National Hurling League: Wexford upset Limerick, Dublin draw with Waterford, Kilkenny survive Antrim scare
A round-up of Sunday's National Hurling League action. Wexford upset All-Ireland champions Limerick, Kilkenny survived a scare from Antrim, while Dublin and Waterford played out an entertaining draw at Parnell Park.
Monday 7 February 2022 06:41, UK
It was a bumper Sunday in the Allianz Hurling League.
Wexford 1-11 Limerick 0-11
Darragh Egan's Wexford side have made a flying start to the National League, defeating reigning Munster and All-Ireland champions Limerick in a war of attrition.
Wexford looked to lay down a marker in the early stages. The Model County met their visitors head-on in the physical stakes, and looked worlds apart from the team that were comprehensively beaten by Dublin in the Walsh Cup final last week.
Limerick didn't register a score until the ninth minute, and Wexford worked their way into a deserved 0-4 to 0-2 lead.
But despite the Treaty posting 10 wides in the first half, the hosts were unable to put significant daylight between the teams.
Jack O'Connor was accurate from placed balls for the Yellowbellies, but the All-Ireland champions slowly worked their way into the contest, taking the lead for the first time after 32 minutes, and led 0-7 to 0-6 at the half-way mark.
Limerick looked to kick on after the break, with Gearoid Hegarty becoming more involved in the contest. The 2020 Hurler of the Year won a Wexford puck-out in the 55th minute, and returned it with interest to give his side a 0-11 to 0-9 lead. However, that proved to be Limerick's final score of the contest.
Mikie Dwyer beat Nickie Quaid and found the bottom corner of the Limerick net in the 59th minute to turn the tide, and Wexford followed it up with inspirational points from Conor McDonald and Connal Flood.
A satisfactory afternoon for Darragh Egan and Wexford, while Limerick are yet to get up and running.
Nonetheless, John Kiely will know it's a long year ahead, and Limerick failed to win any of their first three National League games in 2021 before romping to Munster and All-Ireland titles.
Wexford: Mark Fanning; Simon Donohoe, Liam Ryan, Matthew O'Hanlon; Damien Reck, Paudie Foley, Jack O'Connor (0-5, 0-4f); Diarmuid O'Keeffe (0-1), Cathal Dunbar; Oisin Foley (0-2), Liam Óg McGovern, Charlie McGuckin; Connal Flood (0-2), Conor McDonald (0-1), Mikie Dwyer (1-0).
Subs: David Dunne for Cathal Dunbar (59), Oisin Pepper for Charlie McGuckin (64), Paul Morris for Jack O'Connor (70).
Limerick: Nickie Quaid; Barry Nash, Dan Morrissey, Richie English; Diarmaid Byrnes (0-3, 0-1 '65, 0-2f), Declan Hannon (0-1), Colin Coughlan; Robbie Hanley (0-1), William O'Donoghue; Cathal O'Neill, Tom Morrissey, Gearoid Hegarty (0-3); Aaron Gillane (0-2, 0-2f), Pat Ryan, David Reidy (0-1, 0-1f).
Subs: Seamus Flanagan for Aaron Gillane (ht), Oisin O'Reilly for Pat Ryan (46), Conor Boylan for Cathal O'Neill (60), Darren O'Connell for David Reidy (67), Brian O'Grady for Robbie Hanley (70).
Dublin 0-21 Waterford 2-15
The spoils were shared in a fiery affair at Parnell Park, as Waterford used the wind to their advantage in a second-half fightback to salvage a point.
A Stephen Bennett goal from a penalty was the only Waterford respite in a first-half otherwise dominated by the home side. Cian O'Callaghan was sent to the sin-bin for his foul on Colin Dunford which led to the decision, but the Dubs didn't break stride.
Buoyed by the strong wind, Donal Burke converted five frees, while a pair of Conor Burke scores helped Mattie Kenny's charges into a 0-11 to 1-4 lead at the half-way mark. Mattie Kenny would have felt his side should have been further ahead, were it not for eight first-half wides.
Stephen Bennett - who finished with 2-10 - led a fightback with impressive accuracy from placed balls.
The Déise sharp-shooter converted a second penalty after the break, which came from an incident which saw goalkeeper Sean Brennan sent to the sin-bin.
Both sides finished with 14, after Cian O'Callaghan and Conor Prunty were both shown second yellow cards.
The contest ebbed and flowed deep into injury-time, but neither side could find a winner.
Dublin: Sean Brennan; Andrew Dunphy, Eoghan O'Donnell (0-1), Cian O'Callaghan; John Bellew, Paddy Smyth, James Madden; Conor Burke (0-2), Chris Crummey (0-1); Donal Burke (0-12, 0-10f, 0-1 '65), Rian McBride (0-1), Danny Sutcliffe (0-1); Fergal Whitely (0-1), Ronan Hayes (0-1), Colin Currie.
Subs: Eamonn Dillon (0-1) for Colin Currie (49), Alan Nolan for Ronan Hayes (55), Davy Keogh for Sean Brennan (66).
Waterford: Billy Nolan; Conor Gleeson, Conor Prunty, Kieran Bennett; Jack Fagan, Iarlaith Daly, Tom Barron; Carthach Daly, Jack Prendergast; Patrick Curran, Austin Gleeson (0-1), DJ Foran (0-3); Shane Bennett, Stephen Bennett (2-10, 0-8f, 2-0p, 0-1 '65), Colin Dunford (0-1).
Subs: Michael Kiely for Shane Bennett (49), Billy Power for Colin Dunford (61), Ciaran Kirwan for Austin Gleeson (68).
Kilkenny 2-15 Antrim 3-9
Kilkenny had to dig deep to avoid an upset defeat at the hands of Antrim in Nowlan Park.
The Saffrons made a dream start, with a Sean Elliott goal giving them a 1-1 to 0-0 lead. But the Cats fought back, and a Martin Keoghan goal in injury-time made it level, 1-6 apiece at half-time.
Keoghan hit the net once more after the restart, but the visitors hung in the contest with a Conor Johnston green flag reducing the deficit to three points.
Antrim made it a one-score game late on, with a Neil McManus goal making it 2-14 to 3-9, but Brian Cody's charges managed to hold out.
Galway 4-22 Offaly 0-17
A strong second-half showing helped Henry Shefflin's charges to a dominant victory in Pearse Stadium.
The Tribesmen led 1-12 to 0-8 at the half-way mark, but kicked on to win by double scores.
Gearoid McInerney, Evan Niland, John Fleming and Donal O'Shea all found the net for Galway, as they moved to the top of Division 1A.
