WEXFORD AND Galway met twice last year, with honours even after the Model County claimed first-blood in the league before the Tribesmen struck back for provincial honours.

NATIONAL LEAGUE

WEXFORD 1-21 GALWAY 3-13: This one mattered most come the end of Division 1B business.

Galway had entered the league on the back of a Walsh Cup final defeat to Kilkenny, who had been fortunate to get past Wexford in the semi-finals.

Wexford opened the league with Conor McDonald hitting 1-8 in a 1-14 to 0-14 home win over Limerick for their first league victory of note since 2011 against Cork.

Galway, meanwhile, regrouped from their Cup-final loss to then thrash Offaly at Tullamore (6-23 to 1-12) to get their league in motion, as Jason Flynn fired 2-10.

With Limerick’s wings clipped, the crossing of Galway and Wexford paths in round-two at a foggy Pearse Stadium, Salthill on February 19th was already being looked upon as the ‘promotion-decider’.

And all the pre-Cheltenham money would surely have been on Galway after Joe Canning emerged from the ‘bench to stitch the net from a penalty for a 3-12 to 0-15 lead on 54 minutes. But Wexford had a new resolve about them under new boss Davy Fitzgerald.

The high-stakes nature of things meant exchanges were full of fire, with referee Cathal McAllister dishing out 11 bookings.

Galway eased 0-2 to 0-0 ahead before Wexford transformed things by 0-3 to 0-2. Jason Flynn restored parity before Wexford moved back ahead (0-5 to 0-3). But Conor Cooney had a major impact on Galway getting some wind beneath their wings as they battled against the elements, and they soared ahead by 2-7 to 0-6 on 30 minutes – Cooney paving the way for Joseph Cooney to net a 1-3 to 0-5 swing after 16 minutes, before setting up Johnny Coen for the second goal and a seven-point lead five minutes shy of half-time. Wexford struck back with five unanswered points to close to within 2-7 to 0-11 at the break in this pivotal clash.

Galway held strong when claiming five of the nine points recorded during the third-quarter, and as Joe Canning re-emerged from injury rehabilitation to plant a penalty on 54 minutes, it seemed like promotion was Galway’s at 3-12 to 0-15. But, even against the wind, Wexford refused to buckle as they confined Galway to just one more point – a 100 metre free from goalie Colm Callanan – while producing a five-point winning burst through Podge Doran and the brilliant Conor McDonald (4) for the result which determined who was destined for the league’s high-life in 2018.

Galway did achieve the considerable consolation of a first outright league success since 2010 as they built the momentum which saw them sweep the boards that summer.

Wexford – M Fanning (1-0 penalty); E Moore, L Ryan, J Breen; S Donohoe (0-1), M O’Hanlon (0-1), D O’Keeffe (0-1); S Murphy, B Carton (0-1); A Nolan (0-2), D Redmond (0-1), L Chin (0-3, 2 frees); P Morris (0-3), Jack O’Connor, C McDonald (0-7, 5 frees).

Subs: H Kehoe for J O’Connor (42); P Doran (0-1) for D Redmond (51); A Maddock for B Carton (55); R Kehoe for E Moore (59); D Dunne for A Nolan (62).

Galway – C Callanan (0-1 free); J Hanbury, A Harte, Daithí Burke; G McInerney, A Tuohy, M Donoghue; J Coen (1-0), David Burke (0-1); C Whelan (0-1), D Glennon, J Flynn (0-5, 2 frees, 1 ’65); C Cooney (0-3), J Cooney (1-1), B Molloy (0-1).

Subs: J Canning (1-0 penalty) for B. Molloy (51); R Burke for G. McInerney (55); N Burke for D. Glennon (71).

Referee – Cathal McAllister (Cork).

CHAMPIONSHIP

GALWAY 0-29 WEXFORD 1-17: The differences in stages of development shone through when Galway emerged from a thronged Croke Park on July 2nd with their second-ever Leinster senior hurling championship crown.

Wexford reaching their first final of its kind since 2008 inspired a pilgrimage from the South-East as GAA Headquarters was packed to the tune of 60,032.

Galway led 0-5 to 0-3 on 13 minutes before Wexford struck an inspired spell to edge matters 0-11 to 0-10 after 30 minutes. But the inspired Conor Cooney created much of the magic as Galway finished the first-half strongly to lead 0-14 to 0-11 at half-time.

And Galway’s superior strength and height were telling factors as they lorded the third-quarter, although ‘keeper Colm Callanan did prevent a possible Wexford surge when stopping a 40th-minute penalty from Conor McDonald. Subsequently Galway claimed seven unanswered points to soar clear 0-21 to 0-12.

Wexford were valiant, and Jack Guiney’s determined work saw Diarmuid O’Keeffe net and peg it back to 0-21 to 1-14 after 53 minutes. Galway held siege thereafter, and victory meant that they were already averaging a stunning 32 points per game, having already laid waste to both Dublin and Offaly.

Galway – C Callanan; A Tuohy, Daithí Burke, J Hanbury; P Mannion (0-1), G McInerney, A Harte; J Coen, David Burke (capt., 0-1); J Cooney (0-5), J Canning (0-10, 8 frees, 1 ’65, 1 sideline), J Flynn; C Whelan, C Cooney (0-8, 1 free), N Burke (0-2).

Subs: T Monaghan (0-1) for J Flynn (31); S Maloney (0-1) for J Canning (67); G Lally for J Cooney (68); S Loftus for P. Mannion (72).

Wexford – M Fanning; J Breen, L Ryan, W Devereux (0-1); S Murphy, S Donohoe, M O’Hanlon (joint-capt., 0-2); D O’Keeffe (1-1), Jack O’Connor (0-1); L Chin (joint-capt., 0-4, 2 frees, 1 ’65), P Morris (0-2), A Nolan; C McDonald (0-5, 3 frees), H Kehoe, J Guiney.

Subs: D Redmond for J O’Connor (ht); E Moore for S Donohoe (47); C Dunbar (0-1) for H Kehoe (53); S Tomkins for A Nolan (63).

Referee – Colm Lyons (Cork).