Although the counties haven’t played each other in the league much in recent times, Tipperary and Wexford contested one of the most famous league finals in history 61 years ago.
On May 6th, 1956 the counties drew a then record crowd for a hurling league final of 45,902 to Croke Park. It was the second successive year that they had contested the league final. In 1955 Tipperary had won by 3-5 to 1-5 but the match had been affected by the death of Bob Rackard, father of the legendary brothers Nicky, Bobby and Billy, who had all withdrawn from the match.
Later that year the famous Wexford team of the 1950s won their first All-Ireland and would retain it a year later.
On the day of the 1956 league final, an exceptionally strong breeze blew into the Railway goal at Croke Park and by half-time Tipperary led by 15 points, 2-10 to 0-1, the goals from Paddy Kenny, who lined out at right corner forward beside Billy Quinn, father of soccer international Niall.
According to PD Mehigan in this newspaper, Tipperary had “played their best half-hour’s hurling in six years” in the first half. He added: “Wexford must have decided at half-time that the only way to save the game was to concentrate on goals with Nicholas Rackard as spearhead.”
Sure enough, within five minutes of the restart Rackard and Tom Ryan had scored goals. Tipperary could manage just four points against the wind and although the scores delayed the comeback, Wexford were not to be denied. A further goal, this time by Tom Dixon cut the margin to just three 3-7 to 2-13 and with three minutes left Nicky Rackard pointed to reduce the lead to two.
In injury time Rackard and Dixon scored a goal each and Wexford won by 5-9 to 2-14 to complete the greatest comeback in a league final.
According to Mehigan, “And when I was scrutinising my notes on the game while the crowds were leaving the stand, a well-known clergyman and hurling fan of Munster came up and whispered in my ear when he passed: ‘And they will do it again next September”.
They did, beating Cork in another famous encounter that marked Christy Ring’s last All-Ireland final.
