‘AS TOUGH AS IT GETS’
Hurlers have it all to do against All-Ireland champions
WEXFORD FANS must be in dreamland, but manager Davy Fitzgerald has warned his side still has some way to go.
This message serves as a timely reminder ahead of the county’s Allianz Hurling League semi-final clash with reigning All-Ireland champions, Tipperary, in Nowlan Park, Kilkenny, on Sunday (4 p.m.).
Wexford have a one hundred per cent record going into the game, one of just two counties, along with Meath, with such a record.
Few would have predicted that back in January, as Fitzgerald set out on his first season in charge. Wexford secured their promotion with opening game victories over both Limerick and Galway, who meet in the other semi-final, which is something that looked beyond them as they set out on the league campaign.
Not many expected them to get another victory, but the manner in which they destroyed arch-rivals Kilkenny in the quarter-final set them up for a tilt at the Premier county who, as All-Ireland champions and on current form, are the ‘form team’ in the eyes of Fitzgerald.
The manager says Wexford must be ready for the biggest challenge of their season so far.
‘Tipperary will present a totally different challenge. This is a massive step up for us, but most importantly, we must try to be as competitive as possible. This is as tough as it gets,’ Fitzgerald claimed.
No doubt Wexford will find it a bit worrying going into such a game as Tipperary are a fantastic team.
However, the Model county are well prepared, physically and mentally, with their hurling skills and team tactics developing with each game as shown against Kilkenny, so they will be ready to meet whatever challenge is thrown at them.
‘They are a fantastic team, the in-form team at the moment. They have six to eight forwards who can score, but then Kilkenny had them as well, Hogan, Reid and the rest, and we coped.
‘This is one of the best Tipperary teams I have seen. That’s the challenge being presented but we will be prepared for it,’ Fitzgerald added.
‘Tipperary are a fantastic team, an attacking team with brilliant players. But make no mistake about it, they have a hard edge about them and a seriously hard edge. They have shown their abilities in winning the All-Ireland and in the current league campaign. So that is the challenge being presented to us. ‘
But Fitzgerald believes Wexford will respond to the challenge.
‘Every time we play this year presents its own challenge. Hope- fully we can keep narrowing the gap with those at the top. We have beaten Limerick, Galway and Kilkenny.
‘A lot of that is belief and confidence, the team playing to a plan and finishing out games even when they had looked lost earlier. We were down against both Limerick and Galway, came back and won, while we set the tone against Kilkenny and won. Hopefully we can keep narrowing the gap.
‘It will be a different challenge but Nowlan Park is a great hurling ground and we love playing there. The day you beat Tipperary you’ll know we have arrived. This is a massive step up for us but we will give it one mighty challenge,’ he added.
Apart from the long term injuries, Fitzgerald has no other concerns as he winds down preparations this week, before taking his team to what will be a packed cauldron of Nowlan Park.
It’s also a big weekend for both county Minor teams who commence their Leinster champi- onship campaigns, although the back door format means neither are involved in straight knockout games.
Quite incredibly, the hurlers are being asked to travel to Nowlan Park on Saturday at 3 p.m. to face Kilkenny, prompting the obvious question from fans: why can’t that match be the curtain-raiser to Sunday’s league semi-final?
There’s a Bank Holiday Monday setting for the Minor footballers who will face Offaly in Bellefield at 3 p.m.