Wexford 1-15 Tipperary 1-14
An Aidan Nolan point three minutes into second-half stoppages secured Wexford their second victory of the Allianz Hurling League.
Behind by eight early in the second period, Wexford eventually made their numerical advantage count - Noel McGrath was sent off late in the first-half - to reel Tipperary back in before completing the overtaking movement at the death.
It was a somewhat strange second-half, with Tipperary owning the first seven minutes, a period during which they clipped four unanswered points through Callanan, Niall O’Meara (0-2) and Robert Byrne to forge 1-11 to 0-6 clear.
Back came Wexford to take control of proceedings until the 57th minute, a period during which they hit 1-5 without reply. Seamus Casey supplied the goal and they should have had another but for an overcooked Paudie Foley pass to the unmarked Casey. Kevin Foley provided the final point of this Wexford spell of supremacy to level matters at 1-11 apiece.
Both sides went point for point from there to the finish, with Diarmuid O’Keeffe bringing the hosts back level as the clock spilt into the red and then Nolan stepped forward to produce the winner.
Tipperary led by four at the break, 1-7 to 0-6, despite being reduced to 14 men and Wexford enjoying much greater possession.
First to the sending off, Noel McGrath walking for a second bookable offence on 34 minutes, seven minutes after his first infringement. The first yellow card was for a late challenge on Kevin Foley, while the second was for a clip to the helmet of Kevin Foley. There didn’t appear to be any malice in the latter, but such contact with the helmet merited the yellow and so the visits were down a man.
Mind you, the numerical disadvantage, as is often the case, seemed to spur greater effort from Tipperary as they struck three of the next four points to carry a 1-7 to 0-6 lead into the second period. Seamus Callanan was responsible for all bar one point of that total, with his goal arriving as early as the 45th second following excellent approach play by Niall O’Meara.
Up the other end of the field, Wexford were experiencing major difficulties with their radar. They managed only two first-half points from play, but it certainly wasn’t for the want of opportunities as seven wides were tallied, two more dropped short, while Paul Maher also produced a superb save to deny Aidan Nolan.
Their economy in front of goal improved sufficiently in the second period to take them across the line first.
Scorers for Wexford: I Byrne (0-6, 0-6 frees); S Casey (1-1); D O’Keeffe (0-3); S Casey (1-1); P Foley, K Foley, A Nolan (0-1 sc), C Dunbar, R O’Connor (0-1).
Scorers for Tipperary: S Callanan (1-7, 0-6 frees); J Forde (0-1 free), N O’Meara (0-2); J Morris, R Maher, R Byrne (0-1 each).
Tipperary: P Maher; D Maher, J Barry, Padraic Maher; S Kennedy, R Maher, B Heffernan; R Byrne, M Breen; J O’Dwyer, N McGrath, Patrick Maher; J Forde, S Callanan, N O’Meara.
Subs: J Morris for O’Dwyer (51 mins); W Connors for B Heffernan (54); A Flynn for D Maher (57); J McGrath for N O’Meara (59); T Fox for Byrne (67)
Wexford: E Martin; D Reck, D Byrne, S Reck; S Murphy, M O’Hanlon, P Foley; D O’Keeffe, L Óg McGovern; A Nolan, S Casey, I Byrne; K Foley, C McDonald, C Dunbar
Subs: L Chin for D Reck (HT); R O’Connor for I Byrne (51); H Kehoe for Casey (62);
Referee: C Lyons (Cork).
