Wexford look to banish all talk of a Galway clean sweep

GALWAY set out today on a road that they hope will lead to a clean sweep of this year’s All-Ireland hurling titles when their intermediate team play Wexford in the All-Ireland final in Portlaoise (3.30 pm).

Backboned by six of their under 21 team, Galway will be favourites but they are up against a Wexford side, managed by senior coach Seamus Murphy, who had a four point win over Kilkenny’s under 21 team last week in a challenge game, and who desperately need an All-Ireland hurling title.

The Galway selectors have made two changes from the team which defeated holders Cork in the semi-final. Under-21 player Alan Garvey comes in at right half back in place of John Fordham while another under-21 stalwart Joe Gantley, who was very impressive against Cork, is preferred to Kevin Hoban at centre forward. Gantley’s older brother Brendan is at midfield with Declan McEvoy.

“The county is on a high with all the hurling finals coming up,” said coach Kieran Rabbitte. “The intermediates were the first team to qualify for an All-Ireland final and I suppose it’s only fitting that we should be first into the fray.

“Our performance against Cork was excellent, but it was only in injury time that we got the winning scores. With a number of our team now chasing an All-Ireland double, I’m expecting another huge effort from the lads.

“However unlike ourselves and a few other counties, Wexford can pick from their senior clubs, and if their win over the Kilkenny U-21s is any indication, they are going to be very difficult to beat.

“I understand they tried to coax footballers Nicky Lambert and Mattie Forde to play, and that shows how serious they are treating this final. They are just as keen as we are to win an All-Ireland hurling title.”

Wexford coach Seamus Murphy had several members of the team in with the seniors and agrees that this has helped the intermediate team.

“Most of our team for tomorrow’s final would have worn the county jersey in one grade or another which is very good experience. Unfortunately we’ve only played one game in the championship, the Leinster final against Kilkenny.

“The northerners withdrew which cost us another game, but we have prepared as well as we could and while this particular grade may be down the pecking order for supporters in the county, the players involved are very keen to win an All-Ireland medal.

“We’ve been starved of hurling success in recent years and we’ll gladly take this title if it comes our way. Galway are on a tremendous roll at the moment and having defeated the holders Cork, will be favourites to win, but we won’t be found wanting.”

GALWAY (IH v Wexford): M. Herlihy; R. Whyte, N. Corcoran, P. Flynn; A. Garvey, E. Tannian, N. Earles; B. Gantley, D. McEvoy; B. Lucas, J. Gantley, E. Ryan; B. Lawless, C. Kenny, K. Burke.