Fitzhenry will take Cork challenge in his stride

DAMIEN FITZHENRY was in Dublin earlier in the week to collect an award for his outstanding display against Offaly in the Guinness Leinster hurling final.

And, win lose or draw in tomorrow’s All-Ireland semi-final against Cork in Croke Park, he will be back up the following day to pick up another honour from Vodafone.

But it won’t bother him in the least, he says, a view that reflects his philosophical approach to the ups and downs of goal-keeping.

“It wouldn’t affect me at all, because it’s not very often it happens,” he says. “There are plenty of lads in other counties that are out of the championship who would love to be going up and down to Dublin. I take it in my stride.”

Fitzhenry has been Wexford’s regular ‘keeper for the last ten years, one of only four current players remaining from the All-Ireland-winning team of 1996. In that year’s Leinster final win - also against Offaly - he made his mark at both ends of the field. As well as making some important saves, he contributed a vital 18th minute goal from a penalty which helped the county to their first triumph in 19 years.

Limerick supporters will remember how Fitzhenry helped destroy their All-Ireland ambitions three years ago, scoring not one but two goals. The first was from an early penalty, the second from an injury-time 21 yards free which decided the game.

His excellence in this year’s Leinster final was just as decisive in helping his team end a seven-year wait for a title. In the first half he prevented two certain goals and also made two crucial saves. Selector Martin Quigley agrees that Fitzhenry’s consistency has been the outstanding feature of his play.

“It’s not just this year, but for the last number of years he has been a fantastic goalie,” Quigley says. “Damien is just a good quality goalie, he does his job and doesn’t make a big fuss about it. In addition, he plays well as an extra back. He always looks where he’s hitting the ball.

“It would have been very difficult for us to win the Leinster final this year. He brought off some fantastic saves, particularly in the first half, which kept us in the game really. Only for them, Offaly would have been out of sight by half-time.”

Goalkeepers by their nature tend to be level-headed, cool under pressure. One day you’re a hero, the next day you’re to blame for the team losing.

Experience has taught Fitzhenry to take things in his stride.

“Every day you go out you realise you can have a quiet day. Or it could be busy. You take the rough with the smooth. I was busy enough in the first half of the Leinster final, a few balls came in and I had to deal with them.

“Luckily enough, I dealt with them ... Like I was saying after the game, there’ll be days when two or three go past you and nobody will want to talk to you. You want to be ready for all those things.”

Off the field, players and management faced a different challenge earlier in the year when there were reports (subsequently denied) of a split in the camp. There was even a suggestion (also rubbished) that John Conran’s management of the team was under question.

The way Fitzhenry describes it, it was all a lot of hot air. “There were a lot of things that went on that were added on - when there was really nothing to be added to. We all just decided to go in one direction, the panel, the management and the County Board. Once we turned it around, we did well to win the Leinster title.”

Confident that the team is as well-prepared as they could hope for, he says the training schedule featured numerous 15-a-side games. “Those games were played at a very high level. I think the six-week gap will have no bearing on the game whatsoever.”

Whatever about Wexford being stronger than they were last season, Fitzhenry maintains that they have some very good hurlers in their team - ‘the same as any county’ and that they’ll be ‘giving it their best shot’.

He says Cork represent a ‘serious obstacle’ and anybody who would ‘run them down’ needs their head examined.

Fitzhenry says that Cork’s strength at half-back will have to be countered - and he will be doing his best to play his part in doing that.

“If we’re to get scores we’ll have to get the ball in past them.

“When I get that ball, I will be trying to get it as far down the field as I can.”