2023 Walsh Cup

2023 Walsh Cup
Tournament details
Province	Leinster, Ulster, Connacht
Year	2023
Sponsor	Bord na Móna
Date	7 January – 4 February, 2023
Teams	8
Defending champions	Dublin
Winners
Champions	Galway (4th win)
Manager	Henry Shefflin
Captain	Daithí Burke
Runners-up
Runners-up	Wexford
Manager	Darragh Egan
Captain	Damien Reck
Other
Matches played	13
	← 2022 2024 →

The 2023 Walsh Cup was an early-season inter-county hurling competition based in the Irish province of Leinster.^[2]

Eight county teams competed – six from Leinster (Dublin, Kilkenny, Laois, Offaly, Westmeath, Wexford); Galway from Connacht; and Antrim from Ulster. Five other teams from Leinster and Ulster played in the second-ranked 2023 Kehoe Cup.^[3]

It took place in January and February 2023.^[4] The new floodlights at Wexford Park were first used on 21 January 2023 for the Wexford–Kilkenny game.^[5] Galway were the winners, defeating Wexford in the final.^[6]

Competition format

The teams are drawn into two groups of four teams. Each team plays the other teams in their group once, earning 2 points for a win and 1 for a draw. The group winners advance to the final.^[3]

Results

Group A

Pos	Team	Pld	W	L	PF	PA	PD	Pts	Qualification
1	Galway	3	3	0	95	56	+39	6	Advance to final
2	Dublin	3	2	1	73	67	+6	4
3	Westmeath	3	1	2	50	73	−23	2
4	Antrim	3	0	3	62	84	−22	0

Updated to match(es) played on 22 January 2023. Source: Leinster GAA

Group A results

7 January 2023 Round 1	Dublin	3-26 - 2-22	Antrim	Dublin
				Stadium: Parnell Park

8 January 2023 Round 1	Galway	3-27 - 0-20	Westmeath	Ballinasloe
				Stadium: Duggan Park

14 January 2023 Round 2	Westmeath	0-15 - 0-13	Antrim	Abbotstown
				Stadium: GAA Centre of Excellence

14 January 2023 Round 2	Dublin	0-15 - 1-21	Galway	Dublin
				Stadium: Parnell Park

21 January 2023 Round 3

Antrim

2-15 - 1-31

Galway

Darver Centre of Excellence

22 January 2023 Round 3

Westmeath

0-15 - 1-20

Dublin

Kinnegad

Group B

Pos	Team	Pld	W	L	PF	PA	PD	Pts	Qualification
1	Wexford	3	2	1	69	64	+5	4^[a]	Advance to final
2	Kilkenny	3	2	1	89	76	+13	4^[a]
3	Offaly	3	1	2	68	74	−6	2^[b]
4	Laois	3	1	2	73	85	−12	2^[b]

Updated to match(es) played on 22 January 2023. Source: Leinster GAA
Notes:

^ ^a ^b Wexford are ranked ahead of Kilkenny as they won the head-to-head game between the teams.
^ ^a ^b Offaly are ranked ahead of Laois as they won the head-to-head game between the teams.

Group B results

8 January 2023 Round 1	Laois	0-20 - 0-18	Wexford	Mountrath
				Stadium: St Fintan's

8 January 2023 Round 1	Kilkenny	2-19 - 0-21	Offaly	Callan
				Stadium: John Locke Park

15 January 2023 Round 2

Laois

2-21 - 3-31

Kilkenny

Rathdowney

15 January 2023 Round 2	Offaly	2-14 - 1-20	Wexford	Birr
				Stadium: St. Brendan's Park

21 January 2023 Round 3	Wexford	1-25 - 2-18	Kilkenny	Wexford
				Stadium: Wexford Park

22 January 2023 Round 3	Offaly	2-21 - 1-23	Laois	Tullamore
				Stadium: O'Connor Park

Final

TG4

4 February 2023
17:15 WET (UTC±00:00)
Final

Report

Wexford	0-15 (15) – (23) 0-23	Galway
(HT: 0-10 – 0-10)
Pts: Conor McDonald 4 (3fs), Charlie McGuckin 3, Damien Reck 2, Cathal Dunbar 2, Mikie Dwyer 1, Liam Ryan 1, Simon Donohoe 1, Kevin Foley 1		Pts: Evan Niland 10 (9fs, 1 ’65), Conor Whelan 2, Liam Collins 2, Donal O’Shea 1, Jarlath Mannion 1, Darren Morrissey 1, Tiernan Killeen 1, Tom Monaghan 1, Brian Concannon 1, Seán Linnane 1, Jason Flynn 1, Ronan Murphy 1

Wexford Park, Wexford
Referee: John Keenan (Wicklow)
Attendance: 8,200

This game is also part of the 2023 National Hurling League.^[7]

References

^ Stapleton, Shane (January 29, 2022). "Dublin dominate Wexford to lift Walsh Cup" – via www.rte.ie. {{cite journal}}: Cite journal requires |journal= (help)
^ "John Horgan on hurling: Time for Pat Ryan to finalise a Cork panel for the league". echo live. November 28, 2022.
^ ^a ^b "2023 Walsh and Kehoe Cup fixtures confirmed - HoganStand". hoganstand.com.
^ Fallon, John. "Shefflin feeling better prepared to push Galway to next level in second season". The42.
^ "Wexford Senior Hurlers To Take On Kilkenny Undelights At Wexford Park | Wexford Weekly". wexfordweekly.com. November 15, 2022.
^ Fagan, Ronan (February 4, 2023). "Galway stride clear in second half for an opening-day win away to Wexford". The42.
^ "Walsh Cup final moved from Croke Park as Wexford and Galway agree to merge decider with Hurling League clash on February 4". independent.

[table_hth_WEX0.72830396645158-7] Wexford are ranked ahead of Kilkenny as they won the head-to-head game between the teams.

[table_hth_OFF0.72830396645158-8] Offaly are ranked ahead of Laois as they won the head-to-head game between the teams.

[1] Stapleton, Shane (January 29, 2022). "Dublin dominate Wexford to lift Walsh Cup" – via www.rte.ie. {{cite journal}}: Cite journal requires |journal= (help)

[2] "John Horgan on hurling: Time for Pat Ryan to finalise a Cork panel for the league". echo live. November 28, 2022.

[auto-3] "2023 Walsh and Kehoe Cup fixtures confirmed - HoganStand". hoganstand.com.

[4] Fallon, John. "Shefflin feeling better prepared to push Galway to next level in second season". The42.

[5] "Wexford Senior Hurlers To Take On Kilkenny Undelights At Wexford Park | Wexford Weekly". wexfordweekly.com. November 15, 2022.

[6] Fagan, Ronan (February 4, 2023). "Galway stride clear in second half for an opening-day win away to Wexford". The42.

[9] "Walsh Cup final moved from Croke Park as Wexford and Galway agree to merge decider with Hurling League clash on February 4". independent.

[1]

[2]

[3]

[4]

[5]

[6]

[a]

[b]

[7]