)
5. Diarmuid O’Keeffe (St Anne’s)
6. Paudie Foley (Crossabeg/Ballymurn)
7. Éanna Martin (Sarsfields, Cork)
8. Jack O’Connor (St Martin’s)
9. Eoin Conroy (Naomh Éanna)
10. Liam Óg McGovern (St Anne’s)
11. Lee Chin (Faythe Harriers)
12. Podge Doran (Oylgate-Glenbrien)
13. Paul Morris (Ferns St Aidan’s)
14. Conor McDonald (Naomh Éanna)
15. David Dunne (Davidstown-Courtnacuddy)
Before we get started here, we’ll have a minute’s silence.
THROW IN: Barry Kelly is the man in the middle and he gets us underway.
1 min — Wexford 0-1 Cork 0-0: Mark Fanning points the game’s opening score from a free.
2 mins — Wexford 0-1 Cork 0-1: Pa Horgan responds for Cork as both teams try to find a rhythm.
3 mins — Cork 0-2 Wexford 0-1: Marvellous score from Alan Cadogan. Christopher Joyce finds him in space with a fine ball and he backs himself, scoring from distance.
4 mins — Cork 0-2 Wexford 0-2: Lee Chin lays down an early marker, winning his own ball and pointing.
5 mins — Cork 0-3 Wexford 0-2: Lovely from Conor Lehane who switches play out to Bill Cooper in space, and he makes no mistake.
6 mins — Cork 0-3 Wexford 0-3: Barry Kelly whistles for a Wexford free and Conor McDonald does the necessary.
8 mins – We’re gone to Hawk-Eye to rule on an Alan Cadogan effort, and computer says no. All square still.
9 mins — Wexford 0-4 Cork 0-3: A little bit casual from Cork keeper Anthony Nash as he tries to play the ball out from the back. Paul Morris intervenes and points to put Wexford in front.
10 mins — Wexford 0-4 Cork 0-4: Nash gets it right this time with a quick puckout and Seamus Harnedy draws Cork level.
11 mins — Cork 0-5 Wexford 0-4: Luke O’Farrell drifts away from Eanna Martin into space, and he has more than enough time to pick his spot.
14 mins – Anthony Nash takes up free-taking duties from Pa Horgan for this long-range effort but it’s right and wide. Cork still lead by one.
15 mins — Cork 0-5 Wexford 0-5: Eanna Martin launches a long ball down on top of the Wexford full-forward line. It bobbles about before Conor McDonald snatches it and points.
15 mins — Cork 0-6 Wexford 0-5: Frenetic pace here as Nash wastes no time at all with the puckout. Wexford don’t have time to get their shape and William Egan points.
18 mins — Cork 0-6 Wexford 0-6: Back to Hawk-Eye but this time it’s a green light for Conor McDonald’s effort. All square again.
19 mins — The pace has been relentless here so far; lots of quick puckouts and testing balls being launched from deep.
20 mins – Paul Morris picks up the game’s first yellow card for a challenge on Bill Cooper.
20 mins – After Nash’s miss earlier, Horgan gets the nod for this long-range free. It’s moved forward a bit for dissent but Horgan still can’t convert.
21 mins — Wexford 0-7 Cork 0-6: No mistake for McDonald at the other end. He points the free to nudge Wexford back in front.
Cork have already racked up seven wides here.
25 mins — Wexford 0-8 Cork 0-6: Conor McDonald pucks over his fifth of the afternoon.
Diarmuid O’Sullivan is trying to get a message on to the Cork players to ease off on the long-range shots and try to get some ball in to feed the full-forward line.
27 mins — MORE HAWK-EYE! The technology is being made to earn its keep but it’s wide again.
29 mins — Wexford 0-9 Cork 0-6: The ball pops up for Jack O’Connor and he slots it on the run. Cork haven’t scored since the 15th minute.
30 mins — Wexford 0-10 Cork 0-6: Mark Ellis concedes the free and picks up a yellow card for his troubles. No hassle for McDonald and he knocks it over to stretch the gap to four.
32 mins — Substitute: First change for Cork as Daniel Kearney comes in for John Cronin.
33 mins – Podge Doran has gone down awkwardly there and he’s holding his knee. Let’s hope it’s nothing too serious…
He’s back to his feet now.
33 mins — Wexford 0-11 Cork 0-6: Another McDonald free nudges Wexford further in front.
Cork simply can’t make the ball stick.
35+1 mins — Wexford 0-12 Cork 0-7: Some 20 minutes after their last score, Conor Lehane has Cork on the board again. We’ll play four additional minutes here.
35+2 mins — Wexford 0-12 Cork 0-8: Another from Lehane. Cork back to within four.
35+3 mins — Wexford 0-12 Cork 0-9: Three on the spin for Cork now as Horgan points a free. They’ve really come to life in these last few minutes and all of the momentum is with them now.
HALF TIME: Wexford 0-12 Cork 0-9
Wexford take a three-point lead into the break and they deserve it. They’ve made the most of their possession while Cork have squandered theirs with some questionable decision-making and erratic shooting.
Still, three unanswered points before the break leaves this game in the balance. We’re set for a cracking second half.
Back in five.
SECOND HALF: No changes on either side — we’re back underway.
36 mins — Wexford 0-12 Cork 0-10: An early free for Horgan and they’ve picked up exactly where they left off. Two in it.
38 mins — Wexford 0-13 Cork 0-10: Eoin Moore booms over a long-range free to settle any Wexford nerves.
41 mins — Wexford 0-14 Cork 0-10: Conor McDonald stands over another Wexford free out on the left and makes no mistake. That’s nine for him so far today.
44 mins — Wexford 0-15 Cork 0-11: David Dunne fouled again and — again — McDonald knocks over the free. That’s 10.
Andrew Kenny is on to replace the injured Eanna Martin for Wexford.
45 mins — Wexford 0-16 Cork 0-11: Wexford turning the screw now again as they win the Cork puck-out and send it straight back with interest, Lee Chin pointing his second of the day from play.
48 mins – Superb block by Jack O’Connor. Luke O’Farrell was sizing up his shot but O’Connor got there just in the nick of time.
50 mins — Wexford 0-16 Cork 0-12: Cork can’t afford to add to their wide count or leave any more chances out there, and Patrick Horgan knocks over a free to bring them back to within four.
52 mins — Wexford 0-16 Cork 0-13: James Breen tries to drive his way out of trouble but Alan Cadogan stands his ground and the Wexford man is whistled for overcarrying.
Horgan points the free and it’s a three-point game.
53 mins — WHAT A CHANCE! David Dunne, who has been one of Wexford’s outstanding performers today, finds himself in space inside. Nash closes the angle as Dunne tries to take the ball around him and convert, but the margins are just too tight and his shot finds the side-netting.
55 mins –Wexford 0-16 Cork 0-14: Big shift in momentum as Daniel Kearney stops Eoin Moore. Play breaks down the Wexford end and Luke O’Farrell comes back inside on his left to point. Two in it.
56 mins – That was a chance for Seamus Harnedy. He has time and space but his shot is left and wide.
57 mins – And now it’s Lee Chin’s turn to squander a chance at the other end. That’s Wexford’s fifth wide to 13 from Cork.
58 mins – James Breen is like glue on Alan Cadogan, and he gets the call from Barry Kelly as Cadogan is penalised for charging.
59 mins — CHANCE! Wow — David Dunne has another great opportunity to kill off Cork but he opts to go with boot rather than hurl and flashes his shot wide.
60 mins — Wexford 0-17 Cork 0-14: It’s not all bad for Wexford. Barry Kelly brings play back for an advantage before Dunne’s miss and McDonald knocks it over.
61 mins — Wexford 0-17 Cork 0-15: Luke O’Farrell draws Cork back to within two.
GOAL FOR CORK! Cork 1-15 Wexford 0-17 (Kearney, 62′) THEY’VE FOUND THEIR BREAKTHROUGH – Conor Lehane finds Kearney on his shoulder and the Cork sub finishes low across the face of Mark Fanning’s goal into the far corner.
Are Cork about to pull this one out of the fire?
62 mins — Cork 1-15 Wexford 0-18: How about that for a response from Wexford?! Lee Chin fires one over and we’re all square with eight minutes to play.
64 mins — Wexford 0-19 Cork 0-15: Wexford back in front after some superb fielding by Liam Og McGovern and a great finish from McDonald.
65 mins — Wexford 0-19 Cork 1-16: All square again. A reminder that we will have extra time in the event of a draw.
67 mins — Wexford 0-20 Cork 1-16: Lee Chin puts Wexford back in front with three to play.
67 mins – Conor Lehane has a chance to level it up again but he’s furious with himself for putting it wide.
69 mins — Wexford 0-21 Cork 0-16: Conor McDonald points his 13th free of the day and Wexford are within touching distance of a historic win. Can they close it out?
70 mins — Wexford 0-22 Cork 1-17: Conor Lehane cuts the gap to one but Liam Og McGovern isn’t about to let this slip away so easily, and he responds immediately.
We’ll have three additional minutes for Wexford to hang on — or for Cork to save themselves.
70+1 mins – Damien Cahalane backs himself to score from distance but sends it wide…
70+1 mins — Wexford 0-23 Cork 1-17: MCGOVERN! Wexford lead by three in additional time. They’re within touching distance now.
70+2 mins: Horgan tries to bully his way through with a rocket of a free but it’s blocked and Wexford breathe. Not much more than 60 seconds left for them…
70+3 mins: Nash launches one on top of the Wexford goal… but Wexford scramble it clear. One last roll of the dice for Cork.
70+3 mins: And they gift possession straight back to Wexford with a poor sideline.
Is that their last chance?
IT IS!
FULL TIME: Wexford 0-23 Cork 1-17
ALL OVER! WEXFORD HAVE DONE IT! They have beaten Cork for the first time in the senior hurling championship in 60 years!
What a day for them.
And here’s how they did it, courtesy of Sky Sports:
Think this says it all from The42′s hurling columnist and proud Corkman John Gardiner:
From our man in Semple Stadium — let the inquest begin.
So that’s all from the first hurling qualifier of the evening but stay right here because Clare v Limerick will be up very shortly.
A quick look at the football scores elsewhere before we get started.
Monaghan trail Longford by 1-6 to 0-6; Kildare are 1-9 to 0-7 up against Offaly; and Cavan have beaten Carlow by 2-13 to 0-12.
THROW IN: We’re underway.
1 min — Clare 0-1 Limerick 0-0: Twenty seconds on the clock and Aaron Shanagher points Clare into the lead.
Here’s a quick reminder of how the teams line out.
Clare unchanged from the side which beat Laois last weekend; Richie McCarthy, Tom Condon and Cian Lynch all return for Limerick.
Clare
1. Andrew Fahy (Whitegate)
2. Oisín O’Brien (Clonlara)
3. Pat O’Connor (Tubber)
4. Cian Dillon (Crusheen) – Joint Captain
5. Jack Browne (Ballyea)
6. Conor Cleary (St Joseph’s Miltown / Kilmaley)
7. Brendan Bugler (Whitegate)
8. David McInerney (Tulla)
9. David Reidy (Éire Óg)
10. Colm Galvin (Clonlara)
11. Podge Collins (Cratloe)
12. Tony Kelly (Ballyea) – Joint Captain
13. John Conlon (Clonlara)
14. Shane O’Donnell (Éire Óg)
15. Aron Shanagher (Wolfe Tones)
Limerick
1. Nickie Quaid (Effin)
2. Tom Condon (Knockaderry)
3. Richie McCarthy (Blackrock)
4. Richie English (Doon)
5. Diarmuid Byrnes (Patrickswell)
6. Gavin O’Mahony (Kilmallock)
7. Paudie O’Brien (Kilmallock)
8. Paul Browne (Bruff)
9. Darragh O’Donovan (Doon)
10. Declan Hannon (Adare)
11. James Ryan (Garryspillane)
12. Cian Lynch (Patrickswell)
13. Kevin Downes (Na Piarsaigh)
14. Shane Dowling (Na Piarsaigh)
15. Graeme Mulcahy (Kilmallock)
2 mins — Clare 0-1 Limerick 0-1: Shane Dowling points his first free to get Limerick off the mark.
4 mins — CHANCE! Paudie O’Brien is trying to get tight on John Conlon but he loses his footing and leaves the Clare man with a clear path to goal. He drills a shot on goal but it’s into the side-netting.
4 mins — Limerick 0-2 Clare 0-1: Kevin Downes finds himself on the ball for the first time this evening and he swings over a point.
7 mins — Limerick 0-3 Clare 0-1: Smashing stickwork from Darragh O’Donovan as he skips out of the crowd and points without breaking stride.
8 mins – Colm Galvin tries his luck from a long way out but Nickie Quaid is happy to stand and watch it sail harmlessly wide.
9 mins – Scrappy passage of play as Limerick rain down a ball on top of the Clare full-backs. Cian Lynch eventually comes away with it and, with no hurl in his hand, tries to kick the ball over the bar from 20+ yards. He has the distance but not the accuracy, sadly.
11 mins – Colm Galvin does all of the hard work to scoot away from Darragh O’Donovan but Richie McCarthy arrives on the scene just as he’s about to hit his shot and does enough to put him off. Wide.
13 mins — Limerick 0-4 Clare 0-1: No fuss for Shane Dowling as he points a free.
13 mins — Limerick 0-4 Clare 0-2: Quick response from Clare through John Conlon.
17 mins — WHAT A STOP! Shane Dowling does everything right, bouncing his shot off the ground past Andrew Fahy — but Brendan Bugler is covering in behind and gets his hurl to the ball just before it crosses the line, slicing it behind for a 65.
18 mins — Limerick 0-5 Clare 0-2: Dowling does the necessary with the 65 — but that really should have been a goal for Limerick but for Bugler’s intervention.
20 mins –Limerick 0-5 Clare 0-3: Podge Collins has a good chance but sends it wide. He makes amends immediately and converts a more difficult chance, bouncing off Paul Browne before scoring.
21 mins — Limerick 0-5 Clare 0-4: David McInerney bursts forward to join the Clare attack. James Ryan tracks him but can’t stop him from pointing. This is better from Clare.
23 mins — Limerick 0-5 Clare 0-5: All square! Podge goes deep to forage and he points on the turn. Fine score.
24 mins — Clare 0-6 Limerick 0-5: And here comes Shane O’Donnell. He’s quickest to react to the ball in by Galvin and then skips through the narrowing gap between English and Byrnes before pointing. Another excellent score.
26 mins — Clare 0-7 Limerick 0-5: Podge Collins has taken this game by the scruff of the neck and he points for the third time in a matter of minutes.
27 mins – Colm Galvin has a great chance to stretch Clare’s lead and he knows it himself as he sends his shot just wide.
29 mins — Clare 0-8 Limerick 0-5: MONSTER free from Tony Kelly — it still had plenty of legs as it split Quaid’s post too!
31 mins – After a really bright start, Limerick have gone off the boil entirely and allowed Clare to take control. It’s more than 20 minutes now since the Treaty’s last point from play.
33 mins — Clare 0-9 Limerick 0-5: Great battling by Shane O’Donnell who initially fumbles his catch but does brilliantly to get to the ball before it goes over the end line and play it off the leg of Richie English to win the 65.
Tony Kelly makes sure all of that work wasn’t in vain and points.
34 mins – The space opens up in front of David McInerney and he has a taste for goal now after his earlier points. He tries to double down but sends it wide, Clare’s ninth of the day.
And still they look comfortable at the moment.
35 mins — Clare 0-10 Limerick 0-5: Tom Condon gets isolated as he tries to come out from the back and there’s an ocean of space between the Limerick defensive lines. Shane O’Donnell steps up into it and points.
35+1 mins — Clare 0-11 Limerick 0-5: Again, Limerick cough up possession cheaply coming out from the back and then Gavin O’Mahony fouls David Reidy. No bother for Kelly.
HALF TIME: Clare 0-11 Limerick 0-5
SECOND HALF: Two changes for Limerick at the break — Declan Hannon and Darragh O’Donovan come off; Tom Morrissey and Gearoid Hegarty are on.
36 mins — Clare 0-11 Limerick 0-6: Quick start for Limerick as Hegarty makes an instant impact.
39 mins — Clare 0-11 Limerick 0-7: Shane Dowling points a free to bring Limerick back to within four.
SHOCK WATCH: Longford have just scored a second goal to go four points up against Monaghan. They lead 2-13 to 1-12 with seven or eight minutes to play.
That would be huge.
Not a huge amount between Kildare and Offaly either. The Lilywhites lead 1-19 to 2-14…
42 mins — Clare 0-12 Limerick 0-7: Aaron Shanagher gets out in front of Tom Condon to win the ball and as he drives towards goal, Condon pulls him down just outside the large parallelogram. A definite free and Kelly points.
43 mins — Clare 0-13 Limerick 0-7: O’Donnell wriggles free of the attentions of the Limerick defence and he points his third of the evening.
Niall Kelly — not me, the other one — points for Kildare to give them a bit of breathing space and then David Hyland adds another. They lead by four now and that should be enough.
44 mins — Clare 0-14 Limerick 0-8: Kelly’s free stretches the gap to double scores but Diarmuid Byrnes sizes up a shot and points in response.
Longford’s margin is cut to three — but time is running out for Monaghan…
And it ain’t over between Kildare and Offaly yet!
48 mins — Substitution: Clare change as Aaron Cunningham comes in for John Conlon.
THEY’VE DONE IT! Longford have beaten Monaghan 2-13 to 1-13. My days.
50 mins — Clare 0-15 Limerick 0-9: Back in Semple, the sides trade points but the gap stays at six.
51 mins – Shane Dowling has the distance on his long free but not the accuracy and it drops wide.
53 mins — Clare 0-15 Limerick 0-10: BAM! Great score by Diarmuid Byrnes. Limerick could make a fight of this yet.
54 mins –Clare 0-16 Limerick 0-10: Just when you think Limerick might build up a head of steam, the ball falls to Tony Kelly and he points.
57 mins — Clare 0-16 Limerick 0-11: Shane Dowling sneaks a free inside the post.
58 mins — Clare 0-16 Limerick 0-12: He might be wearing number five on his back but Diarmuid Byrnes is weighing in on the scoreboard as well. He backs himself all the way and sends over another marvellous point.
60 mins — Clare 0-16 Limerick 0-13: HANG ON A SECOND — don’t go anywhere! Paul Browne keeps this Limerick scoring spree going and now there’s only three points between the sides
62 mins — Clare 0-17 Limerick 0-13: Shanagher is fouled just as he’s about to pull the trigger and strike, leaving Kelly to point the free and put four between them again.
64 mins — Clare 0-17 Limerick 0-14: Dowling free. Three again.
66 mins – Paul Browne launches a ball towards the Clare goal in hope more than anything else and watches it sail wide. He could have done with settling himself for a moment or two there.
67 mins — PENALTY FOR CLARE! Wow, this is a huge call by James Owens!
Conor Cleary’s shot is going left and wide but Nickie Quaid pushes the Clare player as he tries to stop it and Owens awards a penalty.
69 mins — Clare 0-18 Limerick 0-14: Kelly decides to take his point. Four in it.
70 mins — Seamus Hickey is a very lucky man. He has a wild swipe as he brings the ball out from the back — getting all man and no ball — and if the officials had spotted that, he might well have been shown to the line.
70+1 mins – We’ll have five additional minutes here so Limerick still have time.
70+2 mins – David Reidy tries his luck from a tight angle but it only results in Clare’s 14th wide.
70+3 mins – Alan Dempsey clips Colm Galvin from behind and it gives Tony Kelly a chance to roll down the clock and stretch the gap to five. He does the first — but can’t manage the latter, a rare misfire as he sends the ball wide.
70+3 mins — Clare 0-18 Limerick 0-15: One-score game with two minutes left. Can Limerick get their goal?
70+4 mins — Clare 0-19 Limerick 0-15: That’s that, you feel. Quaid tries to pick out Dempsey but he loses the flight of the ball in the sun. Kelly steps up to steal it and point and Clare look like they’ll get over the line and into the All-Ireland quarter-finals.
FULL TIME: Clare 0-19 Limerick 0-15
So that’s it — Clare march on to an All-Ireland quarter-final but for Limerick, the summer is over.
It wasn’t always the most exciting of games but when Limerick threatened to make a fist of it in the final quarter, there were plenty of nails bitten.
