TIME TO BOUNCE BACK
Four county teams have the chance to lift air of gloom
IT’S ANOTHER big week for Wexford with four inter-county teams bidding for success in their respective championship outings.
Following the disappointment of the Leinster Senior hurling final defeat to Galway, Wexford will begin the task of raising morale in the county as early as this evening (Tuesday) when they entertain Louth in the provincial Minor football championship semi-final at Innovate Wexford Park (7.30 p.m.).
Having lost their opening round game to Offaly, the Model county boys bounced back with an impressive victory over Wicklow. Now they face a hotly-fancied Louth outfit in what should be an exciting semi-final clash on home soil.
Wexford will be short of the services of corner-back Adam Hogan (holidays) from the starting 15 that saw off Wicklow, but manager John Nolan is confident that captain and full-forward Mick Molloy will overcome a knee problem to take his place.
The boss is of the belief that it could very well come down to the outcome of the midfield duel, and he’s confident that his pairing of the Wexford town partnership, David Gouldson (Sarsfields) and Brian Deeny (Volunteers), can swing it his sides way.
On Wednesday evening, Wexford will be bidding to regain their provincial Under-21 hurling crown when they travel to Nowlan Park to take on arch-rivals, Kilkenny.
Having last held the title in 2015, as part of their three-in-a-row, Wexford relinquished their crown last year to Dublin, who lost out to Wednesday evening’s opponents in the quarter-final.
Wexford will once again be without their influential half-back, Damien Reck.
The Oylegate-Glenbrien clubman is still recovering from an ankle ligament injury which will keep him out of the game for another four weeks.
Wexford will need a lot going their way to lift the title at the expense of Kilkenny on home soil, as the black and amber crew under former star attacker, Eddie Brennan, have been widely expected to take the provincial title.
It’s back to football on Thursday evening, with the Under-17 side travelling to Aughrim to take on the home side in the qualifiers, having lost their opening round fixture to Offaly on a 2-12 to 0-10 scoreline.
The qualifiers is not a nice place to be but that’s the fate of both Wexford and Monaghan Senior footballers who face off in their phase two round game at Innovate Wexford Park on Saturday afternoon (3 p.m.).
As Wexford manager Seamus McEnaney comes up against his native county, he must do so without the services of influen- tial midfielder, Colm Kehoe, still struggling with a hamstring injury received during the opening round defeat to Carlow.
Given the strength of Monaghan, along with their high expectations despite defeat to Down in the Ulster championship, they will start favourites, but Wex- ford are capable of causing an upset and have done so before in the qualifiers.
Meanwhile, best of luck to inter-county hurler Liam Og McGovern who undergoes his second cruciate knee ligament operation in the space of twelve months this morning (Tuesday).