Fitzhenry: six-week break not to blame for crushing defeat

DAMIEN FITZHENRY, who saved Wexford from humiliation in Sunday’s All-Ireland hurling semi-final, has reiterated that the six-week lay-off was not a factor in their defeat by Cork.

However, former team manager Tony Dempsey, a guest at yesterday’s Vodafone awards presentation in Dublin - to Fitzhenry and Westmeath defender John Keane - says it was.

“Everyone talks about the six weeks, but I still have the same opinion,” said Fitzhenry, having articulated it last week.

“We trained hard, we played a practice match against Waterford and intense 15 against 15 games in training. We could do no more during the six weeks. It was just one of those days,” he said.

Dempsey, a former Central Council (and now a TD), has no doubt that the long break was a significant factor.

“It was too long and this isn’t hindsight. Wexford missed the competitive edge. You need to be playing regular competition, otherwise you lose the sharpness after 16 or 17 days.

“The other thing that concerns me is having to play six days after a game. It is psychologically wrong. It happened when I was manager against Clare.”

Dempsey, who in his time coached Wexford teams at all levels of hurling and football, believes Cork cannot be judged on this performance. However, he agrees the playing field has been levelled for both Cork and Kilkenny.

“I watched Cork play Antrim and their first touch was very good and it was fantastic on Sunday. But the game will have damaged Cork. They needed to win by no more than four or five points. It’s no good to be hammering teams. The Cork backs weren’t tested. Very few teams could afford to lose Setanta Ó hAilpín and John Gardiner and still be in an All-Ireland final, but you’re talking about a huge population. And Kilkenny doesn’t involve itself in football, so they have the advantage of concentrating on a single sport. They may be able to compete irrespective of what the handicaps are, but the teams that are on the fringes aren’t going to compete.”

Fitzhenry attributed Wexford’s poor display to “an off day”.

Not only were Cork picking off scores from every angle, but he thought everything just fell into place for them.

“They worked very hard for one another in defence and the whole way through midfield. And any team whose midfield scores 1-7 from play is in with a great shout. Any time they get the ball, there’s always someone there to pass it to. No matter how hard you try to counteract that, it’s going to be hard. We found it very difficult.”

Fitzhenry hopes that none of the Wexford players makes any rash decisions about their future. At the same time, he wouldn’t be surprised if two or three players opt out.

Interestingly, Fitzhenry said he wasn’t aware that after his second save from Joe Deane, full-forward Brian Corcoran had tapped him on the shoulder to congratulate him. But it was a gesture he appreciated.

The award in football went to Westmeath defender John Keane, selected on the basis of his excellence in the Leinster final replay win over Laois.

Like Fitzhenry, he was trying to come to terms with their defeat in the All-Ireland quarter-final on Saturday by Derry. But, unlike the Wexford ’keeper, he was at a loss to explain what happened.

“I couldn’t imagine any team being better prepared, except that we gave them a good head-start by conceding two goals. All year when we went behind in games, we always had the confidence to come back. You always knew you were going to pull through and we thought that would be the same on Saturday,” he said.

“It wasn’t a case of underestimating Derry. Once you win something you get greedy and you want more. Derry are a good side and they’ll probably go on to prove it.

“When we came back home there was a big crowd to greet us, people clapping us on the back and saying how great it was to win Leinster. But we were bitterly disappointed.”