Galway overturn 13-point deficit in Wexford

Provincial hurling final against Dublin on June 6

Galway 2-31

Wexford 3-20

By Billy Coss

At Wexford Park

THE bottom line is everything in championship and despite conceding three goals in a listless opening 24 minutes, Galway effected a 21-point turnaround to defeat Wexford in the baking heat and secure the result they needed to reach the Leinster final.

A date with Dublin awaits the Tribesmen after a dramatic final afternoon of round-robin action. Six in-a-row provincial champions Kilkenny were the big losers with their loss to the capital men allowing Offaly to leapfrog them into the third qualifying spot. The Bob O'Keeffe Cup will have a new home come Saturday week.

Jason Rabbitte and Conor Cooney netted for Galway in the second half and Tom Monaghan struck six points from play as Micheál Donoghue's side emerged eight-point winners despite trailing by 13 late in the first.

Jack O'Connor, Lee Chin and Cillian Byrne all rattled Darach Fahy's net as the Slaneysiders surged into a 3-9 to 0-5 lead and laid foundations for a shock result.

But Galway woke from their slumber with ten of the half's closing 13 points to leave a more manageable 3-12 to 0-15 interval deficit. Monaghan's accuracy from play, Evan Niland's frees, and the industry of Cian Daniels were all central to their comeback.

The rest of the deficit had closed by the 56th minute when Jason Rabbitte took a Conor Whelan pass to fire Galway's opening goal and make it 1-23 to 3-17. They never looked back from there with seasoned campaigners Daithí Burke and Padraic Mannion curtailing Wexford's chiefs attacking threats.

Half-time sub Conor Cooney finished with 1-8, 1-7 from placed balls, as his a late penalty helped Galway move out of reach and achieve their objective despite the absence of injured forwards Cathal Mannion, Rory Burke and Aaron Niland.

GALWAY: D. Fahy; D. Burke (0-1, free), C. Trayers, J. Ryan; D. Morrissey (captain), P. Mannion, R. Glennon (0-1); C. Daniels, G. Lee (0-1); C. Whelan (0-3), T. Killeen (0-2), D. Neary (0-1); T. Monaghan (0-6), J. Rabbitte (1-2), E. Niland (0-5, 0-5 frees). Subs: C. Cooney (1-8, 1-0 penalty, 0-7 frees), for Niland, half-time; K. Hanrahan, for Ryan, 50 mins; J. Fleming (0-1), for Killeen, 52 mins; C. Fahy, for Hanrahan inj., 61 mins; B. Concannon, for Lee, 67 mins.

WEXFORD: M. Fanning; S. Martin (0-1), S. Donohue (0-1), R. Lawlor; D. Carley, C. Molloy, N. Murphy; D. O'Leary, C. Hearne (0-1); Cillian Byrne (1-1), R. Banville (0-2), K. Foley (0-3); Cian Byrne (0-1), L. Chin (1-6, 1-0 penalty, 0-4 frees), J. O'Connor (captain, 1-1). Subs: C. Foley (0-1), for Lawlor inj., 29 mins; D. Kehoe, for Martin, 57 mins; J. Byrne (0-1), for Banville, 60 mins; J. Redmond (0-1), for O'Connor, 63 mins; L. Ryan, for O'Leary, 67 mins.

REFEREE: Chris Mooney (Dublin).

HERALD SPORT MAN OF THE MATCH:

Tom Monaghan (Galway).