Wexford whips lackluster Limerick

By Mark JonesWexford 4-10 Limerick 2-15

The shot heard around Ireland. Pistol-cracked from Damien Fitzhenry’s hurley last Sunday. It stunned one section of Croke Park, sent the other into raptures. The ball ripped into the back of Limerick’s net, and against all the odds, Wexford were through to the semi-final of the All Ireland hurling championship.

A minute of injury time had already gone when Fitzhenry ambled out of his goal for the game’s moment of truth. Trailing by two points, Wexford were frantically searching for some form of reprieve. Their outstanding defender, Darragh Ryan, broke free and fired a long ball towards Gary Laffan, who found Rory McCarthy.

With Clem Smith in close attendance, McCarthy was still able to turn and head for goal, but Smith had other ideas and gave away the foul. A 21-yard free, surely Limerick could keep the shot out and book their place in the last four.

Now, Fitzhenry takes up the story. "I knew we were two down and had to go for it. I tend to go low, but there was 14 legs and at least seven sticks in there like a forest in front of me. So I went high and it reminded me of one I hit against Dublin in ’96; went into the exact same spot." Cue Wexford delirium and Limerick despair.

And what a day it had been for Fitzhenry. At fault for Barry Foley’s second goal in the 29th minute when he grabbed a dropping ball, and decided to move forward only to have his attempted clearance blocked by Brian Begley. Foley finished the job with Fitzhenry stranded.

But just two minutes later, Larry Murphy drove forward and the Limerick defense was judged to have fouled Nicky Lambert. The decision by referee Michael Wadding was dubious, but Fitzhenry whipped the penalty to the net.

It wasn’t the only occasion that Limerick felt they were shortchanged. Fifteen minutes into the second-half, Sean O’Connor was on the end of a superb move and the goal appeared perfectly good, but Wadding called the play back and awarded a free to Limerick for a foul on Begley. In a game where goals were king, the resultant point was little consolation.

However, Wexford too were miffed by the free count – 19-6 against them — so there was a balance in the end.

"We have to develop a ruthless streak," lamented Limerick manager, Eamonn Cregan, "and put every team away when they should be put away. Until then, we’ll win nothing. We played almost our full hand out there, it’s a hard lesson but there is time for this team, the average age is 23 or 24. You have to learn how to lose before you learn how to win. We have to start all over again now."

Wexford had gambled by going with four under 21 players to complement the veterans, Liam Dunne, Larry O’Gorman and Sean Flood, and they came good. With a meager total of just two goals in the last seven championship games, Wexford doubled that and went a long way to silencing their critics.

"Some of the criticism was probably justified," admitted Larry Murphy, "we haven’t done anything in nearly three years, but Ger Loughnane was saying that it would be a great All Ireland semi-final set-up between Limerick and Kilkenny and between Tipp and Galway. So, I hope that some critics are eating a few words."

With McCarthy pinching a first minute goal when he connected perfectly with a Mitch Jordan lob into the square, Wexford were off to an ideal start. It was 1-2 to no score before Limerick began to play and with Foley taking his two goals well, there was nothing between the teams until Paul Codd cracked home a 21 yard free to give Wexford a 3-6 to 2-5 half-time advantage.

Gradually, though it was Limerick who were assuming command. Bolstered at the back by the outstanding TJ Ryan, and with Ciaran Carey’s influence spreading from midfield, they were two points clear going into added time.

"Typical Fitzhenry," laughs Murphy, "but he stood up and was counted after making an earlier mistake. That’s a mark of a man, and what he’s made of."

Asked how Wexford were able to fashion such a famous result against almost all wisdom, Murphy reflected on an event that hadn’t made too many waves outside of the county.

"I know a lot of people in Wexford haven’t much belief in this team, but the win in the Leinster final by the under 21s was a milestone. Beating Kilkenny just three days after we lost to them in the senior final. There were 10,000 people in Wexford Park and that showed the affinity there is for hurling in the county."

Now there might be a little more belief for the All Ireland semi-final against Tipperary.