Are Wexford peaking in February when they should be puking?

It may only be February but the Model County already look to be in peak condition, reckons Anthony Daly

I am in Clonmel at the Coursing last Saturday morning when I met a man and his wife from Wexford. He spotted me in Wexford Park at the Cork game the previous week and we started chatting away about the match.

“Ye’re flying it at the moment,” I said to them. “But I hope the old Clarecastle theory doesn’t apply to ye now.” “What’s that?” asked the lady. “That ye aren’t peaking,” says I, “when ye should be puking.”

She got a fit of laughing but then I reminded her of the point I often return to in this column — that’s there’s never a time when a Wexford, Clare, or Dublin cannot afford to be going well. “You’re right,” she said.

They’ll be in Thurles this evening, along with the hordes of Wexford supporters. In the past, you’d often have heard Wexford fans lament having to travel to games in Thurles, nearly crying about the awkwardness of the journey on bad roads. Now? If this game was on above in Malin Head in Donegal, they’d crawl on their hands and knees to be there.

With two wins from two, the Wexford crowd can trust this team now. They can go to Thurles fully confident of taking down Tipperary, a luxury Wexford never really had in the past. Tipp may have more firepower, and more finishers, but they’ll have to be at the top of their game, and keep going to the end, to get the better of this Wexford team.

I couldn’t get over the shape their players were in against Cork. Some of them are like machines. Looking at Shaun Murphy, I wouldn’t like to be alongside him doing Mike Mac’s hellish laps in Crusheen back in the day. You’d need a sleigh towed by a pack of husky dogs to keep up with him.

Murphy almost encapsulates Wexford at the moment; super-fit, sharp, relentless, tactically smart, well drilled, and well able to hurl. He plays the sweeper role to perfection but it’s not just that simple either where he is sitting back mopping up loose ball.

Before the Cork game, I deliberately took my place in the stand across from the Wexford half-back line. They have great structure but they have that telepathy too where if one player goes forward, another steps back as cover. It was a little awkward because Matthew O’Hanlon was matching up with Conor Lehane, and he wasn’t joining the attack like he did last year, but other defenders were getting forward when the chance presented itself.

Behind everyone then, Murphy was moving around like mercury on a table; sprinting out to the corners, cutting back inside, moving back to the centre again in case a Cork clearance came down the middle. It was incredible to watch.

There is a real settled look to Wexford’s team now, whereas Tipp are still trying to broaden their base. They still have a strong spine but a host of lads, especially young lads, have been given their chance.

A large part of being a manager is giving lads their head, and trusting your instincts then afterwards on what you initially see. Even from my own time, you get a feeling early that a fella is your type of player, that he’s the kind of fella who will do what you want him to do in the heat of championship. Despite what the public and media often think, you’re always willing to give those guys an extra couple of chances, especially in the league. And you can see that in Mick Ryan’s thinking to date.

Because Tipp may not be at full strength this evening, and are continuing with some experimentation, I fancy Wexford. Yet that’s not being dismissive of Wexford either because they are getting closer to becoming the real deal. If anyone is suited to Thurles, it’s Wexford, but there is also a new maturity from players like Paudie and Kevin Foley, Aidan Nolan and Liam Ryan. They really are getting to the stage where they’re saying, “We can really play at this level.” And that’s a lovely place to be.

Looking to Cusack Park tomorrow, Clare have done everything asked of them so far in this league. In fairness, I said from the outset that I wanted to see the team more settled, that it was time to bin the experimentation for a little while. Management have adopted that approach and there has been more stability. Yet with their Division 1A status now as good as secured, there’s no harm in trying two or three new fellas tomorrow. Most other teams have tried out new players and Clare have more of an opportunity now to do so.

In Clare, we have been slightly hung up on settling our goalkeeper and full-back line but I see no issue with leaving Donal Tuohy, Jack Browne, Conor Cleary, and Patrick O’Connor in those positions, and giving them as much time as possible to become comfortable with each other. But we don’t need to see the likes of Conor McGrath tomorrow. He may be off-colour and scratching around for form but I’d much prefer to see McGrath wrapped in cotton wool and then unleashed on Cork in May.

Do Clare need to be playing Tony Kelly either? I read some of the stuff Ger Loughnane came out with recently, having a go at Tony and Colm Galvin, in particular, about their workrate. Maybe Galvin needs a prod now and again but after playing a Fitzgibbon semi-final last Tuesday, and with the final to come next Saturday, Clare need to make sure TK is fresh for the summer. Ballyea’s run last year dulled Tony’s spark in the summer but Clare can’t afford a repeat of that again this year.

I fancy Clare but I don’t think the home supporters would be in any way critical of management if they don’t win tomorrow.

John Meyler doesn’t have that same pass after the performance against Wexford but Meyler’s priority for the remainder of this campaign is to settle on his defence. We know what their forwards can do, especially in the summer, but Meyler has to find out if some of his defenders are still up to it at this level.

Tim O’Mahoney was really good against Kilkenny but the last day was a hard learning day. The league is all about those lessons but it’s a big order trying to settle a number six with a guy who has played a lot of his hurling as a forward.

Although the Tipperary game was mostly about trying out new players up front, I’m still sure Derek McGrath and Waterford drew a line in the sand after that defeat. Derek doesn’t seem too hung up on the league and, while there is always a hangover after losing an All-Ireland, winning games again is always a good endorphin when you’re looking for a lift.

With both teams pointless, tomorrow in Walsh Park, it could be an unmerciful scrap but maybe that’s the kind of battle Waterford need to get them up and running again.

On the other hand, Walsh Park may suit Kilkenny more than the home side, and with the way Kilkenny are battling at the minute, I fancy them to secure a result.

With their two county champions already in an eagerly-awaited All-Ireland club final, Limerick-Dublin is an intriguing clash in the Gaelic Grounds tonight, especially given what’s at stake for Limerick.

Promotion is a long-shot for Dublin after the Offaly defeat but Limerick can’t afford to slip up here if they are to set up what is looking like a winner-takes-all clash with Galway at Pearse Stadium in Round 5.

Limerick are far more advanced than Dublin at the moment. Try telling that to Conal Keaney. I wouldn’t risk it but if Limerick want to maintain their momentum, which is even more impressive being down so many Na Piarsaigh players, they need to keep winning before they square up to the All-Ireland champions.