Park primed to host two big ties
WEXFORD COUNTY Board received the good news it was hoping for last week when it was confirmed that Innovate Wexford Park will host two major Leinster championship encounters in 2017, provided our Senior team clear their respective first hurdles.
The hurling side managed by Davy Fitzgerald will take on titleholders Kilkenny at the main county ground on either Saturday or Sunday, June 10 or 11, if they can first overcome one of the round robin qualifiers (Meath, Kerry, Laois or Westmeath) on Saturday or Sunday, May 27 or 28.
Wexford will be away for that quarter-final game, unless Kerry are supplying the oppo- sition. If that is the case, the Kingdom will be obliged to nominate a Leinster venue.
Meanwhile, Seamus McEnaney and his football team will first be travelling to Netwatch Cullen Park on Sunday, May 21, to meet Carlow in the first round.
And if they win, they couldn’t have wished for a more appetising prize as it would mean that All-Ireland champions Dublin would be visiting Innovate Wexford Park on Saturday or Sunday, June 3 or 4.
O’Byrne Cup: versus Dublin, D.C.U. and U.C.D., games on January 8, 11 and 15.
Walsh Cup: versus Dublin, Carlow and U.C.D., games on January 8, 15 and 22.
Intermediate hurling: Wexford in final against Galway (venue: Portlaoise) or Kilkenny (venue: Nowlan Park).
Junior football: Meath in semi-final.
Under-21 hurling: Wexford home to Offaly in quarter-final, winners away to Kildare or Carlow.
Under-21 football: Wexford away to Carlow in first round, winners home to Offaly in quarter-final.
Minor and Under-17 hurling: Wexford and Dublin in tier one, awaiting outcome of first tier two games (Kilkenny v. Westmeath and Laois v. Offaly).
Minor and Under-17 football: Wexford home to Offaly in first round, with the winners through to the quarter-finals and losers into the qualifiers. Wexford away to Kildare or