AN OFFALY TOUGH TEST
Chin and Breen set to return for hurlers in must-win tie
WEXFORD HAVE become accustomed to fielding understrength sides, but they will still be hoping to turn up the heat on Offaly when they clash in their All-Ireland Senior hurling first round qualifier at Innovate Wexford Park on Saturday (3.30 p.m.).
Manager Liam Dunne and his backroom team will have limited positives when they sit down to select their side given the protracted injury crisis in the camp.
Ruled out of contention are Liam Ryan (broken thumb), Shane Tomkins (cruciate knee ligament injury), Andrew Shore (cruciate knee ligament injury) and Shaun Murphy (shoulder), while Aidan Nolan is battling a continuing knee problem in the hope of being passed fit for the game.
However, one of the few positives emerging from the camp is that Lee Chin has fully recovered from his knee ligament problem which forced him out of the Dublin game, and he will be fully fit to take his place in the side.
Also back to full fitness having also missed the Dublin outing is corner-back James Breen, fully recovered from a hamstring strain, while Conor McDonald’s knee problem has also cleared up, making him available for selection in attack.
Right now Wexford are wary of the Offaly challenge and a possible upset, but still manager Liam Dunne is upbeat as to his side’s chances of atoning for the league defeat at the hands of their opponents, and making their way into the second round draw.
‘We are given a chance to redeem ourselves but we are still in no position to underestimate Offaly. They came to Wexford Park and beat us in the league. Following their championship setback they are rejuvenated and will be mighty difficult,’ he said.
‘Still we will be looking at this game as one we can win. We’ve our injury problems but this has been offset somewhat by returning players.
‘When we met in the league we had a positive start with two early goals but then lost our way. We all know what happened so the players are determined to atone for that defeat.
‘We are looking forward to the challenge that lies ahead,’ added Dunne who will not announce his side until mid-week.
It is also the moment of truth for the county’s Minor hurlers who play Dublin in the Leinster final in Croke Park on Sunday (2 p.m.).
According to Wexford manager Eamonn Scallan, Dublin will be the warmest of favourites going into the game based on their recovery from the Wexford defeat in the group stages, as they followed up with a subsequent semi-final vic- tory over Kilkenny after extra-time.
‘Dublin will have a gameplan, and we will have our own plan, that’s the way it is now at inter-county level,’ said Scallan who is confident of a huge display from his charges.
Tomorrow (Wednesday) at 7.30 p.m., Wexford will be hoping to get the hurling week off to a winning start when they travel to Portlaoise for their Leinster Intermediate semi-final clash with Galway.
When these sides met last year at the same venue, the westerners emerged with a comfortable victory. They will once again be favourites going into this game.