‘We’re as big as anybody’ claims Wexford boss

SEAMUS MURPHY knew exactly what to expect when he replaced his Rathnure team-mate John Conran as manager of the Wexford senior hurlers.

A promising championship campaign had been abruptly terminated by Cork in the All-Ireland semi-final, just as it had been the previous year. And it took an obvious toll on morale.

But, from his experience in working with a lot of the panel at U21 level he also knew the abilities and the potential of the players he was commanding.

“Wexford would not have been happy with the end-of-year performance, but would have been happy to be Leinster champions as they came into last year’s semi-final as such outsiders,’’ he commented. “The game against Cork showed a complete lack of consistency. It was a completely different performance.

“The Kilkenny game was of a very high standard. Maybe they were lucky to win it at the death, but they hurled as well as Kilkenny. So, to get annihilated by Cork was hard to take. We sat down in the Ferrycarrig (Hotel) one night before Christmas and we laid down a few markers and set a few goals.

“In fairness the lads took them on board right from the start.’’

His involvement with the U21s prepared him for the challenge he faced. His involvement with Rathnure also paid dividends.

“There wouldn’t be any fellow out there hitting a ball whom I wouldn’t know or be familiar with his style of play or the quality he can reach,’’ he added.

One of the targets they set was to improve on the county’s NHL record. They achieved that in the first phase, but form dipped thereafter.

“We could have taken Galway, we got annihilated by Kilkenny and played for 25 minutes against Clare before we lost our way.

“You wouldn’t say that it affected our confidence, because we were coming off the back of long-term injuries to Darragh Ryan, Rory Jacob and Tomas Mahon, while Adrian Fenlon took a break. We were pushed a bit into a quandary with other injuries we were picking up. I remember thinking at one stage, ‘ Holy God, will we ever get a clean run?’

“Most games we were short seven or eight players and being down that many meant we were changing our team and moving fellows around.

“Players weren’t getting a chance to settle, but in saying that we were getting six or seven fellows into the panel and it was helping them along. If we didn’t have the injuries, some of those wouldn’t have been playing as long or as often. In fact, some of them will be playing tomorrow.’’

While conceding that they don’t have ‘big strong forwards like other teams have’, Murphy considers unfair any claims that they are lacking physical strength.

“The way we look at it, if we’re big in the heart we’re as big as anybody. And, the lads in fairness have been competing better for the aerial ball and hurling better in the sky.”

Murphy acknowledges the county’s poor record in the championship, specifically the fact that they only manage to beat their great rivals ‘once every seven or eight years and seldom enough back-to-back.’

“Kilkenny are the team of the last four years. No one has been more successful at senior level.

“They’ll take some beating,’’ he agrees.

But, they’re going up with a positive attitude, as proud Leinster champions. And they’re going up to give it ‘one right lash.’