Cork-Wexford clash recalls memories of 1993 league final trilogy
Tomás Mulcahy keeps possession despite losing his hurley in the 1993 NHL final between Cork and Wexford. Picture: Inpho
Ahead of Saturday’s Allianz Hurling League Division 1 Group A clash between Wexford and Cork, there is still a chance of glory for the sides involved.
If Kilkenny were to lose to Waterford at the same time, then then the winners of the game at Chadwicks Wexford Park would take second place behind Clare, who secured top spot with their win over the Cats last Sunday.
Even if the ‘prize’ might be another tricky proposition in the form of a semi-final against Limerick or Galway, such a state of affairs would represent quite the turnaround for Cork after losing their opening two matches, away to Clare and at home to Tipperary.
The bottom line is that outright victory in the league remains only a slim possibility and the wait since 1998 will go on – though nobody will mind that if the championship campaign is a long and fruitful one.
In any case, even if the unlikely path to glory were to pan out, it would not represent the county’s most circuitous journey. That came 31 years ago and also had Wexford heavily involved.
For various reasons, Cork’s route to glory could not be replicated nowadays. For one thing, league quarter-finals are a thing of the past but, also, a greater number of tie-breakers for teams level on points means that play-offs are only an absolute last resort.
In the 1992-93 competition, Cork were in Division 1B with Wexford, Galway, Waterford, Dublin and Clare but their only victory came at home to Clare in November 1992. Losses against Dublin and Wexford and draws with Waterford and Galway left them on four points – Wexford were top with Galway second while the Rebels and the remaining three sides were tied.
With the top two counties in Division 2 – Laois and Kerry – being given quarter-final spots, the remaining six were to be split between Divisions 1A and 1B. In 1A, Tipperary and Down advanced with Limerick and Antrim level and having to play off; it was decided that four would be whittled down to one in 1B with a mini knockout competition.
Essentially, there were semi-finals and a final – Cork beat Clare and Waterford saw Dublin in a double-header in Semple Stadium at the end of March. The sides were back a week later, with two goals each from Kevin Hennessy and Paul O’Callaghan and one by Ger Manley helped Fr Michael O’Brien’s side to win by 5-16 to 1-6.
That earned a quarter-final tie with Down in Croke Park and the Mourne Men were accounted for on a scoreline of 1-24 to 1-9, with Barry Egan scoring eight points while Teddy McCarthy got 1-4.
It was back to Thurles for the semi-final, against Tipperary. What had been a tame game came to life with a skirmish in the Tipp goalmouth early in the second half. The sides were level at 1-9 each when Cork lost Timmy Kelleher to a red card and Tipp edged ahead, up by 1-13 to 1-11 as the game moved into injury time.
However, Cork produced something special when they needed it, with Ger Manley, Pat Buckley and Kevin Hennessy combining for Tomás Mulcahy to score a brilliant winning goal.
The game was part of a double-header with the Wexford-Limerick semi-final and the Model County’s victory there meant that the final would be a repeat of the group-stage clash of March 7 – Wexford’s 3-13 to 1-10 win in Páirc Uí Chaoimh that day had been Cork’s only defeat since the Dublin loss in their opener on October 25.
Cork hadn’t won the title since going back-to-back in 1979-80 and 1980-81 – there had been three All-Irelands in the interim, though – while Wexford were coming up on two decades since winning the league.
Sunday, May 9 was the appointed date, with approximately 25,000 present in Thurles. As Jim O’Sullivan recounted in his report for The Cork Examiner, “Putting it simply, Cork were exceedingly fortunate to escape with a draw.”
With the wind, Wexford looked to have settled well but Cork had the boost of an early goal from Ger Manley. Despite that, the Leinster side remained on top and Larry Murphy’s green flag ensured that they retired with a 1-9 to 1-4 half-time advantage.
When Eamonn Scallan fired past Tom Kingston – in goal for the injured Ger Cunningham – soon after the resumption, the lead was seven points but Cork came back well. Manley’s second goal kick-started the revival before a string of points ate into the advantage. Seánie McCarthy had them level before Manley put them in front at 2-11 to 2-10.
Murphy tied the game again and in injury time defender John O’Connor might have won it for Wexford but his long-range free went wide and a replay would be needed.
This time, 90 minutes of hurling were unable to separate the teams. With 10 points evenly shared in the first half, Cork moved into a four-point lead in the second period but a goal from sub Billy Byrne brought Wexford back into it and they were level with two minutes left. When Cork won a penalty, Cathal Casey sent his shot over the bar and Martin Storey levelled. Wexford again might have won it with a dead ball from distance but extra time was required.
Even so, a Seánie McCarthy point left Cork 0-15 to 2-8 in front at the turnaround. Eamonn Cleary bagged a third Wexford goal but they couldn’t hold on and Jim Cashman equalised to send the tie to a second replay.
Afterwards, Cork players and management refused to speak to the personnel while Wexford expressed the hope that the third game might be in Croke Park. However, Thurles for the third straight weekend was the decision, albeit this time on Saturday, May 22.
It was the same day as Cork City won the League of Ireland for the first time, beating Shelbourne at the RDS, and it proved to be a double celebration on Leeside.
This was despite a hard sending-off for Leonard Forde early in the first half. By that stage, Cork had had a goal from Barry Egan and they were four points ahead after Paul O’Callaghan’s point in the 20th minute. However, almost inevitably, Wexford were level by the half, 1-5 to 0-8.
Mulcahy goaled for Cork on the restart but Wexford replied in kind, Cleary netting for them, and they led by two when Tony Dempsey pointed, but Cork never gave in. Man of the match Pat Buckley had them in front and Casey’s long ball set up John Fitzgibbon for a clinching goal on 53 minutes.
It finished up 3-11 to 1-12.
The Munster SHC semi-final against Clare in Limerick on June 13 was their 10th match in the space of 14 weeks and there was little left in the tank, the Banner securing their first championship win over Cork since 1981 and just the second since 1955.
Nobody could know it then, but it would take until 1998 for Cork to win another trophy – the league again – or even win a championship match against a side other than Kerry.
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