Wexford hungry for victory, says Fenlon

ADRIAN FENLON accepts that he was one of the lucky ones to win Leinster and All-Ireland hurling medals in 1996, considering that he played in his first final only three years earlier.

In his youth, growing up in Enniscorthy, he recalled the many occasions that his father brought him to games and how often he saw Wexford pipped at the post, invariably by Kilkenny, and on other occasions by Offaly.

Now, seven years on from winning a second provincial medal, he's growing a little impatient with the lack of success. Another medal would mean a lot, especially when he remembers back to the 1993 decider and how Kilkenny snatched a late draw then won the replay convincingly.

Fenlon had just turned 19 at the time.

He has a vivid recollection of Eamonn Morrissey's equalising score how Liam Simpson cleared a ball to Bill Hennessy and how Adrian Ronan set up the shot that saved them and denied Wexford an overdue success.

It was typical Kilkenny, enjoying the luck that Wexford seem to miss out so often just like the 91 final, when he watched from the Hogan Stand as a kicked DJ Carey goal proved decisive. It was the day Carey took "all those steps" and got away with it.

"I suppose we hadn't the mental capacity back then to win, but that all changed in 1996," he remarked.

The outlook for the team at the start of this year didn't look very promising after an unimpressive away win to Derry, a poor display in Wexford Park against Cork and then "a terrible slip-up" against Tipperary in Nenagh.

The players stayed in the dressing room afterwards where some grievances were aired. They related in the main to the antics of some panel members.

"We had a kind of clear-the-air meeting. Some players were not putting in a 100% effort, an effort yes, but not what is required to compete at the top level.

"Definitely, that was a defining moment this year. Our performances since then have been on the up. The management team have been tremendous, we have the best training facilities at Wexford Park and no stone has been left unturned from the players or management point of view."

He admits while steady progress has been made, performances haven't been "wonderful". He compares the Offaly game to last weekend's Munster final, a game of two halves, except Wexford was not convincing in victory.

"Although we felt we were playing decently enough in the first half, Offaly were playing fantastic and taking their scores well. We seemed to find it harder to get scores. We had words at half-time, came out in the second half and tapped over two quick points and we were straight back in the game.

"We realise we have an awful lot of improvement if we are going to be at the races. But, there is a great tradition of games between us, similar to that between Cork and Tipperary in Munster finals. Over the years, we always manage to raise our game for Kilkenny, but not enough, unfortunately, on too many occasions.

"I'd like to think we will do it and compete effectively, that we'll be there at the death. Kilkenny are the form team, no doubt about that. They were vastly superior to everybody in the league, bar Tipperary. But, they are not invincible and we realise that.

"When you think they have been at the All-Ireland semi-final or final stage for the last four years, it amazes a lot of people how they can carry that hunger forward. Certainly if we can match them for hunger, we should be there or thereabouts with a chance.

"It will be tough. Kilkenny are the form team. But, being underdogs suits us to an extent. We're like the Irish rugby team that we tend to falter when we go in as favourites.

"We perform better as underdogs."