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Irish Times
25-05-2025
- Sport
- Irish Times
Wexford and Lee Chin end campaign on a high with win over Kilkenny
Leinster SHC: Wexford 2-19 Kilkenny 1-15 Wexford ended a disappointing Leinster Championship campaign on a high note as they defeated near neighbours Kilkenny in Chadwicks Wexford Park. The game was of little consequence with Kilkenny already in the Leinster decider and Wexford's fate already sealed, and it showed in a rather lacklustre affair that was lit up by a 1-13 tally from Lee Chin. The lack of jeopardy in the game really showed with just 4,623 in attendance and being at home it was Wexford who were the more fluent with Kilkenny never leading at any stage. Second-half goals from Rory O'Connor and Lee Chin gave Keith Rossiter's men a big advantage and although Kilkenny got back to within seven points come the end, it's a scoreline that's very misleading with TJ Reid getting Kilkenny's goal in stoppage time. READ MORE It was a relatively tight beginning to the game with Cian Kenny doing a lot of damage for the Cats but with a strong wind at their backs, Wexford took full control with Chin contributing eight first-half points. Simon Donohoe, Conor Hearne and Jack O'Connor also found the target for the home side though the game looked far from over as they led 0-12 to 0-5 at the break. A Rory O'Connor goal within four minutes of the resumption was a real big moment and with Chin then converting successive frees, the winners had a bit of daylight as they opened up a double-digit advantage. Kilkenny's Cian Kenny and Wexford's Kevin Foley fight for possession. Photograph: Ken Sutton/Inpho Kilkenny's best spell of the game then arrived with Adrian Mullen, Luke Connellan and Stephen Donnelly all knocking over points but it was only brief hope as Wexford's second goal ended the game as a contest a couple of minutes later. Chin was the man deservedly on the end of the move as he fired home after being fed expertly by Conor McDonald. The Cats rallied before the end with scores from Cian Kenny, Richie Reid and Fionan Mackessy before TJ Reid eventually found the net in stoppage time after being denied twice earlier in the game but it was much too late to make any difference as Wexford claimed a deserved success. Kilkenny: E Murphy; P Connellan, P Moylan, T Walsh; D Blanchfield, A Mullen (0-1), Z Bay Hammond; K Doyle (0-1), P McDonald; L Connellan (0-2), C Kenny (0-3), F Mackessy (0-1); B Drennan (0-1), TJ Reid (1-4, 2fs and 2 65's), O Wall. Subs: S Donnelly (0-1) for McDonald (44); G Dunne for Wall (49); R Reid (0-1) for Bay Hammond (59); N Shortall for Drennan (66); S Staunton for Mullen (68). Wexford: M Fanning; C Molloy, S Donohoe (0-1), C Foley; E Ryan, D Reck, D Carley; C Hearne (0-1), C Byrne Dunbar; J O'Connor (0-1), L Chin (1-13, 9fs), R O'Connor (1-1); K Foley, M Dwyer (0-1), C Byrne. Subs: N Murphy for Reck (30); C Dunbar for Dwyer (50); C McDonald (0-1) for Byrne (55); D Codd for J O'Connor (67); C McGuckin for Molloy (69). Referee: Sean Stack (Dublin).
Irish Times
23-05-2025
- Sport
- Irish Times
Hurling previews: Dublin and Galway bid for Leinster final spot, Clare take final bow
Sunday Leinster SHC Wexford v Kilkenny, Wexford Park, 2pm – Unlike the terrific contests of recent years between these two when no perceived gap, however large, appeared unbridgeable for Wexford and their spiritual leader Lee Chin, this is a dead rubber with all that implies for match excitement and crowd engagement. Keith Rossiter's team were very unlucky to concede a phantom goal to Dublin at a critical stage but overall, it's been a dull year between relegation in the league and the faltering championship. Kilkenny name a shadow team, giving reserves a run and indulging in a bit of experimentation by naming Ballyhale's front eight All Star, Adrian Mullen, at centre back. If there were high stakes and an excitable crowd, you'd have to go with Wexford, given the opposition line-up. But there's unlikely to be either. Verdict: Kilkenny Dublin v Galway, Parnell Park, 2pm (Live, RTÉ2) – This is an effective semi-final with the winners advancing to play Kilkenny in the Leinster final – Galway have the scoring edge if it's a draw. Both teams have improved as the championship has unfolded and come into this in relatively buoyant form. Dublin's progress has been well calibrated by Niall Ó Ceallacháin and they are guaranteed All-Ireland hurling regardless of the result. They were a little unfortunate against Kilkenny, as the defence sprang leaks faster than the forwards could find scores, even allowing for some bright and intelligent play. READ MORE Certainly, on a line drawn through Kilkenny, Dublin look better but Galway have improved on that dire first outing and have named a strong team for this, not their favourite hunting ground. Yet to win this championship fixture in the city, Galway are nonetheless odds-on for this. They certainly have a higher ceiling but how close are they to reaching it? Dublin can be depended on to bring energy and cussedness against their former manager Micheál Donoghue but he brings a depth of knowledge and acuity to planning for his former charges. There's a momentum to the home team, though, that can make a marginal difference. Verdict: Dublin Offaly v Antrim, O'Connor Park, 2pm (Live, GAA+) – The McDonagh play-off pairing that most foresaw has materialised but in a slightly different way. Offaly came up short in Parnell Park having looked at one stage like beating Dublin but they fell away and haven't managed to land a punch yet. Antrim conversely haven't been hugely competitive and there were rumblings of discontent during the week after a campaign where not even Fortress Corrigan appeared to be helping. This is away and the scale of the opportunity is likely to bring out the best in Offaly. Verdict: Offaly Mark Rodgers after Clare's third round loss to Tipperary. Photograph: Natasha Barton/Inpho Munster SHC Limerick v Clare, Gaelic Grounds, 4pm – A sad reduction of the Munster championship's big fixture of the past three seasons to irrelevance, as it's only denied dead rubber status by the potential for Limerick to miss out on the Munster final should Clare win by 26 points. The All-Ireland champions have never been in a position to mount a full-throated defence because of injuries and even the heroic recovery against Cork has been contextualised. John Kiely rests a number of front liners but retains a bit of oomph off the bench. Verdict: Limerick Cork v Waterford, Páirc Uí Chaoimh, 4pm (Live, RTÉ2) – How straightforward all of this looked a week ago. The extent to which it still maintains some of that characteristic is Waterford's sense of running a bit on empty. But Cork's humiliating reversion to the whipping boys of four years ago may have been partly contrived – or not but it's impossible to view their campaign in the same light and a massive statement, not really possible in this match, will be required if they reach the Munster final. Waterford had their own travails, effectively losing to Tipperary despite a handicap in the shape of a burst of early scores. Second only to Limerick in terms of scores conceded, Peter Queally's team also are the province's least productive attackers. In their favour is that for the first time in this format they go into the last day with a chance of reaching the All-Ireland stages. Assuming that Cork are appropriately stung by last week, they should bring more dynamism to this task. With the atmosphere of a full and urgent venue, the league winners are likely to exert enough pressure to outscore the visitors, ideally by rediscovering their goal touch. Any misfiring will be an invitation to further disaster. Verdict: Cork
Irish Times
17-05-2025
- Sport
- Irish Times
Lee Chin's late scores get Wexford over the line as Offaly let opportunity slip
Leinster SHC Round 4: Wexford 2-17 Offaly 1-17 Wexford kept their Leinster hurling championship aspirations hanging on by a thread as they snatched a dramatic late win over Offaly in Wexford Park on Saturday evening. Level at 1-16 each going into injury-time, the result could have swung either way with Offaly agonisingly close to a shock win. But it was Wexford who got the decisive late scores to get the win. Sub Conor McDonald gave them the lead in the 71st minute and star player Lee Chin broke through for a magnificent winning goal a minute later. Chin had missed his share of frees over the 70-plus minutes but showed his value at the death. He had fired over a huge 69th-minute free to level it up and made no mistake when the opportunity presented itself, giving Mark Troy no chance. READ MORE Brian Duignan got a late free for Offaly but they couldn't manufacture the equalising goal that they perhaps deserved after a really brave performance. Offaly had a real point to prove after bad defeats by Galway and Kilkenny in their last two games, but really took the game to their home side. They made a flying start with Brian Duignan's goal giving them a 1-2 to no score lead after six minutes. Playing against the wind in the first half, Wexford's radar was off while they struggled to match Offaly's intensity. A Kevin Foley goal left Wexford trailing by 1-1 to 1-3 after 11 minutes but they didn't get a point from play until the same player scored in the 29th minute. Offaly were more clinical and two Killian Sampson points put them 1-7 to 1-2 ahead after 24 minutes. Ross Ravenhill's super strike gave Offaly a 1-10 to 1-6 half time lead and although Wexford played better on the resumption, they struggled to make it count on the scoreboard. Offaly led by 1-12 to 1-9 after 40 minutes before three quick points, the last one from Jack O'Connor levelled it at 1-12 each after 51 minutes. It was in the balance from here to the end. Two Duignan frees got Offaly 1-15 to 1-13 ahead after 60 minutes before Wexford equalised with quality strikes from Cathal Dunbar and Rory O'Connor. A Dan Ravenhill free edged Offaly back in front in the 67th minute before Chin equalised from a free and they got the crucial late scores to crawl over the line. WEXFORD: M Fanning; C Molloy (0-1), L Ryan, S Donohue; C Foley, D Reck, E Ryan; C Hearne (0-1), C Dunbar (0-1); J O'Connor (0-1), L Chin (1-8, 7f, 1 65), K Foley (1-1); S Casey, R O'Connor (0-1), C Byrne (0-2). Subs: C McDonald (0-1) for Casey (59 mins), S Roche for Jack O'Connor (64), M Dwyer for Byrne (65). OFFALY: M Troy; C Burke, B Conneely, C King; R Ravenhill (0-1), D Shirley (0-1), S Bourke; K Sampson (0-2), C Spain; D Bourke (0-1), B Duignan (1-9, 9f), O Kelly; D Ravenhill (0-3, 1f, 1 65), J Sampson, C Mitchell. Subs: D King for C King (inj, 34 mins); J Clancy for J Sampson (55); E Cahill for Mitchell (64); E Burke for D Ravenhill (70). Referee: S Hynes (Galway).
