‘We would never cross over football,’ Davy says
WEXFORD HURLING manager Davy Fitzgerald said he has ‘too much respect’ for Paul Galvin to even consider taking players from the football panel, and stressed that Michael Furlong and Kevin O’Grady were at a loose end before coming into his squad.
The Adamstown and St. James’ clubmen have linked up with Fitzgerald after leaving the county’s football panel last month.
The pair were involved in Wexford’s Walsh Cup semi-final victory over Kilkenny on Sunday.
Furlong played 59 minutes in the right full-back position, while O’Grady was introduced during the closing five minutes plus added time.
‘I don’t think they are doing anything at the moment as far as I know,’ said Fitzgerald after the game.
‘We’d never cross over football. I have too much respect for Paul and his team. It’s just the lads were at nothing, we were down a lot of boys, I’m delighted to have them.
‘Michael and Kevin have come in and they’ve worked really hard. They’re on the panel and it’s up to them to see where they go.’
While Wexford finished very strongly to see off the Cats by 2-18 to 1-9 and set up a final clash with Galway, Fitzgerald was quick to play down the significance of the result, as Wexford look to ramp up preparations for their league opener against Laois.
‘You’ve two experimental sides out there. It’s the second week of January, you’re not going to read too much into that,’ he said.
‘There were a lot of lads who got opportunities out there. Some of them did really well. You can’t fault the attitude of them and I think that’s a big thing.
‘In fairness, Kilkenny are only home from holidays two or three days - we’re not. We still know we have a lot of work to do.
‘We’ve a lot playing in the Fitzgibbon Cup. I’d kind of like to see the Fitzgibbon being played midweek the way it used to be. In the 18 years I was involved in it, for most of them it was that way.
‘While we are looking forward to Galway this Saturday evening, our focus is on Laois to be totally honest with you. It will be a difficult league opener the following weekend under lights.’
Fitzgerald will be working off much the same squad for the westerners in the Walsh Cup final in MW Hire O’Moore Park, Portlaoise, on Saturday at 5 p.m., but he will have Liam Ryan back from suspension.
‘We will be working off much the same. It’s hard to change a team after winning, but Shaun Murphy, Simon Donohoe, Conor McDonald and Paul Morris are all likely to figure,’ he said.
‘My aim is to be hurling in July. If we are hurling in July we have a chance of playing in August,’ he added.