Wexford's Lawlor produces extra fireworks against Kilkenny

Wexford 1-25 Kilkenny 2-18

Whatever about the pre-match fireworks, Wexford produced an explosive finish as Richie Lawlor blasted an injury-time goal to snatch a dramatic victory at the newly floodlit Chadwicks Wexford Park on Saturday.

The result keeps Darragh Egan's charges in the hunt with Kilkenny for qualification for the Walsh Cup decider, with the matter coming down to score-difference if Laois account for Offaly on Sunday.

Kilkenny only required a draw to make the final for the first time since 2018, and substitute Billy Sheehan latched onto a defensive error in the 60th minute to put the black and amber on course to at least force that share of the spoils.

But Wexford lit up the venue to raucous cheers from their backers amongst the near 13,000 strong attendance as 'keeper James Lawlor cut out a threat from Killian Doyle before Lawlor’s goal helped the home side claw out a crucial result.

Wexford’s main grounds was full of celebration even before the action got underway, as the official switching on of the state-of-the-art floodlights brought tremendous festivity to the occasion.

And the protagonists added extra voltage as the lead changed hands four times across a keenly contested opening period, with Conor McDonald and Diarmuid O’Keeffe launching the opening scores.

Two responses from lively centre-forward Cian Kenny helped Kilkenny transform matters by 0-03 to 0-02 after eight minutes.

Wexford appeared to be hitting a rich vein of form when a quick-fire double from Oisín Pepper and one from Lee Chin turned the tables by 0-06 to 0-04 15 minutes in.

And the home side remained in fine fettle as a Conor Hearne double and a Mikie Dwyer addition kept Wexford noses in front by 0-08 to 0-07 just before Dwyer forced the only