Good afternoon ladies and gentlemen, you’re very welcome along to our minute-by-minute coverage of today’s highly-awaited, mouth-watering All-Ireland semi-final between Wexford and Tipperary.
Kilkenny dumped defending champions Limerick out following a swash-buckling affair at Croke Park yesterday and these sides on display today are battling it out for the right to take on the Cats here in three weeks’ time.
Davy Fitzgerald’s men shocked Kilkenny by claiming a first Leinster title in 15 years at the end of June and his side will require a similarly heroic performance if they are to overcome Tipp.
Wexford haven’t been to an All-Ireland hurling final since 1996, but you only have to cast your mind back to three years since the Premier County made it to the decider. If Liam Sheedy’s men prevail this afternoon, it’ll be a repeat of 2016 against Kilkenny.
It’s a cloudy-ish day in the capital at the moment. There are chances of patchy rain but for now it’s dry as a bone out there and grand aul conditions for some lovely hurling action.
Stick with us, throw-in is coming up in just over an hour’s time at 3.30pm.
A quick reminder of today’s two teams…
Wexford:
1. Mark Fanning
2. Shane Reck
3. Liam Ryan
4. Simon Donohoe
5. Paudie Foley
6. Matthew O’Hanlon
7. Shaun Murphy
8. Kevin Foley
9. Diarmaid O’Keefe
10. Liam Og McGovern
11. Conor McDonald
12. Jack O’Connor
13. Paul Morris
14. Lee Chin
15. Rory O’Connor
Tipperary
1. Brian Hogan
2. Cathal Barrett
3. James Barry
4. Barry Heffernan
5. Brendan Maher
6. Padraic Maher
7. Ronan Maher
8. Noel McGrath
9. Michael Breen
10. Dan McCormack
11. John O’Dwyer
12. Niall O’Meara
13. Jason Forde
14. Séamus Callanan
15. John McGrath
We're in for another cracker in Croke Park today. But who will book their place in the All-Ireland hurling SHC final? #rtegaa pic.twitter.com/OaUcYVEKV0
— The Sunday Game (@TheSundayGame) July 28, 2019
Plenty of pre-game reading material ahead of throw-in:
- ‘Young people are different’ – Why Davy Fitz has ditched pre-game team-talks
- ‘There’s nothing new there we haven’t seen before’ – Ex-Tipp boss ahead of Wexford semi-final
- Cody’s remarkable run, Limerick’s slow start and the Ballyhale attacking class
- Brilliant Kilkenny slay champions Limerick to book first All-Ireland final since 2016
- ‘We knew it was after taking a touch’ – Kiely rues late officiating error
- ‘It’s either in a fella or it’s not’ – Cody on what makes his team special
It promises to a cracker this afternoon, but how do you see today’s semi-final unfolding? Let us know below!
Poll Results:
There will be a five minute delay to throw-in due to today’s All-Ireland minor semi-final, which saw 12 minutes of stoppage time added on due to an injury. Throw-in between Wexford and Tipp to come at 3.35pm instead now.
Kilkenny boss Brian Cody watches on ahead of throw-in at Croke Park. Who would he fancy playing in three weeks’ time?
Contented Cat watching on!! #rtegaa pic.twitter.com/HDDsHnIRvj
— The Sunday Game (@TheSundayGame) July 28, 2019
Both teams finishing up their warm-ups at either end as we prepare for the national anthem. There were 55,000 supporters here for Limerick and Kilkenny — it’s another bumper crowd today.
There is one late switch for each team ahead of throw-in.
For Wexford, Damien Reck replaces Shane Reck at corner back, while for Tipp Seamus Kennedy comes in for James Barry.
Just a few minutes to go now.
There is a gigantic Wexford contingent at Croke Park today. Purple and gold as far as the eye can see. What a turnout.
Throw-in! We’re underway for the first half!
Wexford 0-1 Tipperary 0-1
Paudie Foley fires over the opening score of the game with just 14 seconds on the clock. Brendan Maher responds down the other end right away and it’s one point apiece.
Wexford 0-3 Tipperary 0-1
Rory O’Connor with a fine piece of individual skill to regain the lead. He scoops the ball off the floor in space and fires over with the short stick. Liam Ryan adds another after venturing forward all the way from fullback. Incredible run.
Wexford 0-3 Tipperary 0-1
Phenomenal block by Ronan Maher to deny Sean Murphy the chance to find the back of the net. The Wexford half-back meandered inside with some quick feet, but his shot aiming for Brian Hogan’s far corner was blocked away by Maher.
Wexford 0-4 Tipperary 0-1
Lee Chin fires the resulting ’45 over the bar to extend Wexford’s lead to three points. That was some really lovely handling and footwork from Sean Murphy. He had the chance to take his point, opted for goal instead, and it was a crucial block by Maher.
Wexford 0-4 Tipperary 0-2
Down the other end Tipperary roar forward and earn a free. Jason Forde takes command of the ball and has no issue slotting the free between the sticks. Two-point game again.
Wexford 0-4 Tipperary 0-2
Tipp supporters cry out in celebration after Michael Breen fires the ball into an empty net, but referee Sean Cleere from Kilkenny calls play back and says there was a foul inside the area. Free out, no goal.
Wexford 0-4 Tipperary 1-2
GOAL! Séamus Callanan latches onto Niall O’Meara’s handpass across goal and drills a stunning low effort into the back of the net. Incredible strike along the ground at a really tricky angle right into the top corner. Tipp lead by a point!
Seamus Callanan pulls on the sliothar and hits a bullet of a goal for @TipperaryGAA!! pic.twitter.com/AnRPL8CWix
— The GAA (@officialgaa) July 28, 2019
Wexford 0-4 Tipperary 1-2
Honest to God, it has been an absolutely frantic start to this semi-final. Right from the get-go it has been non-stop, end-to-end action. A cracking game and there’s only 10 minutes on the clock.
Wexford 0-4 Tipperary 1-2
John McGrath and Damien Reck pick up a yellow card each for some jersey pulling off the ball. Noel McGrath finds a pocket of space and releases a strong shot, but it drifts wide of the target.
Wexford 0-5 Tipperary 1-3
Jason Forde with a superb free from almost along the halfway line. He needed to generate a serious amount of power behind his swing to carry the ball all the way — but he manages to do just that. Wexford respond with a clever point from Paul Morris along the right channel.
Wexford 0-6 Tipperary 1-3
Liam Og McGovern slots over following a darting run through midfield. We’re all square with 15 minutes on the clock at Croke Park.
Wexford 0-6 Tipperary 1-4
Lee Chin fires over the bar, but the referee calls the ball back for a free out. Chin appeared to catch the sliotar three times there and there’s no argument from the joint-captain. Noel McGrath points and Tipp lead again.
Wexford 0-7 Tipperary 1-4
Kevin Foley takes possession from Damien Reck, who continues his run begging for the ball back. But Foley backs himself from distance and finds the target with a super score. Level pegging.
Wexford 0-8 Tipperary 1-5
Free to Tipp 40 yards out from goal, slightly to the right, and Jason Forde does the damage with a handy point. Diarmaid O’Keefe is in space as Wexford attack on the counter and the midfield man points with ease.
Wexford 0-9 Tipperary 1-5
Save! Brian Hogan produces a brilliant save to deny Rory O’Connor. The corner forward found time and space and put the head down before firing on target. It looked like a certain goal, but Hogan did brilliantly to tip the ball over the bar for a point.
Wexford 0-10 Tipperary 1-5
Lee Chin draws a massive roar from the tens of thousands of Wexford supporters who have the trip up to the capital. He points with a mighty free from well inside his own half. Some strike. His side lead by two.
Wexford 0-10 Tipperary 1-6
It’s back to a one-point game. Jason Forde slots over another free and it’s his fourth score of the afternoon so far. The Silvermines man has been in top form from frees so far.
Wexford 1-10 Tipperary 1-6
GOAL! Paul Morris with a superb pass into the danger zone towards Conor McDonald and he zips a super strike into the back of the net beyond the reach of Brian Hogan. A killer effort from McDonald following some tremendous vision from Morris.
Goal for @OfficialWexGAA by Conor McDonald!! pic.twitter.com/KJEjJaTxLF
— The GAA (@officialgaa) July 28, 2019
Wexford 1-10 Tipperary 1-7
Jason Forde knocks another point on the scoreboard, but the referee’s assistants need HawkEye to make sure. The technology flashes up on screen and it confirms Forde’s strike was good and over. A goal between the sides.
Wexford 1-10 Tipperary 1-7
Barry Heffernan picks up possession following a sloppy Wexford pass and slots over. But wait, the linesman calls for HawkEye for the second time in as many minutes. The technology shows the ball went marginally wide. No score this time.
Wexford 1-10 Tipperary 1-7
Lee Chin fires another mammoth free hurtling towards goal. It looks like it might just creep over the bar, but Brian Hogan races from his line and heroically catches the ball and ends the danger.
Wexford 1-11 Tipperary 1-7
A controversial call by the referee as Tipperary have a goal ruled out. Lee Chin’s free actually did go over the bar. It crawled marginally over before Brian Hogan caught the sliotar. Tipp flew down the other end where Bubbles found the back of the net, but because Chin’s free went over, Tipp’s goal won’t count. Bizarre scenes.
Wexford 1-11 Tipperary 1-10
Three scores back-to-back for Tipp as the atmosphere inside Croke Park continues to grow and grow after that controversial call to rule out Bubbles’ goal. Seamus Callanan leading the way, after Noel McGrath and Ronan Maher also found the target.
Wexford 1-11 Tipperary 1-10
There will be four minutes of stoppage time to come at the end of the first half. Wexford’s lead is cut back to just one point following a brilliant rally from Liam Sheedy’s men thanks to Noel McGrath, Ronan Maher and Seamus Callanan.
Wexford 1-12 Tipperary 1-10
Lee Chin settles some Wexford nerves with a tidy free which flies high and between the posts. His side lead by two points now with two minutes of stoppage time remaining before the break.
Wexford 1-13 Tipperary 1-11
Important point from John O’Dwyer right in front of goal. But Diarmaid O’Keefe pops up in oceans of space from the resulting puck-out and finds the target. Still a two-point game.
Wexford 1-13 Tipperary 1-12
Jason Forde with a score from open play. A lovely catch and turn from Forde before he shortened his grip and found the target. Just one point between the sides now. Serious tension before half-time as both sides slug it out tit-for-tat.
Wexford 1-14 Tipperary 1-12
Lee Chin with the final score of a crazy opening half. It’s a comfortable distance out from goal and Chin makes no mistake with a clean strike which flies over Hogan’s crossbar.
HALF-TIME: WEXFORD 1-14 TIPPERARY 1-12
Referee Sean Cleere blows his whistle and we’re halfway there.
Jesus, it’s been some half of hurling. It was frantic stuff right from the first whistle, with Paudie Foley getting the scoring up and running after just 14 seconds.
Both these sides are on top of their game, and both Davy Fitzgerald and Liam Sheedy will be very satisfied with their side’s energetic, high-tempoed performance out there.
A late rally from Tipp at the end of the half was the perfect response to a highly controversial decision to rule out a Bubbles O’Dwyer goal.
Wexford lead by two and you do get the sense that this is going to go right to the wire. More action to come very shortly!
Wexford selector Seoirse Bulfin and Tipp selector Tommy Dunne both make a beeline for the referee at half time. Good pace shown by the backroom staffs! pic.twitter.com/lmssNpEZmA
— Shane Stapleton (@ShaneSaint) July 28, 2019
Second-half: We’re back underway at Croke Park!
Wexford 1-14 Tipperary 1-14
John O’Dwyer earns an early free after a foul by Damien Reck at corner back. Jason Forde converts without a spot of bother. He’s on 0-7 so far this afternoon. A few moments later Bubbles pops up with a score of his own. All square!
Wexford 1-15 Tipperary 1-14
Wow, a stunning score from Conor McDonald there. He adds to his first-half goal with a sublime score with a flick of the hurl on his left from the halfway line. Wexford edge back in front after that strong start by Tipp.
Wexford 1-15 Tipperary 1-16
Jason Forde scoops the ball off the floor and slips another free over the bar. A few soft frees being conceded by Wexford free. Tipp build on that score by winning the resulting puck-out, before Michael Breen fires over. The Premier County lead.
Wexford 1-15 Tipperary 1-16
Wexford seeking a little bit of respite here, but they just keep racking up wide after wide. Davy Fitzgerald’s men are struggling out there and could do with a score to stem this current Tipp tide of momentum.
Wexford 1-16 Tipperary 1-16
What a score! Paul Morris with a lovely little bit of skill to nut-mug his marker with a flick of the hurl which knocks the ball between the defender’s legs. He gathers possession, cuts inside and fires over. 1-16 apiece.
Wexford 1-16 Tipperary 1-16
RED CARD! John McGrath is sent off for a second yellow card after swinging his hurl at Damien Reck. He pleaded innocence after the fact, claiming he didn’t mean to strike Reck, but Tipp are down to 14 men.
Wexford 1-17 Tipperary 1-16
Rory O’Connor lobs an important score over and all of a sudden there’s a massive swing of momentum in Wexford’s favour. There may have been a penalty appeal in the build-up to O’Connor’s point. None was given and Davy Fitzgerald’s men lead by a single point.
Wexford 1-18 Tipperary 1-16
Jack O’Connor swings what looks like a completely erratic shot sliced well off target and into the Heavens. But all of a sudden the ball drops back down to earth and lands between the sticks. A moment of genius.
Wexford 2-18 Tipperary 1-16
GOAL! Lee Chin with a crucial goal and suddenly Wexford lead by five points. The joint-captain ran through on goal and didn’t appear to make the best of connections, but the ball sneaks into the corner and bobbles over the dive of Brian Hogan. Wow!
Wexford 2-18 Tipperary 1-16
Liam Sheedy looks a little concerned now. His side trail by five points and are down to 14 men. A massive task ahead for his side if they want to set up an All-Ireland final with Kilkenny. It’s all Wexford at the moment.
Wexford 2-18 Tipperary 1-18
Seamus Callanan steadies the ship with a point for Tipp, cutting the deficit back to four points. He found time and space on the inside channel down along the right, grabbed possession, shortened his stick and fired over. Jason Forde adds another and it’s back to three.
Wexford 2-18 Tipperary 1-19
Bubbles O’Dwyer shows a lot of composure with another strong score. The crowd is in fine voice and this is still all to play for. Only two points between the sides and you have to say Tipp have done so well to claw this back.
Wexford 2-18 Tipperary 1-20
It’s a one point game as Bubbles fires over another free from right in front of goal. Both sides have emptied the tank in this second half, but there’s still 15 minutes to go. Wexford would have liked to kick on after that Lee Chin goal, but this is still too tight to call.
Wexford 2-18 Tipperary 1-21
A massive goal chance for Tipp as Ger Browne races clean through on goal with a brilliant individual run. He hammers a powerful strike towards goal, but it pulls over the bar instead of under it. We’re level for the eighth time!
Wexford 2-18 Tipperary 1-21
It’s been over ten minutes since Wexford last scored, as Tipp continue to ride this wave of momentum. Liam Sheedy’s men are completely on top right now, with Chin’s goal (Wexford’s last score) seeming a long, long time ago now.
Wexford 3-18 Tipperary 1-21
GOAL! Wexford bounce back with the perfect response. Lee Chin races through on goal, slams a low strike across goal, before Conor McDonald finds the back of the net. The referee needed to consult with his linesmen to confirm there wasn’t a square ball — the goal stands.
Wexford 3-18 Tipperary 1-22
Down the other end Noel McGrath stands up to be counted just when he was needed. In a crowd of purple and blue shirts he emerges with the ball and finds the target with a mighty score. Two-point game.
Wexford 3-18 Tipperary 1-23
McGrath comes up trumps with another pinpoint strike. He is on a one man mission out there, not allowing Tipperary’s chance at an All-Ireland final to slip away. There’s only one point in it now. Six minutes or normal time remaining. What a game out there!
Wexford 3-18 Tipperary 1-24
Mark Keogh raises his fist into the air in celebration. The second-half introduction evades his man and shoots between the sticks. We’re level for the ninth time in this game. Incredible stuff.
Wexford 3-18 Tipperary 1-24
Incredible piece of defending from Cathal Barrett at the back for Tipperary. Lee Chin was racing through on goal waiting for his chance to strike, but Barrett popped up at the last possible second to steal the ball away with a crucial tackle.
Wexford 3-19 Tipperary 1-24
Lee Chin slots a free over the bar right in front of goal. Wexford lead by a single point and there’s just one minute or normal time to go. The tension inside Croke Park is almost unbearable.
Wexford 3-19 Tipperary 1-25
Down the other end Willie Connors makes a huge impact off the bench with a score to draw the sides level again. There will be six minutes of stoppage time to come.
Wexford 3-19 Tipperary 1-26
GOAL! But it won’t count! There is massive drama late on here as the referee rules out what looked to be a winning goal for Tipp, calling the ball back instead for a free. Jason Forde knocks it over the bar, but should it have been a goal or a penalty instead?
Wexford 3-19 Tipperary 1-27
Seamus Callanan with a chance to put this game to bed right in front of goal, but his strike is blocked away for a ’65 to Tipperary. Jason Forde steps up to the plate and finds the target. A big puck and a big score. Liam Sheedy’s men lead by two points.
Wexford 3-20 Tipperary 1-27
Down the other end Wexford win a free on the edge of the area. With a mountain of pressure on his shoulders, Lee Chin steps up and fires over. Just one point between the sides now with two minutes of injury time left.
Wexford 3-20 Tipperary 1-28
Tipperary lead by two as Jake Morris finds the target. It’s a massive point from Morris and it could be the insurance score which the Premier County need to see this through. A minute to go. The drama!
FULL-TIME: WEXFORD 3-20 TIPPERARY 1-28
It’s all over! In an absolute classic for the ages, Tipperary have come out on top at Croke Park.
Liam Sheedy’s men were reduced to 14 men in the second half, but performed out of their skins late on to prevail by two points in front of a raucous crowd of over 61,000.
What a game.
The Premier County will now face Kilkenny in three weeks’ time in the All-Ireland hurling final in a repeat of 2016.
Thanks a million for joining us this evening, cya soon!
Tipperary edge out a huge battle in Croke Park to book their place in the All-Ireland SHC final where they will face Kilkenny. Watch the highlights on @RTE2 at 9.30pm #rtegaa pic.twitter.com/i2S2IZqmZI
— The Sunday Game (@TheSundayGame) July 28, 2019
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