Wexford 3-14 Kilkenny 3-10
AJ Redmond. Remember that name.
Wexford have won the Leinster minor hurling championship for the first time since 1985 and this batch of youngsters have a once-in-a-blue-moon talent in their ranks.
AJ Redmond, the nifty corner forward from Rathnure. He was the difference between the neighbouring counties on Sunday and he was the reason Wexford annexed 34 years of hurt and 11 lost finals at this grade.
1-11 he ended his afternoon with, many of them from frees, the best of them from open play. A small but powerful forward, the 17-year-old has pace to burn and skills to write home about.
He began terrorising the Kilkenny defence early on and he never let up until the final minutes when he slotted some crucial, nerve-jangling frees with the minimal of fuss.
He looked right at home on Jones’ Road.
The first real breath-taking moment arrived not long after David Cantwell’s opening goal for Wexford. Kilkenny conceded a free more than 100 yards out from their own goals. Surely there was no danger?
Not with Redmond sniffing around. He struck it with 20 yards to spare.
This kid is only 17 😱😱
AJ Redmond of @RathnureGAA gave an exhibition of free-taking in that first half, this one, from all of 100 yards the pick of the lot 👏
Wexford 1-7 Kilkenny 1-5 from the @SportTG4 stream pic.twitter.com/kWF5x57jN8
— GAA JOE (@GAA__JOE) June 30, 2019
His radar was very much in at Croker. With Jack Doyle and Liam Moore keeping Kilkenny in the game, Wexford began to stretch their legs in the second half with captain Richie Lawlor showing real leadership up front.
And while Jack Kirwan and Cian Molloy were also brilliant, it was all about that man Redmond. Another reminder of his class came early in the second half when he nailed a beauty off the back foot and under the stands after 39 minutes.
And the same fella, off the back foot and from the sideline 😱
What a striker of the ball AJ Redmond is pic.twitter.com/WCCQrND8H9
— GAA JOE (@GAA__JOE) June 30, 2019
He saved the best ’til last though, the knockout blow landed in the 51st minute. A rasper from open play.
Ah lads, this lad is ridiculous. 1-9 for him now, this goal from another planet
— GAA JOE (@GAA__JOE) June 30, 2019
This fella will be heard tell of.
Timmy Clifford struck back with a goal for Kilkenny but substitute Cian Byrne had the last laugh for Wexford.
They ran out deserving winners.
