PREVIEW: Kildare must maintain goal-scoring form to topple Wexford

Kildare will play Allianz Hurling League Division 1B hurling again next year after earning a more than respectable six points headed into the final round of the Allianz Hurling League. 

The Lilies travel to Wexford still in the hunt for a league final spot and promotion. Now, there may be more chance of a train driver getting lost or Tottenham Hotspur winning a game but, with safety already secured against Carlow, where else is there to look for our Lilywhite hurlers? 

Wexford, sitting on seven points, also head into the final round in hope more than expectation of a top two finish with Dublin likely as likely can be to beat Carlow. The Dubs sit on seven points themselves but boast a 50-point scoring differential advantage when compared to Kildare's final round opponents.

The Yellowbellies welcome The Lilies this Saturday, March 21 for a 5pm throw-in at Chadwicks Wexford Park. This meeting comes a month prior to their second scheduled clash of 2026 when they face off in the first round of the Leinster Senior Hurling Championship at Cedral St Conleth’s Park on the weekend of April 18/19.

One the most impressive aspects of the Kildare hurlers this year has been their mentality. Brian Dowling’s men have felt all the ‘right’ emotions throughout this year so far with disappointment against Dublin and being gutted against Clare while being pleased but not overenthused with the three wins that secured their safety. 

The Lilies are taking all of this top-level hurling in stride and, despite dominant wins over Antrim, Down and Carlow, their clash with Clare in Cedral St Conelth’s Park may live longest in the memory. A four-point defeat where the 2024 All-Ireland Champions had to overturn a half-time deficit was the mark of true evolution in Kildare hurling with The Lilies legitimately mixing with a team who lifted the Liam McCarthy Cup a month and half after they beat Derry by eight points to win the Christy Ring for a fifth time. Anyone posing the notion that Clare had their foot lifted from the pedal has not looked at some of the scorelines they have put up against those in their path this year.

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The story so far

Kildare’s final round hosts represent a brilliant litmus test for both teams. With the Leinster SHC on the horizon and promotion highly unlikely, debate surrounds whether Brian Dowling or Keith Rossiter will show their hand in this game. 

However, if we take these teams on their merits, there is little to separate what we have seen to this point with the standout difference being Wexford’s dramatic draw with Dublin. The Yellowbellies fared far better on their trip to Croker than The Lilies did in their opening day visit to Parnell Park. It was by far Kildare’s worst showing of the season and a lacklustre side to their game that we have not seen since. 

Despite three wins from their first three, Wexford started this league campaign slowly with a last-gasp winner needed to beat Antrim at home and a nervy escape from Ballycran with a two-point margin of victory, both teams which Kildare put to the sword. They followed two good results with the first flexing of their muscles in a 2-28 to 1-21 home win over Carlow.

Their draw with Dublin in HQ was up next in what ended up as one of the most chaotic encounters of the hurling season so far. The home side finished the game with 13 men after the dismissals of midfielder Conor Groarke and full-back Paddy Smyth. The Dubs needed an equaliser from captain Chris Crummey in the fifth minute of additional time to restore parity. Tensions were high in the capital but Wexford remained in search of a first win over Dublin in their last six competitive meetings while their route to a league final got far more difficult.

Wexford’s last outing was a three-point defeat to Clare in Ennis where Rossiter’s side have had massive joy in recent years. After three successive league defeats to Wexford in Ennis, The Banner achieved their first home win over The Yellowbellies in seven years to all but end their league final ambitions. Clare had their foes at arm’s length for a decent portion of this game but needed a super save from league debutante goalkeeper Mark Sheedy in injury-time to stay ahead after the visitors had managed the game’s previous three points.

When it comes to the numbers between these final day opponents, the statistics are near negligible due to their similarity. Kildare have put up an average of 25.6 points per game (ppg) and conceded 24 ppg while Wexford have managed to score 26.2 on average and concede 24.2 ppg. Little to be learned there.

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Forwards

One of The Lilies’ strengths in this campaign has been scoring goals and not conceding too many either. Kildare have managed 12 goals in their five games so far (compared to Wexford’s seven) and one feels that the raising of a couple of net-bulgers would be needed again for them to beat a Wexford side who look in fighting form at this stage of 2026. The Lilies have gotten goals from all over with six different green flag raisers chipping in so far. Whether it be Muiris Curtin or Cathal McCabe once again or another new source, Kildare will need their goal-scoring form to continue if they are to emerge from this tricky away clash with some points.

On the Wexford end of things, their star man Lee Chin looked in fine fettle last time out against Clare and did his best to continue their fine run of results against The Banner. However, their standout forward of the last few weeks has been Oulart-the Ballagh forward Simon Roche with 1-16 in his last two games against Dublin and Clare.

This game presents yet another huge test for Kildare but one that they will be relishing like all the others when these sides meet on Saturday, March 21 in Chadwicks Wexford Park for a 5pm throw-in.