Wexford suffering identity crisis

HOW about this for an explanation of the poor record of Wexford in the All-Ireland championship. They suffer from an identity crisis!

The footballers have been making steady progress in recent years, but there’s no doubt it’s not a level playing field in terms of competing with Kilkenny in hurling. This is reflected in the alarming lack of success at under-age level and proven through the huge involvement of players in both games at club level.

If proof were needed, it was supplied at the recent fun day organised by the county board when the two senior teams to carry the colours in Croke Park on Sunday played each other.

One half was in football, the other half with the small ball.

According to county secretary and senior hurling coach Mick Kinsella, it showed that every one of them ‘can play’ the two games. “We can’t make up our minds whether we’re a football county or a hurling county. But, our neighbours (Kilkenny) have no problem making their minds up. In GAA terms they’re unique. What county would have their football championship done and dusted at this stage?”

So, what is officialdom doing about it? In short, Kinsella says that the county board is fighting back, with the help of State funds. Already, they have hurling squads in place at under-age level for the last few years. And, they are headed by former stars like Liam Dunne, Billy Byrne and Tom Dempsey — all links with the last All-Ireland-winning team of ten years ago — and supported by others with a high profile.

The next step will involve the implementation of an initiative supported by funds from the €1.3m grant-aided by the Government last year to propagate hurling and ensure its survival.

The first step will entail the appointment of a full-time administrator, who will have two GPO’s (Gaelic promotion officers) assigned to him.

“Allied to that, during the summer we’re going to have six to eight part-timers, high profile guys who are interested in coaching and who have a coaching background,” added Kinsella. “They will be visiting the clubs at least six times a month, doing a hold-your-hands job with the coaches from under-10 up to adult grades, but particularly at the under-age level.”Special attention will be paid to the primary schools, with a change of emphasis that will see local clubs giving the lead, rather than the other way round. The board will be looking for a maximum of 20 clubs to come on board and the mission statement will be to put more emphasis on hurling.

“It’s going to be difficult enough to get that across, to get the clubs to put less emphasis on football, but that’s our aim.”

Whatever about highlighting the Kilkenny situation, Kinsella agrees that Wexford are not very different to counties like Limerick, Clare and Tipperary. And, having lived in Waterford for 20 years, he knows at club level players divide their loyalties between the two codes.

“Everybody plays football and everybody plays hurling. People may feel that there is a ‘division’ in Waterford, but there really isn’t. There is a perceived division in Wexford, yet, where South Wexford has more football clubs, almost everyone who plays football also plays hurling.”

Responding to the general air of apathy about the hurlers’ prospects against Kilkenny in Sunday’s Leinster final, Kinsella points to the poor underage record. Obviously, the defeat of their minors by Carlow raised a lot of eyebrows, but he says that was ‘no shame’. Carlow proved how much the game has come on by beating Offaly in the semi-final at the weekend.

Away from all of that, he takes solace in the belief that their seniors ‘always come up trumps’. And, it’s not as if they ever need an incentive when playing Kilkenny.

“Last year, we stayed with them for 40 minutes. After that, we were caught on the hop. I don’t know if we ran out of steam or did they move up a gear or two, but our marking was a bit slack for a while. I remember on two occasions Richie Power drifted over to the other side and put over scores which were body blows for Wexford at the time.

“Kilkenny always have the upper hand as regards finesse, skill and craft. It means we have to work extra hard in order to stay with them. And, we have to come up with a new plan this year which is hard to do. Hurling is really a simple game. In the end, it comes down to whoever has the most hunger.”

Without suggesting that Wexford will be lacking in this regard, he recognises that Brian Cody’s team is on a mission of atonement.

“They are really stung from last year,” he said. “They have nothing else on their mind other than going the whole way. The Leinster championship means a lot to them, but it’s the McCarthy Cup they are looking for.”