Lee Chin scratches his head at Wexford's near-misses

In attendance at the launch of Bord Gáis Energy’s continued sponsorship of the GAA All-Ireland Senior Hurling Championship is Bord Gáis Energy ambassador and hurling star Lee Chin of Wexford at Croke Park in Dublin. The announcement marks 17 years of Bord Gáis Energy’s involvement in inter-county hurling and celebrates the excitement, spirit and pride that make the championship and its fans so unique. Photo by Ramsey Cardy/Sportsfile

Lee Chin has acknowledged that Wexford are all too often a nearly team and that some of their near misses would leave you 'scratching your head'.

The Slaneysiders were left to rue yet another close call when they drew with Dublin in this season's National League, a result that cost them promotion to Division 1A.

They led by two points at the start of stoppage time against Dublin at Croke Park, were still one up after 74 minutes, before eventually being reeled in.

Dublin also picked Wexford's pockets in last year's Championship when a dubious decision around a goal from a penalty went their way, allowing them to secure a win that eliminated Wexford.

The previous year, Wexford lost to Antrim in the Leinster SHC and beat Galway - in the space of eight days. And in 2023, Wexford lost to Westmeath before beating Kilkenny the following weekend.

They'll begin their latest Leinster SHC campaign tomorrow evening against Kildare in Newbridge, hoping to avoid another 'if only' campaign.

"To be honest, that sounds like our storyline every year really," said Chin, who was speaking at an event to mark Bord Gáis Energy's continued sponsorship of the All-Ireland SHC.

"There's a lot of years where we've had games that we felt we should have won, or where you might have messed up in one game when you probably should have gotten over the line."

Beating Galway two years ago, after losing to Antrim, sticks out for the 33-year-old forward.

"It was my first time being beaten against Antrim in the Championship," he said. "Then a week or two later, you go to Wexford Park and you beat Galway. That was my first time beating Galway in the Championship as well. You're thinking, 'God, if you'd just gotten a result against Antrim'.

"I suppose you look back and reflect on some of the years and you're thinking, 'God, it just seems to be always one game that lets us down somewhere'. Other years, it's Kilkenny, or a Galway game. But just that year (2024), you beat Galway and you end up being beaten, I suppose, by a team that you would have gotten a result against over the years.

"It's moments like that that have you scratching your head. You would obviously be thinking of games like that, where if you'd gotten over the line there, you potentially could have ended up back in Leinster finals."

Chin, a late starter this year who only returned to the Wexford lineup for that Dublin game midway through the campaign, was one of 30 players to feature in the campaign.

Simon Roche, an U-20 last year, stepped up impressively, starting all six of their Division 1B games and returning a healthy 1-51. Chin is energised by what he sees when he looks around generally in the Wexford dressing-room.

"I think some of the new faces that are going to be seen in this year's Championship for Wexford are going to be a new calibre of player that's going to be involved," said Chin. "I'm excited to see what they're going to bring to the Championship."