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Irish Mirror
Irish Mirror
Sport
Brendan Furlong

Wexford 0-21 Kilkenny 1-18: Wexford Park draw sets up Leinster Final rematch

A dramatic draw at innovate Wexford Park sent both sides into the Leinster final at Croke Park in a fortnight.

Kilkenny may not have shown their hand in their pre-match selection; the side showed four changes in personnel.

The return of long-term injured Cillian Buckley was notable while both Walter Walsh and Joey Holden were also included after missing the Galway game through injury

And Enda Morrissey was introduced to the half-back line.

Not surprising before a packed home ground of 15,241 the game started at a blistering pace with Wexford going in front inside thirty seconds through a Conor McDonald point.

The Kilkenny response was swift with TJ Reid levelling matters with a pointed free.

The game was being played at a frenetic pace with a Conor Fogarty point edging Kilkenny in front.

Kilkenny manager Brian Cody and Wexford manager Davy Fitzgerald (©INPHO/James Crombie)

But with the tactical approach of both sides seeing wide gaps in the respective defences, it was Wexford through points from Lee Chin, Kevin Foley and a long Paudie Foley free leaving the home side leading 0-4 to 0-2 after nine minutes.

With the game flowing from end to end as both sides continued to exchange points it was Wexford who ed 0-7 to 0-6 after nineteen minutes.

The exchanges were tense and physical leading to a number of minor skermishes, but a Colin Fennelly point off the side-line had the sides deadlocked 0-7 each after twenty two minutes.

Diarmuid O’Keeffe who was having a storming game out of midfield edged the home side back in front with an excellent sixty meter point.

Chin from a 65 and Reid free exchanged points before O’Keeffe responded with another excellent long range points.

Wexford playing with a slight breeze were beginning to come under pressure as Adrian Mullen moved down on goal but was denied by an excellent Damien Reck tackle.

Kilkenny's Adrian Mullen celebrates scoring his side's opening goal as Wexford's Damien Reck looks on dejected (©INPHO/James Crombie)

Approaching the break, Reid, free and Conor McDonald exchanged points leaving Wexford leading 0-13 to 0-10 at the interval.

In what was a dramatic second half as the lead regularly changed handls it was Kilkenny who took the initiative with a tremendous Adrian Mullan goal after Colin Fennelly played him through.

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