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Davy Fitz leads Wexford to first away league win over Kilkenny in 60 years and into the last four

Davy Fitzgerald’s side will play the All-Ireland champions in the semi-final.

Wexford 2-18

Kilkenny 0-19

Shane Stapleton reports from Nowlan Park, Kilkenny

DAVY FITZGERALD LED Wexford to a first win against Kilkenny at Nowlan Park in 60 years to qualify for the league semi-finals.

The Cats had been chasing the visitors throughout the second half but a long free in from goalkeeper Mark Fanning — which found its way into the net — was a final nail in the coffin.

The path to a final-four clash with Tipperary was set it motion by a classy David Dunne goal in the first half. Midfielder Aidan Nolan had scythed through the Kilkenny defence and hand passed to the nippy forward to slam past Eoin Murphy.

The stubborn Cats didn’t go quietly though, and rattled off four points in a row to go in front before half-time — but the Models were the better side from then on.

In truth, the Slaneysiders should’ve put the game to bed long before the late goal. Fanning had smashed a penalty off the post in the 47th minute, which would’ve put their side five up. No doubt Kilkenny were aggrieved that referee Alan Kelly had awarded it in the first place for a pull on Dunne.

Even more so because Colin Fennelly had been poleaxed by the Models keeper in first-half injury time, but without sanction.

The majority of the Kilkenny forwards were kept quiet throughout, with Liam Blanchfield providing the only real bright spot — he being the sole Cats attacker to register from play in the second half.

Fitzgerald used Shaun Murphy as a sweeper at the back and isolated starman Conor McDonald up front, with the Naomh Eanna man nailing eight points (0-4f) off Padraig Walsh and then Paul Murphy.

Fanning’s late free seemed to take a touch on the way in, but both Jack Guiney and McDonald denied being the lucky man. The Models who invaded the pitch afterwards didn’t care.

Davy Fitz’s bid to wain the league title from Division 1B for consecutive years rolls on.

Scorers for Wexford: Conor McDonald 0-8 (0-4f), Mark Fanning 1-2 (1-2f), David Dunne 1-0, Lee Chin (0-1f), Paul Morris 0-3 each, Diarmuid O’Keeffe, David Redmond 0-1 each.

Scorers for Kilkenny: TJ Reid 0-10 (0-9f), Liam Blanchfield 0-3, Ollie Walsh 0-2, Paddy Deegan, Cillian Buckley, Walter Walsh, Richie Hogan 0-1 each.

Wexford

Mark Fanning

Willie Devereux
Liam Ryan
James Breen

Damien Reck
Matthew O’Hanlon
Diarmuid O’Keeffe

Aidan Nolan
Shaun Murphy

David Redmond
Lee Chin
Jack O’Connor

Paul Morris
Conor McDonald
David Dunne

Subs

Jack Guiney for Redmond (52)
Harry Kehoe for O’Connor (62)
Barry Carton for Morris (70)
Aaron Maddock for Nolan (72)

Kilkenny

Eoin Murphy

Paul Murphy
Padraig Walsh
Shane Prendergast

Lester Ryan
Jason Cleere
Paddy Deegan

Ollie Walsh
Cillian Buckley

Colin Fennelly
Walter Walsh
TJ Reid

Liam Blanchfield
Richie Hogan
Conor Martin

Subs

JJ Farrell for Ryan (49)

Referee: Alan Kelly (Galway)

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Author
Shane Stapleton
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