Wexford gearing up for the Oscars

Slaneysiders face AUL in opener

WEXFORD’S preparations for this year’s Oscar Traynor Trophy competition have begun in earnest in the last few weeks with 38 players from around the county making themselves available for selection.

The new management team are putting in a big effort to widen the net for players wishing to get into the match-day squads for the campaign.

John Godkin has come back in as manager with assistant Colm Murphy (Campile) also on board, and both were part of the historic 2010 winning campaign.

Denny Carthy is head coach with Bryan Mullett (New Ross Celtic) and Anthony Russell (Moyne Rangers) joining the coaching set-up.

John Waters is the new goalkeeping coach and there are a number of other people going to games on a weekly basis assessing players’ performances.

A squad of 18 was selected last week to play a friendly in Kilkenny and more than ten players made their inter-county debuts. Another 18-man selection will play this Wednesday night versus Carlow with a number of newcomers to make their debuts also.

Last week’s selection won 2-1 in a keenly-contested encounter and John Staples from Corach Ramblers scored both goals.

A lot of players did very well and it’s important to keep the competition for places healthy as it will be a tough group to come out of.

Wexford play the A.U.L. League away in the first game on Saturday, November 19, and this league has won three of the last four competitions.

Wexford then have two home games, versus the Defence Forces and the United Churches League (U.C.L.).

The Defence Forces beat U.C.L. on Saturday 3-1 in an impressive display.

The squad versus Kilkenny was as follows: Daryl Walsh (New Ross Celtic), Dylan Cloke (Enniscorthy United), Dale Flynn (Campile), Craig Foster (Gorey Celtic), Deckie Downes (North End), Patrick O’Shea (Moyne Rangers), Kyle Dempsey (North End), Robin Dempsey (North End), Páidí Cullen (Cloughbawn), John Staples (Corach Ramblers), James Peare (Moyne Rangers), Aaron Kehoe (Rosslare Rangers), Darren Naughton (Kilmore), Ian White (Adamstown), Craig Travers (Gorey Celtic), Conor Hickey (Adamstown), Alan Rhodes (New Ross Celtic), Gary Byrne (North End), Davy Lyttleton (Wexford Bohs).

After Wednesday’s game against Carlow the squad for the A.U.L. match will be announced, but the hope is to blood in new players in the coming months.