Wexford reject crisis claims

WEXFORD hurling's management and players came out fighting yesterday, rubbishing claims of a crisis in the camp.

Despite the withdrawal of yet another two players from the county panel and their poor start to the season, manager John Conran has insisted that there are no serious problems.

It emerged earlier this week that defender Darren Stamp, who was instrumental in guiding the county to an All-Ireland semi-final with Cork last year, and Paul Codd's younger brother Robbie opted out of the squad. They have now joined the likes of veterans Liam Dunne and Larry O'Gorman who called time on their inter-county careers in the last few months.

To add to a miserable week for the county, it has also emerged that Paul Codd, their best forward in a decade, is now out for up to five weeks after breaking a bone in his hand against Limerick last Sunday.

But Conran explained: "Darren Stamp opted out of the panel three weeks ago, it just seems to be emerging now for whatever reason but there's no bad feelings between the Wexford management and Darren," he stated.

"The simple fact is that he's changed jobs and he's now going to be laying cement and floors in the evenings. He's going to be having a lot of late nights and he won't be able to train and give the commitment he'd want, so he decided to step away.

"We're disappointed from the point of view that Darren is an excellent defender and he'd done a great job for Wexford the last three years or so."

As for Wexford's worrying form, Conran brushed aside the spate of retirements and preferred to point to a debilitating injury list as the main reason for their stuttering start to 2004.

"We have had a few withdrawals but I'd say it's a horrible run of injuries that has been hurting us as much as anything," he claimed. "At any one time, we've had five or six lads who have been unavailable because of injuries.

"We had an initial panel of 43 which was cut down to 34 and then 30 and now with the few withdrawals we have a panel of 28, but those 28 players are very united. We're gelling together very well as a group and we're getting through very good training sessions.

"We're a happy group and I'm not disappointed with how things are shaping up although I am unhappy with how the league has gone. It hasn't been easy with all the injuries. We've been very disjointed."

Unfortunately, their injury jinx shows little sign of abating.

As well as Paul Codd's absence, Mick O'Leary has picked up a hamstring problem and both Keith Rossiter and Mossy Mahon have damaged knee ligaments.

The good news for Conran is that Declan Ruth is available as the one-month suspension he picked up under the floodlights in Cork has been served, while Adrian Fenlon is also back on the roster after his three-week honeymoon in Sri Lanka.

Wexford will need every hand on deck this week as they face an Offaly side that, despite blowing hot and cold so far, have shown a good deal more promise than their neighbours.

Veteran attacker Larry Murphy insisted: "Morale remains good, commitment levels are high, and while we are having our problems everything remains focused for our first round Leinster championship clash with Kilkenny in June."

Murphy said that the players who have departed are a big loss and it will be impossible to find ready replacements, particularly for Liam Dunne and Larry O'Gorman.

"Players of their class and experience don't grow on trees and of course we'll miss them," he said. "However we have also brought in some very promising newcomers, talk of gloom and doom and crisis are well wide of the mark."

Murphy said that speculation about Paul Codd being unavailable for the championship game in June were wildly inaccurate, "but it seems some people are only too happy to do Wexford down at the moment.

"We're getting on with the job however, and rest assured we'll be good and ready for that date with the All-Ireland champions."