2018 Walsh Cup

2018 Walsh Cup
Tournament details
ProvinceLeinster
Year2018
SponsorBord na Móna
Winners
ChampionsWexford (16th win)
ManagerDavy Fitzgerald
CaptainLee Chin and Matthew O'Hanlon
Runners-up
Runners-upKilkenny
ManagerBrian Cody
CaptainCillian Buckley
Other
Matches played14
← 2017
2019 →

The 2018 Walsh Cup was an inter-county hurling competition based mainly in the Irish province of Leinster. It took place between December 2017 and January 2018.[1][2]

For the first time, no third-level college teams took part. 10 Leinster counties, plus Antrim, competed.[3][4] Longford and Louth entered the second-ranked Kehoe Cup.

Wexford were the 2018 champions, beating Kilkenny 3–2 in a free-taking competition after the final ended level on 1-24 each after extra time.[5] This was the first inter-county hurling game to be decided by the taking of frees.[6]

Format

There are 11 teams, in three groups of 3 teams and one group of 2 teams. In the three-team groups, each team plays the other teams once. In the two-team group, the teams play each other twice. Two points are awarded for a win and one for a draw.

The four group winners advance to the semi-finals.

Group stage

Group 1

Team Pld W D L Pts Diff
Wexford 2 2 0 0 4 +44
Carlow 2 1 0 1 2 +9
Wicklow 2 0 0 2 0 –53

Group 2

Team Pld W D L Pts Diff
Kilkenny 2 2 0 0 4 +47
Laois 2 1 0 1 2 –18
Kildare 2 0 0 2 0 –29

Group 3

Team Pld W D L Pts Diff
Dublin 2 2 0 0 4 +27
Meath 2 1 0 1 2 -15
Antrim 2 0 0 2 0 –12

Group 4

Team Pld W D L Pts Diff
Offaly 2 2 0 0 4 +5
Westmeath 2 0 0 2 0 –5

Knock-out stage

Semi-finals

Semi-final
Offaly3-11 – 1-20Kilkenny
Shane Kinsella 1-3, Shane Dooley 1-1 (1-0 pen, 0-1f), Eoin Cahill 0-3 (0-3f), Conor Mahon 1-0, Thomas Geraghty 0-2, Oisin Kelly (0-1f), Liam Langton 0-1 each. Report Alan Murphy 0-7 (0-6f), Richie Reid 0-5, Richie Leahy 0-3, Ger Malone 1-0, John Donnelly 0-2, John Walsh, Bill Sheehan and Conor Martin 0-1 each.
O'Connor Park, Tullamore
Referee: Gearóid McGrath (Dublin)
Semi-final
Dublin0-16 – 1-20Wexford
Paul Winters 0-6 (5f), Donal Burke 0-4 (4f), Fergal Whitely 0-3, Cian McBride, Johnny McCaffrey and Danny Sutcliffe 0-1 each. Report Paul Morris 0-6 (4f), Cathal Dunbar 1-1, Paudie Foley (0-1f, 0-1 65), Kevin Foley and Jack Guiney 0-3 each, Conor McDonald and David Dunne 0-2 each, Harry Kehoe 0-1.
Parnell Park, Donnycarney
Referee: Gavin Quilty (Kilkenny)

Final

20 January 2018
2 p.m. GMT
Final
Kilkenny 1-24 (27) – (27) 1-24
(a.e.t.) (2–3 fk) 		Wexford
Gls: Alan Murphy 1pen
Pts: Alan Murphy 13 (6fs, 1 '65'), Ollie Walsh 2, Walter Walsh 2, Martin Keoghan 2, Eoin Murphy 2fs, Conor Fogarty 1, Richie Reid 1, Conor Martin 1		 Gls: Kevin Foley 1
Pts: Paul Morris 9 (7fs), Jack Guiney 5 (3fs), Harry Kehoe 3, Mark Fanning 1f, Eoin Moore 1, Cathal Dunbar 1, David Dunne 1, Jack O'Connor 1, Lee Chin 1, Conor McDonald 1
Free-taking competition
Eoin Murphy soccer ball with check mark
Conor Martin soccer ball with check mark
Lester Ryan soccer ball with red X
Alan Murphy soccer ball with red X
John Walsh soccer ball with red X 		  soccer ball with red X Paul Morris
soccer ball with red X Lee Chin
soccer ball with check mark Conor McDonald
soccer ball with check mark Jack Guiney
soccer ball with check mark Mark Fanning
Nowlan Park, Kilkenny
Referee: John O'Brien (Laois)
Attendance: 3,554

References

  1. ^ "2018 O'Byrne & Walsh Cup Groups Decided". dublingaa.ie.
  2. ^ "Kilkenny hurling: Brian Cody's men will start in Walsh Cup on January 3".
  3. ^ "Bord na Móna Walsh Cup S.H. 2018 - Leinster GAA".
  4. ^ "2018 Bord na Móna Walsh Cup Draw". 19 November 2017.
  5. ^ "WATCH: Wexford crowned Walsh Cup champions after thrilling game is decided by free-taking contest". Irish Independent. 20 January 2018. Retrieved 21 January 2018.
  6. ^ "Wexford edge Cats in hurling's first ever free-taking competition to settle pulsating Walsh Cup final". The 42. 20 January 2018. Retrieved 21 January 2018.