Rory O’Connor impresses as Wexford hurlers bounce back with victory over Galway

In weather terms, they swing from blazing sun to thunderstorms, with no reliable forecast in between, so it was with some trepidation that Galway arrived in Wexford Park a week after drawing against at home to an injury-weakened Kilkenny.

Those concerns proved well founded. At the final whistle, the home team celebrated one of those famous victories they’re capable of and often when least expected. ‘Dancing at the Crossroads’ came blaring out over the tannoy to a great cheer and all was good in the Wexford world again.

Defeat in Corrigan Park had left Wexford in a corner, with one point from their opening two matches with the top two teams still to play. In the past, they’ve found redeeming responses, like last year’s win over Kilkenny that followed a loss to Westmeath, which left them in danger of relegation to the Joe McDonagh.

The question was if they could produce another of those lion-hearted displays where they become greater than the sum of their parts. Galway didn’t come with frightening credentials either, lucky to earn a point against Kilkenny after an opening win over Carlow.

They didn’t start Cathal Mannion, apparently due to a hamstring injury, and even though they had an extra man after Cian Byrne’s red card in the 51st minute, they were still well second best. It was a very poor display from Henry Shefflin’s side.

Wexford went for it from the start and grew in confidence, boosted by a man-of-the-match display by Rory O’Connor. He scored 1-6 and took some of the scoring burden off Lee Chin’s shoulders, although the captain still chipped in generously as usual, this time with 0-11.

O’Connor’s goal came in the 40th minute and fuelled the home team with added energy. Cathal Dunbar started a move from midfield involving a piercing run by Richie Lawlor and O’Connor took his pass before beating Darach Fahy, who got a touch but couldn’t keep it out. The goal put Wexford 1-15 to 0-14 in front after leading by two points at the interval, having played with the breeze.

Roared on by a relatively modest but increasingly feverish home crowd of just over 6,000, they moved seven points ahead in the next few minutes and were six clear when Byrne was sent off by Sean Stack for a high challenge 20 minutes from the end of normal time.

But from there to the finish, Wexford had the bigger stomach for battle and actually managed to increase their lead by two points despite being a man down.

The outstanding O’Connor almost had a second goal in the 57th minute when his shot was brilliantly saved by Fahy, with Dunbar again prominent in the move. Galway simply had no answer.

In the first half, Wexford, with the breeze at their backs, pressed up on Galway at every opportunity, forcing turnovers and hitting five points without reply during one spell that ended with O’Connor putting them 0-9 to 0-5 ahead in the 20th minute.

After just a minute, they almost had a spectacular goal when midfielder Conor Hearne burst through, burning up the ground, but his shot across goal went outside the far goalpost and wide.

Chin was central again, with seven of their 15 first-half scores, three from play, as they went in at the interval leading 0-15 to 0-13. Galway had some good patches, too, with Evan Niland excellent on frees and Tom Monaghan hitting a fine score from the wing, and Conor Whelan adding a couple more.

With the breeze behind them after the break, the visitors were in a promising position, but Wexford didn’t look like a team ready to surrender without a fight. How true it proved.

Scorers - Wexford: L Chin 0-11 (7 fs, 65), R O’Connor 1-6, C McDonald, C Byrne, M Fanning (fs) 0-2 each, L Óg McGovern, C Hearne, D Reck, C Foley, C Dunbar 0-1 each. Galway: E Niland 0-11 (10fs), C Whelan, T Monaghan, G Lee 0-2 each, B Concannon, C Cooney, C Fahy, R Glennon, P Mannion, D McLoughlin 0-1 each.

Wexford: M Fanning; S Reck, C Foley, E Ryan; L Ryan, D Reck, M O’Hanlon; C Hearne, J O’Connor; L Og McGovern, L Chin, R Lawlor; C Byrne, C McDonald, R O’Connor. Subs: C Dunbar for J O’Connor (inj 37); M Dwyer for McDonald (68).

Galway: D Fahy; J Grealish, F Burke, P Mannion; G McInerney, C Fahy, Daithi Burke; R Glennon, T Monaghan; G Lee, E Niland, J Cooney; C Whelan, C Cooney, B Concannon. Subs: D O’Shea & A Tuohey for Glennon & Grealish (47); J Glynn for O’Shea (inj 52); J Flynn for McInerney (65); D McLaughlin for Concannon (69).

Referee: S Stack (Dublin).