A PRECIOUS POINT dropped in the promotion race? Perhaps. But 13-man Dublin still celebrated Chris Crummey’s 75th-minute equaliser at Croke Park as they’d just won the All-Ireland.
There was huge relief among Dublin supporters when ultra-experienced Crummey, confirmed as captain for 2026 ahead of the game, tied it up in the last play.
At that stage, Dublin, who had already lost to Clare in Division 1B, were down to 13 players following the dismissals of midfielder Conor Groarke and full-back Paddy Smyth.
There was more controversy at the final whistle as both sets of players traded shoves and insults while opposing managers Niall Ó Ceallacháin and Keith Rossiter went nose-to-nose at one stage over a late free awarded to Wexford.
There’s clearly no love lost between the sides with Wexford chasing a first win over Dublin in six competitive encounters.
It looked like they might pull it off too, to make it four wins from four, when Darragh Carley put them a point ahead in the 69th minute.
But Brian Hayes and then, at the death, Crummey clawed back scores for Dublin to keep their promotion hopes just about alive.
Simon Roche, last year’s U20 captain for Wexford, top scored for Wexford with 0-10, while Kevin Foley, 2-0, and Lee Chin, 1-1, grabbed the goals in a rollercoaster encounter that sets things up nicely for their Championship rematch in May.
Wexford are still unbeaten after four games and have seven points on the board with Clare and Kildare still to play.
As for Dublin, they got a big impact from the returning John Hetherton, who struck two goals, while free-taker Donal Burke drilled 1-9 and All-Star Cian O’Sullivan grabbed a goal too.
Dublin handed Hetherton his first start of the season, having missed their previous six Walsh Cup and League games.
Ó Ceallacháin was perhaps hoping the St Vincent’s attacker could conjure the same sort of magic he displayed against Wexford at nearby Parnell Park last summer, when he slammed 2-3 in the Leinster SHC.
And the Dublin manager got his wish because Hetherton was dangerous straight away, scoring a first-half goal and causing havoc in the Wexford full-back line any time a long delivery came his way.
Dublin launched three long balls towards Hetherton in the first 15 minutes alone.
One of those ended with the ball breaking to O’Sullivan, who immediately swiped off the turf and struck the net.
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Dublin carved out another goal chance in the 19th minute when Fergal Whitely played in Eoghan O’Donnell, who drew a great save from Mark Fanning.
But the ball was only cleared as far as the waiting Hetherton, who, like O’Sullivan earlier, pulled first time and rattled the net.
Burke’s fourth point of the half for Dublin left them 2-7 to 0-7 ahead, and Hetherton got involved again, winning another long delivery that ended with a Whitely score.
From that position of authority, with a 2-8 to 0-9 lead after 29 minutes, Dublin somehow ended up going in two points down at half-time.
Wexford suddenly came alive with points from Tomás Kinsella and goalkeeper Fanning, a bomb from his own half, before Kevin Foley levelled the game with a goal.
Quick hands in the Dublin danger zone eventually led to Ross Banville finding Foley, who was probably fouled by goalkeeper Seán Brennan, but still found the net.
Chin and Roche added points, and suddenly Wexford were sitting pretty with a 1-13 to 2-8 lead. To compound Dublin’s difficulties, the free that Roche scored from came after a foul by midfielder Conor Groarke, who was shown a second yellow card.
Dublin brought on Conor Donohoe at half-time to shore up the middle third and took the numerical hit in attack, leaving Wexford with a spare defender.
Referee Michael Kennedy was also in charge when the sides met last summer, and he made a big penalty call which went Dublin’s way for a goal on that occasion.
He was about two more huge penalty calls in this game.
Firstly, he black carded Richie Lawlor for a foul on O’Sullivan, resulting in a penalty that Burke dispatched, levelling the game at 3-10 to 1-16.
Then, at the other end, he dismissed Conor Burke for 10 minutes for a foul on Rory Higgins, though Mark Fanning was unable to convert the resulting penalty for Wexford.
It turned out that a cracking game was only warming up. Foley scored his second goal in the 52nd minute, and Hetherton doubled his tally with a second goal too, firing one-handed to the net four minutes later.
It set up a thrilling finale, and Wexford, with two extra players, thought they’d done enough to win it, but 2025 All-Ireland semi-finalists Dublin simply wouldn’t be beaten.
Dublin scorers: Donal Burke 1-9 (0-7f, 1-0 pen, 0-1 65), John Hetherton 2-0, Cian O’Sullivan 1-1, Brian Hayes 0-2, Fergal Whitely 0-2, Eoghan O’Donnell 0-1, Conor Groarke 0-1, Conor Donohoe 0-1, John Bellew 0-1, Chris Crummey 0-1.
Wexford scorers: Simon Roche 0-10 (0-8f), Kevin Foley 2-0, Lee Chin 1-1 (1-0 pen), Conor Hearne 0-3, Darren Codd 0-1, Ross Banville 0-1, Tomás Kinsella 0-1, Mark Fanning 0-1 (0-1f), Conor Foley 0-1, Rory Higgins 0-1, Damien Reck 0-1, Darragh Carley 0-1.
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13-man Dublin snatch dramatic draw with Wexford
Allianz Hurling League Division 1B
Dublin 4-19
Wexford 3-22
Paul Keane reports from Croke Park
A PRECIOUS POINT dropped in the promotion race? Perhaps. But 13-man Dublin still celebrated Chris Crummey’s 75th-minute equaliser at Croke Park as they’d just won the All-Ireland.
There was huge relief among Dublin supporters when ultra-experienced Crummey, confirmed as captain for 2026 ahead of the game, tied it up in the last play.
At that stage, Dublin, who had already lost to Clare in Division 1B, were down to 13 players following the dismissals of midfielder Conor Groarke and full-back Paddy Smyth.
There was more controversy at the final whistle as both sets of players traded shoves and insults while opposing managers Niall Ó Ceallacháin and Keith Rossiter went nose-to-nose at one stage over a late free awarded to Wexford.
There’s clearly no love lost between the sides with Wexford chasing a first win over Dublin in six competitive encounters.
It looked like they might pull it off too, to make it four wins from four, when Darragh Carley put them a point ahead in the 69th minute.
But Brian Hayes and then, at the death, Crummey clawed back scores for Dublin to keep their promotion hopes just about alive.
Simon Roche, last year’s U20 captain for Wexford, top scored for Wexford with 0-10, while Kevin Foley, 2-0, and Lee Chin, 1-1, grabbed the goals in a rollercoaster encounter that sets things up nicely for their Championship rematch in May.
Wexford are still unbeaten after four games and have seven points on the board with Clare and Kildare still to play.
As for Dublin, they got a big impact from the returning John Hetherton, who struck two goals, while free-taker Donal Burke drilled 1-9 and All-Star Cian O’Sullivan grabbed a goal too.
Dublin handed Hetherton his first start of the season, having missed their previous six Walsh Cup and League games.
Ó Ceallacháin was perhaps hoping the St Vincent’s attacker could conjure the same sort of magic he displayed against Wexford at nearby Parnell Park last summer, when he slammed 2-3 in the Leinster SHC.
And the Dublin manager got his wish because Hetherton was dangerous straight away, scoring a first-half goal and causing havoc in the Wexford full-back line any time a long delivery came his way.
Dublin launched three long balls towards Hetherton in the first 15 minutes alone.
One of those ended with the ball breaking to O’Sullivan, who immediately swiped off the turf and struck the net.
Dublin carved out another goal chance in the 19th minute when Fergal Whitely played in Eoghan O’Donnell, who drew a great save from Mark Fanning.
But the ball was only cleared as far as the waiting Hetherton, who, like O’Sullivan earlier, pulled first time and rattled the net.
Burke’s fourth point of the half for Dublin left them 2-7 to 0-7 ahead, and Hetherton got involved again, winning another long delivery that ended with a Whitely score.
From that position of authority, with a 2-8 to 0-9 lead after 29 minutes, Dublin somehow ended up going in two points down at half-time.
Wexford suddenly came alive with points from Tomás Kinsella and goalkeeper Fanning, a bomb from his own half, before Kevin Foley levelled the game with a goal.
Quick hands in the Dublin danger zone eventually led to Ross Banville finding Foley, who was probably fouled by goalkeeper Seán Brennan, but still found the net.
Chin and Roche added points, and suddenly Wexford were sitting pretty with a 1-13 to 2-8 lead. To compound Dublin’s difficulties, the free that Roche scored from came after a foul by midfielder Conor Groarke, who was shown a second yellow card.
Dublin brought on Conor Donohoe at half-time to shore up the middle third and took the numerical hit in attack, leaving Wexford with a spare defender.
Referee Michael Kennedy was also in charge when the sides met last summer, and he made a big penalty call which went Dublin’s way for a goal on that occasion.
He was about two more huge penalty calls in this game.
Firstly, he black carded Richie Lawlor for a foul on O’Sullivan, resulting in a penalty that Burke dispatched, levelling the game at 3-10 to 1-16.
Then, at the other end, he dismissed Conor Burke for 10 minutes for a foul on Rory Higgins, though Mark Fanning was unable to convert the resulting penalty for Wexford.
It turned out that a cracking game was only warming up. Foley scored his second goal in the 52nd minute, and Hetherton doubled his tally with a second goal too, firing one-handed to the net four minutes later.
It set up a thrilling finale, and Wexford, with two extra players, thought they’d done enough to win it, but 2025 All-Ireland semi-finalists Dublin simply wouldn’t be beaten.
Dublin scorers: Donal Burke 1-9 (0-7f, 1-0 pen, 0-1 65), John Hetherton 2-0, Cian O’Sullivan 1-1, Brian Hayes 0-2, Fergal Whitely 0-2, Eoghan O’Donnell 0-1, Conor Groarke 0-1, Conor Donohoe 0-1, John Bellew 0-1, Chris Crummey 0-1.
Wexford scorers: Simon Roche 0-10 (0-8f), Kevin Foley 2-0, Lee Chin 1-1 (1-0 pen), Conor Hearne 0-3, Darren Codd 0-1, Ross Banville 0-1, Tomás Kinsella 0-1, Mark Fanning 0-1 (0-1f), Conor Foley 0-1, Rory Higgins 0-1, Damien Reck 0-1, Darragh Carley 0-1.
Dublin
16. Seán Brennan (Cuala)
2. John Bellew (Lucan Sarsfields)
3. Paddy Smyth (Clontarf)
4. Eoghan O’Donnell (Whitehall Colmcille)
5. Andrew Dunphy (St Brigid’s)
6. Chris Crummey (Lucan Sarsfields)
7. Conor Burke (St Vincent’s)
9. Conor Groarke (Cuala)
12. Darragh Power (Fingallians)
11. Dónal Burke (Na Fianna)
8. Brian Hayes (Kilmacud Crokes)
10. Fergal Whitely (Kilmacud Crokes)
26. John Hetherton (St Vincent’s)
14. Ronan Hayes (Kilmacud Crokes)
15. Cian O’Sullivan (St Brigid’s)
Subs
Wexford
1. Mark Fanning (Glynn Barntown – Captain)
2. Darragh Carley (Glynn Barntown)
3. Conor Foley (Horeswood)
17. Simon Donohoe (Shelmaliers)
5. Damien Reck (Oylegate Glenbrien)
6. Richie Lawlor (Faythe Harriers)
7. Eamon Wickham (Rathnure St Anne’s)
8. Conor Hearne (Shelmaliers)
9. David Codd (St Martin’s)
13. Ross Banville (Shelmaliers)
11. Simon Roche (Oulart The Ballagh)
10. Darren Codd (St Martin’s)
12. Lee Chin (Faythe Harriers)
14. Kevin Foley (Rapparees)
15. Tomás Kinsella (Askamore)
Subs
Referee: Michael Kennedy (Tipperary).
******
Results – Allianz Hurling League
Division 1B
******
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