The standard doesnât matter a fuck in a game like that. Games like that are about identity and respect. Like when Clare beat Tipp in '94. It wouldnât have made the slightest bit of difference if it was the worst game all year. Itâs about making a statement that you wonât be walked on anymore. Thatâs what Wexford achieved tonight.
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Wexford should have been out of sight before the penalty incident. Conor McDonald had two unforgiveable misses from frees prior to that.
All the talk when Wexford were beating Galway, Limerick and Kilkenny in the league was that they were so far ahead in terms of fitness and that come championship the other teams would be up to their level.
Well tonight was championship and guess what, when the game was in the melting pot after seeing an 8 point lead whittled down to one it was Wexford who kicked on and showed great fortitude and fitness to see that game out.
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Is Chin terrible at the close range frees or something? McDonald hit some very handy frees wide including the one at the end which didnât matter but it was the worst free youâd ever see
First and foremost well done to Wexford . A brilliant win and best of luck in the final . It was a dog fight on a tight pitch and I think a bigger field might suit Wex better .
A few obs :
Lee Chin was great but I still think he could improve on winning possession . He could be better at finding space .
Morris was outstanding for Wex
Did Cody err in taking off Ger Aylward . He seemed to be getting on the ball a lot in first half but misfiring .
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To be fair TJ had some shocking wides from frees too into that same end maybe the breeze was whipping up down that far end, heâs usually fairly accurate as is TJ so Iâd give him a pass all things considered
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Yeah, that was crucial moment and historically Wexford have been there any number of times before over the years - 1974, 83, 1986, 1991, 1993 (drawn Leinster final) where they had 7, 8, 9 point leads over Kilkenny well into the 2nd half and imploded. There was no panic at all in the Wexford ranks when the 3rd Kilkenny goal went in but even more surprisingly after those two quick goals, there wasnât any great improvement in the body language or belief of the Kilkenny players.
1988 too, even though they just about held on to win that.
Wexfordâs resilience when Kilkenny got the gap back to a point makes the win all the better for them.
Wexford have never feared Galway and Iâd give them a serious chance in the Leinster final.
Kilkenny wonât make the last six.
Iâm back at my childhood home now, chaps. Had a few beers and slices of lemon drizzle cake in @stevie_G âs folksâ house post match to reflect on and celebrate our victory.
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The Kilkenny goals in 1988 were right at the end of the game. The final margin was I think 2 points but there was never any time the game was in the melting pot or you thought Wexford could lose it. That was the day Kilkenny started Ger Henderson at full back for the first time. A goal scoring burst from a 38 year old Martin Quigley out of retirement sent Ger Henderson into retirement.
One thing I recall above all else about that game is sitting about 3 seats down from Christy Heffernan. He had been in a bad car crash early in 1988 and was ruled out for the year. He was getting so irate at the haplessness of Kilkenny that day it looked like he was going to go on with his crutches.
4-12 to 2-16.
Guys, I thought we stuck to the process very well tonight*.
We cut them open on numerous occasions with the running game but you could argue our two second half goal concessions came from overplaying or misplacing short passes and getting caught short at the back because defenders had ventured forward with the ball:
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Devereux quick lineball to Murphy, back to Devereux, runs with it into traffic, gives ball to Nolan who fumbles, someone else gets on it but is dispossessed, into Fennelly, speculative shot, shit mistake - goal;
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Donohoe onto the ball at pace, gives to Chin, goes for return, ball goes to ground but not sure whose fault, snapped up by Kilkenny, long ball in, Ryan perhaps oversells himself, Fennelly takes 17 or 18 steps, gets pulled a bit around 25 yards out, penalty - goal.
Following on from that we could have been forgiven for being a bit more cautious and circumspect in the dying embers of the game but then OâHanlon drove forward for that cracking late point.
When it all clicks and when we tighten up at the back weâre going to fucking destroy someone.
*cc Jim Gavin.
The thing I remember most from that day is seeing the returning Eire association football team coming slowly down Drumcondra Road on an open top bus. There were no crowds of the world to greet them as would happen two years later. Chris Hughton stared down directly at me for what felt like quite a long time.
Weâd certainly be very wary of playing Kilkenny again. Same goes for Laois who you also tipped to defeat us in the Leinster quarter final.
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The only differnce the next time is that itâll be by 13 points not 3.
Kilkenny scored 1-4 from play.
Did Martin get his ticket in the end lads ?
He did. It was commented on last night that there were confirmed sightings of him within Innovate Wexford Park.
Delighted for him
thatâs a good one