Clubs gearing up for return
Speedier re-start a huge boost for players and mentors
CLUB FIELDS all over the county will come alive once again from tomorrow (Wednesday) with the welcome return of adult training.
And with challenge games permitted from next Monday, and the re-structured championship draws made yesterday (see front page), it’s a case of full steam ahead after more than three months of frustration and uncertainty.
Thirteen weeks ago, shortly after the start of lockdown, I contacted every adult club with a few simple questions.
I was hoping to use the information for a series of extended features, but that plan was abandoned when considerably more than half didn’t reply.
However, now that we can see light at the end of the tunnel, here’s a compilation of the club information that was supplied to me in March.
ADAMSTOWN: Dessie Doyle (manager) and Aidan O’Brien (trainer) are at the helm with the Intermediate hurling and Intermediate ‘A’ football squads, while David Lawlor and Jake Doyle are selectors.
Promising youngster Seánie O’Neill has spent lockdown recovering from a cruciate knee ligament injury.
ASKAMORE-KILRUSH: Manager/ trainer Colm O’Byrne is assisted by selectors Ger Kinsella and Alan Sunderland.
One of their main graduates to the adult grades is Tom ‘Tucker’ Kinsella, who was on the Wexford Minor hurling panel last year, while they’re also hoping that the successful Under-20 hurling team from 2019 continues to progress.
Apart from a couple of long-term injuries, their core squad remains largely unchanged.
BALLYGARRETT-REALT NA MARA: No difference on the managerial front after a very successful 2019, with Dublin native John Nolan joined by selectors Seamus Kennelly, John Sinnott, Diarmuid Dunbar and Murt Kavanagh.
They have taken on a collective role in training the team, and the full panel from last year’s county Intermediate ‘A’ hurling final will be available again.
BLACKWATER: James Donoghue is probably one of the youngest managers in the country, but he has gained plenty of experience with the D.C.U. backroom team for the Fitzgibbon Cup in recent years.
A current Games Development Administrator in Wexford, James is joined on the sidelines by Declan Byrne, R.J. Blake and Joe Cullen, while Ger Corrigan will manage the Junior ‘B’ squad.
A host of Minors from last year – Kealan Fikentscher, Adam Murphy, Josh Culleton, Ben Cullen, James Cullen, Conor Byrne, Johnny O’Toole, Bryan Mooney and Ross Berry – are looking forward to their first season as adult players.
At the opposite end of that particular spectrum, Lar Lacey is still training and is now into his 26th season since making his first adult appearance for the club in 1995.
BUFFERS ALLEY: The Intermediate hurling management team have added former 1980s stalwart Pat Leacy to their line-up for 2020 as a selector.
Colm Morris continues as manager, with Fintan Farrell and Johnny Dempsey remaining in situ.
Galway native Anthony Kelly has assumed the Junior ‘A’ reins and has added Will Walsh and Paudie Reidy to his backroom team, while Colm Hearne remains as Junior ‘B’ boss, assisted by Theo Butler.
Shane Grannell has taken over as Under-20 manager in both codes and is assisted by former player Mick Farrell and current adult squad members Darren O’Brien and John O’Sullivan.
David Maleady, Oisín McNulty and Cian O’Connor have moved up from the Minor grade, while New Ross native John Donovan is a new arrival to the club from Ballinteer St. John’s in Dublin. Daryl O’Connor has transferred to Crossabeg-Ballymurn.
CLOUGHBAWN: Tommy Roche is in charge of the Senior hurling team on their return to the top flight, with Paul Flood and Aidan Kielthy serving as selectors.
Last year’s Minors making the step up are Shane Kehoe, Paddy Whitty and Ryan Muphy.
The Junior ‘A’ hurling mentors are Eoin Doyle (manager), Barry Carton, Martin Kehoe and James O’Neill, while Patsy Kavanagh (manager), Leslie Monahan and Eamon Buckley are at the helm with the Junior ‘B’ squad.
John Fleming (manager) and Brendan Casserly are in charge of the Under-20 hurling squad, with Colm Kehoe (manager), Gavin Murphy and David Doyle-Murphy looking after the footballers.
CRAANFORD: Former Wicklow dual star Leighton Glynn is manager and coach, aided by selectors Jimmy Whitty, Padge Doyle and Kevin Byrne.
Joe Conroy, corner-back on the Leinster-winning Wexford Minor team, is one of six graduates to the adult grade along with Pat Doyle, Aodhán Whitty, Aidan Kavanagh, Pat Kavanagh and Pádraig Tobin.
DUFFRY ROVERS: Long-time player
Matthew Flynn-O’Connor is in charge of the Intermediate ‘A’ hurling squad, while the man who captained the club to their famous seven-in-a-row, John Casey, is managing the footballers.
FERNS ST. AIDAN’S: Joe Morris is managing the Senior hurlers, with the training in the capable hands of Waterford man Pat Bennett.
Pádraig Bailey and Niall Maguire are selectors, with Paddy Rossiter and Eddie Jackman in charge of strength and conditioning.
A big addition to their squad is last year’s county Under-20 attacker Diarmuid Doyle, who has joined from Marshalstown-Castledockrell.
Pa Byrne (manager) and Paul Murphy are looking after the Junior hurlers, while Intermediate football boss Kevin Morris is supported by Fergal Mulhall and John Tonks. The Junior ‘B’ football manager is Patrick Breen.
HORESWOOD: Hurling manager and trainer Roger Ennis is joined by selectors Michael Duffin, Stephen O’Connor and John Kehoe.
On the Senior football front, manager/trainer Leigh O’Brien has support from three of his former team-mates in Pádraig Kehoe, Thomas Howlin and Paddy Murphy.
Meath man Gary Reilly should be an addition to the club in both codes, while Joe O’Sullivan and Jason Murphy are among the most promising youngsters breaking through to adult level.
It is also hoped that Danny Byrne will be back after a long lay-off due to injury.
KILANERIN: There’s no change at the helm in Kilanerin, with Pat Forde managing both the Senior and Intermediate ‘A’ football teams, assisted by William Murphy.
KILMORE: The Intermediate ‘A’ football and Junior ‘A’ hurling teams are being looked after by the same set of mentors, namely manager/coach Mark Roche, and selectors Johnny Berry and Kevin Keating.
They are working with the same panel in both codes as in previous years, and the unexpected lengthy time off has given Conor Moore (broken leg) and Stevie Cousins (broken wrist) time to recover from operations.
NAOMH EANNA: Senior hurling trainer Willie Cleary is once again working with selectors Louis Cullen, Pat Doyle, Pádraig Cronin and Willie Cleary.
Cian Molloy and Cian Browne – both county Minors last year – have graduated from Under-17, and Robbie Hayes has transferred in from James Stephens in Kilkenny.
The trio of Cronin (trainer), Doyle and Cullen will also take charge of the Intermediate footballers, with Kevin Budeanu another to make the step up from Minor to join this squad.
Niall Kirwan, Michael Bernie and Darren Kelly are the Junior ‘A’ hurling selectors, with Kevin Morris and Joe Comerford looking after the Junior footballers.
OULART-THE BALLAGH: Liam Dunne (manager), Alan O’Connor and Jimmy Prendergast are the Senior hurling mentors, with Murtha Doyle making a welcome return from injury.
A lot of young new faces are in the shake-up, including Darragh Hayes, Billy Dunne (The Ballagh), Darryl Gray, Adam McRedmond, Jack Roche and Jim Finn.
Paul Dempsey is the Intermediate ‘A’ boss, with support from Mark Rossiter and Brian Martin, while Rosslare native Paul Hayes is managing the Junior ‘A’ squad and has Dermot Byrne, Damien Harris, Jason Quigley and Henry Quigley as his selectors.
OUR LADY’S ISLAND: The Intermediate ‘A’ hurling manager is Keith Rooney, and he has Liam Kinsella, Fran Corish and Paddy Whitty as his selectors.
After a triumphant year in football, Eamonn Devereux remains at the helm and is joined once more by Donal Mullins, Ger Flood and Kevin Kehoe.
Michael O’Connor is a new addition on the playing front from HWH-Bunclody.
OYLEGATE-GLENBRIEN: The club has looked to a neighbouring parish for assistance in the quest to make an immediate return from Intermediate to Senior hurling.
Oulart-The Ballagh pair Stephen Doyle and Colin Sunderland are joint managers, while clubman Eoin O’Mahoney is a selector.
The Junior ‘A’ hurlers will be jointly managed by Seán Quirke and Tony Moulton, with Keith Whelan and Seamus Heffernan joining them as selectors.
Seamus is also in charge of the Junior ‘B’ hurlers, supported by Micheál Doyle, while Eamonn Mernagh is the Junior football boss.
Off the playing pitch, club officials have been working tirelessly to develop facilities at their grounds.
A development lotto syndicate was launched in April of 2018 with a view to providing a walking track, installing safety fencing around the pitches, purchasing an electronic scoreboard, and installing an astro surface at the hurling wall.
The walking track has been completed and officers have applied for Leader funding to fully light it, as it has proved a great asset to all in the parish.
They were granted sports capital funding for the safety fencing and installed it recently. The support received for the draw from the club’s parents, players and the wider community is allowing all this work to happen.
Year three of the draw was to start in April but, due to Covid-19 and the current uncertain financial times for so many, the committee decided to defer it for a couple of months.
Officials are fully committed to getting the astro training surface done in the coming year so that all of their players from Under-6 to adult can enjoy the benefits.
RATHGAROGUE-CUSHINSTOWN: There’s no surprise that James Bolger is still on board as football manager after that memorable run to the All-Ireland Junior club final.
He will have to plan without one of his goalkeepers, Jonathan Kelly, who has transferred to Kilmacud Crokes.
Ger Cody is at the helm with the Intermediate hurlers, while Tommy Young is in charge of the second string teams in both codes.
ST. JOSEPH’S: In an interesting move, Franny Byrne is no longer involved with Crossabeg-Ballymurn. Instead he is the new coach of the Bishopswater men, with Kevin Sheil and David ‘Nobby’ Tormey completing the management team.
Aaron Kinsella has joined the club from Volunteers, while the players stepping up from last year’s Minor team are Cian Carty, Mark Shortall, Josh Kavanagh, Dylan Fox, Eoin Kinsella, Ethan Molloy, Kyle Turner and Chris Curran.
This group will join Gary Roche, Ciarán Paige, another Eoin Kinsella, Warren O’Connor, Gloudie Makiese and Darragh Howell, all of whom have their first year of adult football already under their belts after being blooded in 2019.
Seamus King and Gary Byrne are returning after not being involved last year. On the negative side, Jason Murphy has retired and his experience will be sorely missed.
The club will have a big emphasis on youth, but will also be relying on more seasoned campaigners such as Paddy Harnett, Paddy King, Paul Murphy, Andy Moore, Decky Downes, Dean Roche and Lee Wadding.
The Junior ‘B’ team will be managed by Barry Walsh, Paddy King, Ger Kearney and Marshall Brennan, while Dylan Walsh, Keith Morrissey and Robin Dempsey have all transferred to Volunteers.
TAGHMON-CAMROSS: Martin Storey is the Intermediate hurling manager, and last year’s selectors – Tom O’Gorman, Denis Nolan, Pat O’Callaghan and Garvan Kelly – are still in place.
The Intermediate footballers will be trained by Stephen Power from neighbouring Bannow-Ballymitty, and he will be supported by Mick Carty and Derek O’Hanlon.
Seamie McLoughlin is welcomed back to the Intermediate football panel, while Ian Carty will be a huge addition to both codes after his long injury break.
Adam Sinnott, Cormac McGrath and David Kelly are among those stepping up from the Minor grade, although Shane Doyle may not feature this season for work-related reasons.
GOREY DISTRICT: Michael Maguire, Gorey District Secretary, has asked all clubs to inform him if they wish to enter teams in the Junior ‘B’ hurling and football championships before Wednesday, July 1.