The footballers of Waterford have landed an incredible upset and defeated Wexford 3-14 to 1-18.
It has been an extraordinarily frustrating twelve months for Waterford football manager Tom McGlinchey. Twelve months after a 1-12 to 1-11 loss against Cork, the Déise fell to a tied seventh-placed finish in Divison four. Six of last year's team are unavailable and they were hammered by Tipperary in the Munster football quarter-final.
McGlinchey outlined his frustrations when speaking to the Irish Independent earlier this year after Waterford's last league game was declared null and void because the GAA couldn't fit it into their schedule:
What the Waterford footballer thinks doesn't really come into it like.
We saw that with what happened with that league game. The four counties came up with what was a sensible solution and it was dismissed. Realistically what Division 4, Division 3 teams think, it doesn't really matter, let's be realistic about it.
It's all about the 'Super 8s', getting exposure. They are kind of forgetting now about the provincial championships. They are all putting their eggs into the 'Super 8s'.... RTÉ are only showing two of the Munster football games. Like, it's all about the 'Super 8s', you will see it over the next couple of years.
It has been a long seven years since their last Championship victory, a seven-point win over London. That was their first Championship qualifier win in 11 attempts.
Goals from Shane Ryan, JJ Hutchinson and Joe Allen ultimately proved the difference but they were made to work for it after a Naomhan Rossiter goal at the death made it 1-16 to 3-14.
Wexford continued to rally but it proved too little too late.
GAA Football All Ireland Senior Football Championship
Full Time
Waterford: 3-14(23)
Wexford: 1-18(21)— Waterford GAA (@WaterfordGAA) June 9, 2018
Great scenes in Innovate Wexford Park where Waterford’s footballers have just won their first championship game in 7 years. They’ve beaten the hosts 3-14 to 1-18 pic.twitter.com/pXf3Kys7DN
— Brendan O'Brien (@byBrendanOBrien) June 9, 2018
Congrats “We don’t do media bans and we don’t do drink bans” @WaterfordGAA manager Tom McGlinchey after today’s win over Wexford pic.twitter.com/O99HX1rfr3
— sportsfile (@sportsfile) June 9, 2018
Wexford bow out of the All Ireland Football Championship with neighbours @WaterfordGAA putting in a sterling performance to see off the Slaneysiders. #southeastelclassico
— Wexford GAA (@OfficialWexGAA) June 9, 2018
Fantastic result. https://t.co/e7Qcdr8VoP
— Club Déise (@IamClubDeise) June 9, 2018
Fantastic win for our Footballers ⚪️🔵#deiseabú
— Waterford GAA (@WaterfordGAA) June 9, 2018
Absolute SCENES in Wexford Park !!Massive result for waterford football. Fair play to all involved !!! ⚪️🔵⚪️🔵⚪️🔵
— Crottys Lemybrien (@crottysinn) June 9, 2018
The result is a hugely disappointing one for Wexford, who ran Laois close in Leinster earlier this year.
