2018 Walsh Cup

Format

Group stage

=Group 1=

=Group 2=

=Group 3=

=Group 4=

Knock-out stage

=Semi-finals=

=Final=

References

{{Infobox GAA championship

|matches=14

|name=2018 Walsh Cup

|province=Leinster

|year=2018

|winners= Wexford

|manager=Davy Fitzgerald

|captain=Lee Chin and Matthew O'Hanlon

|runnersup =Kilkenny

|runnerupcaptain =Cillian Buckley

|runnerupmanager = Brian Cody

|sponsor= Bord na Móna

|ordinal=16

|previous=2017

|next=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.{{cite web|url=https://www.dublingaa.ie/news/2018-obyrne-walsh-cup-groups-decided|title=2018 O'Byrne & Walsh Cup Groups Decided|publisher=dublingaa.ie}}{{cite web|url=https://www.kilkennypeople.ie/news/sport/282190/kilkenny-hurling-brian-cody-s-men-will-start-in-walsh-cup-on-january-3.html|title=Kilkenny hurling: Brian Cody's men will start in Walsh Cup on January 3|publisher=}}

For the first time, no third-level college teams took part. 10 Leinster counties, plus Antrim, competed.{{cite web|url=http://leinstergaa.ie/competitions/bord-na-mona-walsh-cup-s-h-2018/|title=Bord na Móna Walsh Cup S.H. 2018 - Leinster GAA|publisher=}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.wexfordgaa.ie/2017/11/2018-bord-na-mona-walsh-cup-draw/|title = 2018 Bord na Móna Walsh Cup Draw|date = 19 November 2017}} 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.{{cite web|url= https://www.independent.ie/sport/gaelic-games/hurling/watch-wexford-crowned-walsh-cup-champions-after-thrilling-game-is-decided-by-freetaking-contest-36511217.html|title=WATCH: Wexford crowned Walsh Cup champions after thrilling game is decided by free-taking contest|date=20 January 2018|work=Irish Independent|accessdate=21 January 2018}}

This was the first inter-county hurling game to be decided by the taking of frees.{{cite web|url=https://www.the42.ie/wexford-kilkenny-result-3808376-Jan2018/ |title=Wexford edge Cats in hurling's first ever free-taking competition to settle pulsating Walsh Cup final|date=20 January 2018|work=The 42|accessdate=21 January 2018}}

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.

{{footballbox

|date=13 January 2018

|round=Semi-final

|stadium= O'Connor Park, Tullamore

|time = 2 p.m.

|team1= Offaly

|score= 3-11 – 1-20

|referee =Gearóid McGrath (Dublin)

|report=[https://www.the42.ie/kilkenny-offaly-walsh-cup-final-spot-booked-match-report-three-point-win-3796345-Jan2018/ Report]

|team2=Kilkenny

|goals2 =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.

|goals1 =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.

}}

{{footballbox

|date=14 January 2018

|round=Semi-final

|stadium= Parnell Park, Donnycarney

|time = 2 p.m.

|team1= Dublin

|score= 0-16 – 1-20

|referee =Gavin Quilty (Kilkenny)

|report=[https://www.the42.ie/dublin-wexford-report-3797097-Jan2018/ Report]

|team2=Wexford

|goals1 =Paul Winters 0-6 (5f), Donal Burke 0-4 (4f), Fergal Whitely 0-3, Cian McBride, Johnny McCaffrey and Danny Sutcliffe 0-1 each.

|goals2 =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.

}}

{{GAAmatchbox

| date = 20 January 2018

| time = 2 p.m. GMT

| round = Final

| team1 = Kilkenny

|score1 = 1-24 {{small|(27)}}

|score2 = {{small|(27)}} 1-24

| report = [https://www.irishtimes.com/sport/gaelic-games/wexford-get-another-one-over-on-kilkenny-to-take-walsh-cup-1.3362936 Report]

| aet = yes

| team2 = Wexford

|goals1=Alan Murphy 1pen|goals2=Kevin Foley 1

| points1 = 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

| points2 = 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

|location = Kilkenny

|venue = Nowlan Park

| attendance = 3,554

| referee = John O'Brien (Laois)

| fktakers1 = Eoin Murphy {{pengoal}}
Conor Martin {{pengoal}}
Lester Ryan {{penmiss}}
Alan Murphy {{penmiss}}
John Walsh {{penmiss}}

| fkscore = 2–3

| fktakers2 = {{penmiss}} Paul Morris
{{penmiss}} Lee Chin
{{pengoal}} Conor McDonald
{{pengoal}} Jack Guiney
{{pengoal}} Mark Fanning

}}

style=border-collapse:collapse border=1 cellspacing=0 cellpadding=5

align=center bgcolor=#efefef

!Team

!Pld

!W

!D

!L

!Pts

!Diff

align=center style="background:#D0F0C0;"

|style="text-align:left;"| File:Colours of Wexford.svg {{GG|Wexford|hurling}}

align=center style="background:#FFFFFF;"

|style="text-align:left;"| File:Colours of Carlow.svg Carlow

align=center style="background:#FFFFFF;"

|style="text-align:left;"|File:Colours of Longford.svg Wicklow

Walsh Cup

Category:Walsh Cup (hurling)