WEXFORD 1-19, GALWAY 1-19
Galway will be wondering how in hell’s name they let Wexford back in. Lee Chin held his nerve, late on, to ensure honours ended even.
Chadwicks Wexford Park played out an early hurling championship classic, but it was a game that had, for long stretches, looked to be a Galwegian stroll.
Spurred on by Brian Concannon’s early goal, Galway had the upper-hand throughout the first half of this Leinster Senior Hurling Championship round-robin clash. They led by six points at the break and by that same margin with 10 minutes of normal time remaining.
Wexford brought on Lee Chin to give them an attacking spark, but his arrival seemed to only incense and gee-up the Galway backline. On Chin’s first possession, he was swarmed by five Tribesmen before being forced into conceding a free.
At that stage of the game, 10 minutes into the second half, that moment summed up where both sides were at.
The contest all changed in an instant, though, inspired by a crisp Conor McDonald finish from an acute angle. McDonald tried, first, to swing a boot at the sliotar but then followed up with his hurl and the six-point deficit was instantly halved:
Brilliant finish to the back of the net by Conor McDonald here for @OfficialWexGAA pic.twitter.com/oXUJ7ydYct
— The GAA (@officialgaa) April 16, 2022
That controversial throw-ball
Tom Monaghan stretched the Galway lead to four points but, with the game heading into stoppage time, came the moments Galway will bitterly rue.
First, Cathal Mannion was called for too many steps after he caught a high ball in defence. Rory O’Connor slotted that free over, but Wexford were just warming up.
In the 74th and 75th minutes, Chin lapped over two scores to make it a one-point game. His second point came when the referee deemed that Conor Cooney had taken too long over a free that went Galway’s way.
Despite howls of protest from Henry Shefflin and several others on the Galway line, a throw-ball was awarded. Wexford piled forward and Chin gave the yellow bellies a chance to salvage a draw.
Sure enough, Damien Reck was fouled as he charged forward and Chin held his nerve to draw the scores level with the final puck of the game.
Lee Chin levels the match in the last few seconds for @OfficialWexGAA! pic.twitter.com/knqm9Vnztd
— The GAA (@officialgaa) April 16, 2022
For a man that had been given a right aul’d welcome to the match by the fired up Galway defenders, it was Chin that had the final say on matters.
