Dotsy expects tough test from Wexford

The Dublin hurlers may have had the edge on Wexford in their previous two meetings this season, but David 'Dotsy' O'Callaghan knows that Championship hurling often brings out the best in the men from the sunny South East.

Anthony Daly's Dubs beat Wexford 1-19 to 0-16 to win the Bord na Móna Walsh Cup back in February with O'Callaghan scoring 1-1 that day, while they also accounted for the Model men in Allianz League Division 1B the following month - serving up a 3-19 to 0-15 beating at Wexford Park.

The two wins give O'Callaghan and company a quiet confidence as they bid to make it a hat-trick in Saturday night's Leinster SHC quarter-final at Wexford Park (throw-in 7pm).

But the talented Dublin forward, who finished with 1-3 in that league game, is taking nothing for granted, warning that Wexford will be nowhere near as a poor as they were two-and-a-half months ago.

"Anytime I have ever played Wexford in the Championship, there has been very little between the teams," admitted O'Callaghan.

"I'm sure it is going to be another huge battle down there as well this weekend, but it's a challenge that we're all really looking forward to.

"Championship is on an entirely different level to the league and I'm sure Wexford will have worked hugely with our Championship match in mind and I would imagine they will have improved from earlier in the year."

Although Dublin succeeded in gaining promotion to Division 1A for next season, their lacklustre display in the subsequent league semi-final against Tipperary left many observers wondering what sort of mark they can make on this summer's Championship.

Under Daly, their best Championship campaign so far was two years ago when they were Leinster Championship runners-up and reached the All-Ireland semi-finals.

Whether they have the players to push for similar achievements this term remains to be seen, and they have drawn the short straw in being on Kilkenny's side of the draw in Leinster - the winners of Saturday's game will face the Cats or Offaly at the semi-final stage.

Rembering the 2007 and 2008 Championship losses to Wexford, O'Callaghan agrees that Dublin can ill-afford to look beyond Saturday's opener and is mindful of the hard work being put into the Wexford panel by manager Liam Dunne.

"We've won a couple and lost a couple by some tight margins over the years (against Wexford) and I doubt we'll see anything different at the weekend," he admitted.

"They've got a lot of good, young players coming through and Liam Dunne is obviously developing a bit of a squad down there so they're a team that has to be respected. We take each game on its merits. It's another day and we'll treat it that way."

The St. Mark's clubman said training 'really picked up' in the aftermath of that 4-20 to 0-17 hammering by Tipp in April, a result that the Dubs will be keen to put behind them when they take to the pitch on Saturday.

"We had done a lot of physical training going into that game and we had already achieved our primary objective of promotion so although we were slightly disappointed with the level of performance that day, ultimately the bigger picture was the opening round of the Championship and our training has reflected that.

"Maybe we weren't that fresh going into the game as a result of our hard work the previous week and you need a freshness of mind and that freshness for battle, and I think we'll certainly have that coming into the Championship.

"Lads have enjoyed going back to their clubs for the start of the Dublin Championship and nobody has been dwelling too much on what happened in Thurles. We're just looking forward to improving on that display, when we're back out again down in Wexford."

The 29-year-old was never too fussed with personal plaudits and as long as he can keep contributing, scoring and otherwise, O'Callaghan reckons he can have the right sort of influence in keeping Dublin on the winning trail and challenging for honours.

"When you're in the Dublin squad, you want to be playing to the best of your ability and you want to bring something to it and contribute as best you can. My own form has been reasonable but it is all about the panel and how we are playing as a unit," he continued.

"We have a good squad there now and I suppose lads come in and out of form at different stages and even now coming into the Championship.

"Some lads didn't play an awful lot during the league but they're really showing well now and that is going to give the management some selection headaches.

"From a personal point of view, I just want to try to contribute to the whole thing. There's a great buzz there and I get on really well with all the lads and the management.

"Whatever I can do for them, I'll try my best to contribute to what is hopefully a successful season."

* David O'Callaghan is backing 'Heaven Cent', a joint fundraising initiative for Our Lady's Children's Hospital, Crumlin and Temple Street Children's Hospital to raise €2 million to help fund their work treating sick children from all over Ireland.

'Do big things with your small change!' To donate, start collecting your coins, fill the special Heaven Cent bags, empty them in any of the collection points nationwide. To find your nearest drop off point or to donate online, visit www.heavencent.ie.