Davy will have his focus trained on a decent league run

WITH WEXFORD lifting the Walsh Cup in O’Moore Park on Saturday, it should serve as the perfect antidote to wash away the January blues and set them up for the Allianz Hurling League opener this weekend.

After a month of warm-up games, the real action for both hurling and football sides will begin this weekend, with both sides on the road.

The hurlers are returning to Portlaoise to take on the home side, while the footballers will make the long journey north for a daunting opening round fixture with Antrim.

While one should not look too deeply into those January games, given that counties were so depleted, Wexford still set out their stall, particularly with that late surge against Galway to hand them the minimum margin of victory.

The lifting of further silverware helped Wexford to strike a fine balance between experimenting and winning, something that must have pleased manager Davy Fitzgerald.

The absence of injured players Lee Chin and Matthew O’Hanlon, along with the travelling Diarmuid O’Keeffe, will certainly weaken the Wexford challenge, but against both Kilkenny and Galway, many players stepped up to take their opportunity, which should be a help in what will be a difficult game against an ever-improving Laois side.

While the schedule has not been the kindest to Wexford, with that difficult opening game followed by a home game against Clare, they will still be targeting a victory to lay down an early marker for the league.

While the league is often painted as an irrelevance, in recent seasons counties have adopted an entirely different approach.

They see the league as ideal championship preparation, with sides that enjoy an extended run always figuring in the knockout stages of the championship.

Wexford did not enjoy the league campaign last term, leaving one unsure of the strategy being adopted by Davy Fitzgerald this time around.

Still, given the level of fitness of the side, one can be sure that he has his sights set on an extended league run, as he will regard it as the ideal opportunity to see how players seeking a starting position fare in the heat of battle.

The Walsh Cup provided us with an appetiser and is the surest indicator we have so far of the side’s intentions.

While supporters’ expectations may be high, Wexford’s season effectively begins with the league opener against Laois, and it’s the most important game so far for Fitzgerald.

At a minimum, Wexford need two points from this opening game but it will not be easy. Laois are returning following that fine All-Ireland quarter-final showing against Tipperary, so they will be determined to make life difficult for a Wexford side they will not fear.

It’s harder than usual to judge Wexford this time around given the absence of key players, but one thing for certain is that Fitzgerald will have his side prepared for the expected Laois challenge.

Wexford cannot afford to lose as it would lead to a struggle in the remaining games.

A fine spring and extended league run would be welcome, but this will be a difficult opener.

Having had a glimpse of the Wexford Senior footballers in two of their O’Byrne Cup games, it has not been the easiest introduction to Paul Galvin for his inter-county management career.

The next few months will be a true test for Wexford football given the happenings of recent weeks, with player defections coupled with the management decision to build a side from a youthful foundation.

Losing the three O’Byrne Cup games will not have given the players confidence, coming on the back of a dreadful 2019 league and championship campaign, so the long journey to Antrim is not one to look forward to with any degree of optimism.

It’s a new season, but with the same old arguments regarding progress in football or, rather, the lack of it.

One will need the wagons to circle around the big ball game in the county, because Galvin is desperately in need of support, if for nothing else to deliver results to suggest that the game can once again be resurrected in the county.

But it’s going to be extremely difficult.