Pain fuels Wexford

LEINSTER SHC SEMI-FINAL:

The visitors may be returning to the scene of where Ger Loughnane coined that infamous phrase about their hurling in that drawn game, but it was Wexford who ended up with the shortest of straws.

Former defender Stamp, pictured above, is certain of a Wexford victory. He says Dublin are travelling in “fear” and lists the number of perceived grievances against his county last year: Mark Schutte dropping his hurley in setting up Eamonn Dillon’s goal in the drawn game; Croke Park officials’ admonishment of Liam Dunne for his dummy team and wearing the maor foirne bib to enter the field; The Sunday Game’s remarks about the behaviour of Dunne’s side in the replay; the treatment of Tomás Waters by the referee in the qualifier against Clare.

Stamps knows the players are sick of the moral victories in bringing the All-Ireland and Leinster champions to extra-time and a replay respectively last year. But he wishes they don’t forget just how he feels the team and management were discriminated against in 2013.

“I’m expecting Wexford to win,” he states. “Last year it was hope but this year is different. Dublin are missing one or two players, their best forward in Danny Sutcliffe. There’s a fear in this Dublin team coming down to Wexford Park. I’ve hear they’ve another few lads with other problems such as hamstrings too.

“I can tell you they’ll be tested quickly on the big pitch in Wexford Park. Wexford have a lot to get them going from what happened last year and I hope it sticks in the minds of all the players.”

Stamp can vividly remember Diarmuid Kirwan’s decision not to penalise Schutte last June. The resultant goal put Dublin into an unlikely lead before Jack Guiney secured a second bite of the cherry. “It was obvious that it should have been a free out.”

He’s not filled with hope about the officiating this evening as he describes some of the inter-county officiating he’s seen of late as “atrocious”. He adds: “Nobody seems to know what the rules are.”

He shakes his head at the memory of his Oulart-The Ballagh club-mate Dunne drawing the ire of Croke Park for not wearing the bainisteoir’s bib. “Who gives a shit what you wear on the line?”

But what especially grated Stamp was how Wexford were depicted by Michael Duignan on RTÉ as a team whose wild hurling had Dublin cowering in the replay in Parnell Park.

“It was bullshit. He’s a great one to talk about a dirty strike. I remember an All-Ireland final. People shouldn’t be throwing stones at glass houses. I thought it was scandalous.”

Then there was the issue of referee Kirwan playing on as a seriously injured Waters lay on the ground while Clare stuck over a couple of points. The same player, now back in the panel after serious rehab work after a cruciate injury that required five operations, was also refused water by the match official.

Wexford haven’t beaten Dublin in the last two outings, the last win coming in the 2008 Leinster semi-final replay. The form guide turned on them with the 2009 semi-final defeat but Stamp never lost any of his confidence facing Dublin.

“I always expected to beat Dublin even after 2009. They have lads who have come around and won league and Leinster finals but now Wexford have upped it. We’ve been down for a long time but we’re coming and hurling needs us.”

At this rate, it won’t be any surprise if Dunne brings in Stamp for a pre-match pep talk. But he’s sincere when he forecasts a home win.

“If Wexford go in ahead at half-time there’s no way Dublin will beat them.”