Wexford 3-15
Waterford 2-15
THERE WAS NO need for extra-time this week as Wexford overcame a nervy final few minutes to set up their first All-Ireland SHC quarter-final since 2008 with a three point win over Waterford this evening.
In front of a crowd of nearly 19,000 people in Nowlan Park, the sides looked evenly matched in the early stages, trading seven points before Paul Morris gave Stephen O’Keeffe no chance in the Waterford goal to make it 1-4 to 0-3 after 12 minutes.
Waterford had a chance to reply almost immediately but Austin Gleeson’s penalty was stopped by Eoin Moore on the line before Pauric Mahony made no mistake with the resulting 65.
Indeed, it was Mahony’s place-ball striking that kept the Déise in the game and his side took the lead on 26 minutes with his fourth free of the half.
However, a late Conor McDonald effort raised the green flag in injury time to ensure Wexford went into the break with a 2-9 to 0-12 lead.
Six minutes after the restart, Liam Dunne’s men led by seven when David Redmond’s powerful run went unchecked and the Oulart the Ballagh midfielder buried the sliotar past the helpless O’Keeffe.
That looked like game set and match for Wexford but, credit to Waterford, two goals in three minutes from Colin Dunford put his side back in front, 2-14 to 3-10. However, Derek McGrath’s charges would only score once more in the final 21 minutes.
While Wexford were also wasteful towards the end, Morris and Ian Byrne’s scores were enough to help the six-time All-Ireland winners book a quarter-final spot against Limerick next Sunday; their fourth championship game in as many weeks.
Scorers for Wexford: Paul Morris 1-6 (0-3f), Conor McDonald 1-2, David Redmond 1-0, Podge Doran and Liam Og McGovern 0-2 each, Ian Byrne, Jack Guiney and Diarmuid O’Keeffe 0-1 each.
Scorers for Waterford: Colin Dunford 2-1, Pauric Mahony 0-7 (0-5f, 0-1’65), Austin Gleeson 0-3, Jake Dillion 0-2, Stephen Molumphy and Shane Walsh 0-1 each.
WEXFORD
1. Mark Fanning (Glynn Barntown)
2. Liam Ryan (Rapparees)
3. Matthew O’Hanlon (St. James’)
4. Keith Rossiter (Oulart the Ballagh)
5. Andrew Shore (Parnells, Dublin)
6. Eoin Moore (Oulart the Ballagh)
7. Ciaran Kenny (Buffers Alley)
8. David Redmond (Oulart the Ballagh)
9. Lee Chin (Faythe Harriers)
23. Harry Kehoe (Cloughbawn)
11. Podge Doran (Oylegate/Glenbrien)
13. Jack Guiney (Rathnure)
10. Paul Morris (Ferns St. Aidan’s)
14. Conor McDonald (Naomh Eanna)
15. Liam Og McGovern (St. Anne’s)
Subs: Diarmuid O’Keeffe for Kehoe (22); Willie Devereux for Rossiter (27); Ian Byrne for Devereux (54); Garrett Sinnott for Redmond (64); Rory Jacob for McGovern (67).
WATERFORD
1. Stephen O Keeffe (Ballygunner)
4. Noel Connors (Passage)
3. Liam Lawlor (Fourmilewater)
9. Padraig Prendergast (Lismore)
2. Shane Fives (Carrigtwohill)
6. Kevin Moran (De La Salle)
5. Darragh Fives (Tourin)
8. Michael Walsh (Stradbally) (Captain)
7. Tadgh de Burca (Clashmore/Kinsalebeg)
10. Shane O’Sullivan (Ballygunner)
11. Pauric Mahony (Ballygunner)
12. Austin Gleeson (Mount Sion)
14. Shane Walsh (Fourmilewater)
13. Colin Dunford (Colligan)
15. Jake Dillon (De La Salle)
Subs: Gavin O’Brien for Walsh (14); Stephen Molumphy for Fives (43); Seamus Prendergast for Dillon (43); Martin O’Neill for Mahony (56); Shane McNulty for Lawlor (61).
Referee: Colm Lyons (Cork).
