Galway 1-19
Wexford 1-19
WEXFORD PULLED OFF a great escape to snatch a draw against Galway in their Leinster SHC opener.
Henry Shefflin looked set to claim a victory in his first inter-county championship match as manager when the Tribesmen led by six points after 62 minutes.
After a poor opening half, the Model County were a different outfit after half-time.
Then Conor McDonald struck for a pivotal goal to spark Wexford into life. Lee Chin hit the final four scores of the game, including a pressurised last second equaliser.
Galway will leave Wexford wondering quite how they let this slip. They were unhappy with referee Thomas Walsh for his decision to penalise Conor Cooney for taking too long on a free in the 76th minute.
Galway were two up at the time and after the referee threw the ball in, Chin immediately gathered and fired it over. From the next play, Damien Reck burst out with possession and was fouled, with Chin stroking over his fifth of the day to seal a share of the spoils.
Darragh Egan will be satisfied with a point given how poor Wexford were for most of the first period. It must be said they turned things around brilliantly after the restart.
Of major concern for Shefflin will be the fitness of Conor Whelan after he was fired off in the 59th minute with what looked like a hamstring injury.
On a positive note for Galway, their midfield pairing of Joseph Cooney and Tom Monaghan hit 0-6 between them are tackled ferociously all afternoon.
It was a game that took a long time to get going. Though Wexford opened the scoring, it would take them 19 minutes to trouble the scoreboard from play.
Galway’s attack looked lively in the early stages with Cathal Mannion playing a roving corner-forward role. The smart movement of Conor Whelan and Brian Concannon inside caused Wexford plenty of problems.
Concannon rattled in a fifth-minute goal after a powerful run forward from Conor Cooney. Whelan might have added a second after Concannon played a neat ball across the square, but the Kinvara forward lost his footing momentarily and allowed Mark Fanning make a vital interception.
Galway led by 1-4 to 0-3 after 18 minutes and in truth they should have been far further in front. It didn’t feel like championship with both sides guilty of missed chances and sloppy play.
Cooney did miss four placed balls in the opening period as Galway hit 10 wides.
Wexford’s attacking gameplan seemed to centre around delivering high ball inside on Conor McDonald, who found himself outnumbered up front.
He did win a couple of great ball over his direct marker Daithi Burke that led to scores, while he won a late first-half penalty after bursting through the Galway rearguard.
Fanning came up to hit the penalty but drilled it over, missing a golden chance to give Wexford’s challenge some life.
Wexford went in five behind at the interval and could consider themselves somewhat fortunate to still be in the game.
Wexford were a different animal after the break, firing over three quick fire scores within seven minutes of the restart. That brought them back to a more manageable four-point deficit.
Rory O’Connor, who looked dangerous every time he got the ball in hand, missed a couple of scoreable frees with the hosts on top. Galway’s midfield pairing of Joe Cooney and Tom Monaghan clipped a point each either side of one from Cathal Dunbar.
Egan introduced heavyweights Lee Chin and Jack O’Connor. Connal Flood found some space in midfield and pointed but at the far end Galway seemed to be getting their scores that bit easier and were able to maintain their cushion.
Cooney found his range after those early misses and when he clipped over his eight score of the day, Galway were five clear looking on the verge of victory. Joseph Cooney might have put the contest to bed when he brilliantly intercepted by opted to shoot for goal himself rather than pass inside to the unmarked Conor Cooney.
Then McDonald struck for a magnificent 63rd minute goal to give his team hope. It arrived after he won a high delivery in a forest of bodies, scooped up the ball brilliantly and then turned it into the net off the ground after this initial kick was blocked.
Then Chin came up trumps in a dramatic finish to hand Wexford an unlikely draw.
Scorers for Galway: Conor Cooney 0-8 (0-5f, 0-3 65), Tom Monaghan 0-4, Brian Concannon 1-1, Conor Whelan 0-3, Joseph Cooney 0-2, Darren Morrissey and Cathal Mannion 0-1 each.
Scorers for Wexford: Rory O’Connor 0-6 (0-4f), Conor MCDonald 1-2, Lee Chin 0-5 (0-3f, 0-1 65), Oisin Foley 0-2, Simon Donohoe, Connal Flood and Cathal Dunbar 0-1 each.
Galway
1. Eanna Murphy (Tommy Larkins)
2. Jack Grealish (Gort), 3. Daithi Burke (Turloughmore – captain), 4. Darren Morrissey (Sarsfields)
5. Padraig Mannion (Ahascragh-Fohenagh), 6. Gearoid McInerney (Oranmore-Maree), 7. Fintan Burke (St Thomas’)
8. Joseph Cooney (Sarsfields), 9. Tom Monaghan (Craughwell)
10. Evan Niland (Clarinbridge), 11. Conor Cooney (St Thomas’), 12. Cianan Fahy (Ardrahan)
15. Cathal Mannion (Ahascragh-Fohenagh), 13. Conor Whelan (Kinvara), 14. Brian Concannon (Killimordaly)
Subs
24. Gavin Lee (Clarinbridge) for Niland (53)
21. David Burke (St Thomas’) for Whelan (59)
25. Kevin Cooney (Sarsfields) for Fahy (67)
23. Jack Hastings (Liam Mellows) for Concannon (73)
22. Johnny Coen (Loughrea) for Burke (76)
Wexford
1. Mark Fanning (Glynn-Barnstown)
4.Matthew O’Hanlon (St James’), 2. Simon Donohoe (Shelmaliers), 3. Liam Ryan (Rappareeds),
7. Conal Flood (Cloughbawn), 6. Damien Reck (Oxlegate-Glenbrien), 5. Paudie Foley (Crossaeg/Ballymurn)
8. Kevin Foley (Rapparees) 9. Diarmuid O’Keeffe (St Anne’s Rathangan)
10. Liam Óg McGovern (St Anne’s Rathangan), 11. Oisin Foley (Crossaeg/Ballymurn), 12. Charlie McGuckin (Naomh Eanna)
13. Rory O’Connor (St Martin’s) 14. Conor McDonald (Naomh Eanna), 15. Mikie Dwyer (St Mogue’s Fethard)
Subs
22. Cathal Dunbar (Naomh Eanna) for Dwyer (45)
19. Lee Chin (Faythe Harriers) for Oisin Foley (46)
25. Jack O’Connor (St Martin’s) for McGuckin (52)
26. Oisin Pepper (Rapparees) for Kevin Foley (67)
Referee: Thomas Walsh (Waterford)