Sheehan Cup Hurling: Tipperary v Wexford

Wexford 0-8 Tipperary 0-9

It was a heavy hot Saturday afternoon that greeted Tipperary and defending cup champions, Wexford with the winners to face Fr Tom Burke’s in the Sheehan Cup final next Sunday.  The sides delivered an entertaining game of hurling, with Tipperary winning by the narrowest of margins.

Cronin Dempsey takes a sideline cut.

At the end of the first period the sides were tied at three points each.  Scores were at a premium as each defence had the better of things.  Wexford had Eoghan Kavanagh and Kevin Sheerin in the forward corners, but John Roche and John Kindregan had the better of their men.  Donal Redmond shone at the back for Wexford in the first half as the ball made its up and down the field, but rarely went dead, never mind for a score.  After Tipp missed their first two chances, Cronin Dempsey put the ball between the sticks.  Tom Maloney answered for Wexford. Playing in the middle of the field, Maloney was at the forefront of the Wexford effort.  Sean Moriarty, who always looked dangerous on the wing put Tipp ahead, and added another soon afterwards.  Maloney drove from midfield as the half wound down and out it over himself, and just before the whistle Dominic Magill put the score of the game over from his own 65-yard line.

Wexford's Tom Maloney on the attack.

The second half opened with two points apiece and Wexford looked like they were picking up the effort.  After Ray McKeown and Moriarty put Tipp ahead by two points, Maloney, Jason Foley, and Jamie Keogh fired three unanswered over the bar to put Wexford in the lead.  Moriarty and Mark Jordan, who had moved to the edge of the square pulled Tipp within a point.  Wexford had a golden chance to put themselves four to the good and possibly put the game away.  Good work by Eoghan Kavanagh on the edge of the square ended up with the ball going across to the unmarked Jason Foley on the edge of the small square, but Foley was unable to connect and the chance went awry.  Sean Moriarty, Jordan, Colm McCrory and Pat Moriarty, brother of the aforementioned Sean who was playing at half back, put four straight over the bar between them to give Tipp a three point lead with minutes left.  Wexford in the meantime had missed four good scoring chances. Kevin Sheerin put Wexford’s last two chances over the bar from frees.  The last one required a goal, and the shot was low but went inches over the bar to end the game.  So, next Sunday there is sure to be a new name on the cup with Tipperary and Fr. Tom Burke’s in the final.

Wexford:  E. Spruhan, P. Nolan, D. Redmond, B. Dalton, D. Magill, JJ O’Neill, J. Foley, T. Maloney, C. Kerins, P. Ryan, J. Kehoe, K. Sheerin, E. Kavanagh.  Tipp:  S. Delaney, J. Kingregan, J. Roche, P. Moriarty, A. McRedmond, A. Callnan, C. Dempsey, F. O’Doherty, S. Moriarty, R. McKeown, M. Jordan, J. McGrath, C. McCrory.  


By Rory O'Donnell