Buffers Alley produced a dramatic late comeback to see off Liam Mellows in a thriller that went right down to the wire, with Cormac Walsh delivering the killer blow when it mattered most.
The Wexford club looked like they might let the game slip away as Liam Mellows pushed hard in the closing stages, but Walsh had other ideas. His late goal proved to be the decisive moment in a contest that had plenty of twists and turns throughout.
The final scoreline of 3-19 to 1-21 tells the story of a game that was tight and competitive from start to finish. Liam Mellows kept themselves in the hunt right through to the end, racking up 1-21 which would have been enough to win most games, but Buffers Alley managed to edge past them with those crucial goals.
Goals win games, as they say, and Buffers Alley proved that point perfectly on the day. While both sides traded scores throughout, it was the green flags that ultimately made the difference. Liam Mellows could not match that clinical edge in front of goal, and it cost them dearly when the final whistle came.
Walsh was the hero on the day, but this was very much a team effort from Buffers Alley who dug deep when the pressure was on. Bouncing back in the closing minutes of a game that tight takes serious character, and they showed plenty of it.
For Liam Mellows, it will be a tough one to take. Scoring 1-21 and still coming up short shows how well Buffers Alley performed going forward. There will be plenty of positives to take from their performance, but the result is what sticks, and they now face the task of regrouping after a narrow defeat.
Buffers Alley will be pleased with how they handled the pressure moments and will look to carry that momentum forward as the championship progresses.