Wexford critics need to wake up, says Davy
APOST-MATCH press conference that threw up arguably more fireworks than the AllIreland quarter-final itself. The news that Davy Fitzgerald was actually considering his position as Wexford manager despite making waves in his first year wasn’t even the main headline. Instead, the news that he will take time to reflect on a year in which he guided the county back to the top flight and to a Leinster final was buried beneath the broadside fired at a couple of heavyweight analysts and All-Ireland winners, Kilkenny’s Henry Shefflin and Offaly’s Michael Duignan, of this parish.
The sweeper system has divided the hurling public and those two have only publicly voiced what many supporters feel, that hurling as a spectacle can be reduced by teams packing their defensive third.
‘The people need to wake up so they do,’ said Fitzgerald. ‘If they want the same one or two teams to play hurling and be successful that’s fine. Myself and Derek (McGrath) are trying to bring teams to the fore that haven’t been to the fore in a long time and I’m very strong about this.
‘In life, you always like things to evolve and change, let’s do things different. I remember one score, we had four passes and the ball was dinked over someone. I thought that was an unbelievable score. The skill to do what we did, I thought, was incredible. Some teams, maybe, just get the ball, lob it down the field, beat your man and throw it over the bar. I love the movement, I love the short pass, the overlap. I love the freedom for lads to end up anywhere and have a shot. That is just me.’
Unprompted, he then cast some doubt over whether he would be in charge of Wexford for 2018. ‘I am just going to take a bit of time to reflect now and see what the story is. It is a long drive, consult with my family and see what the story is. My heart really f**king loves this. I don’t know what is going to happen. I’ll just take a bit of time but I could not speak highly enough of anyone. They were brilliant.
‘Ask Wexford were they happy to be promoted. I was told I was crazy to go down there, you must be off your head. For me personally, it was a long drive. We’ll see what lies ahead for me from here now. I have to say the way I was treated down there by county board, by everybody, was incredible. I have to say the players not once questioned anything I did. If I asked them to train four nights in a row, they never questioned it.
‘It was a breath of fresh air, I enjoyed it. To see the way they hurt inside, they hurt. They believe they had a chance to win today and they hurt inside in there. I couldn’t be more proud of them. I see it as a good year for Wexford, I think they need to grow. I think Derek is at it four years. He has won a National League and he wants to take that next step. Don’t we need a Wexford back? You don’t need to lose them out of hurling.’
No fear about that. Waterford were deserved victors, even if Derek McGrath admitted he was ‘terrified’ going in to the game.
In terms of sweepers and setups, the Waterford manager was also asked to riff on a similar theme and admitted that he couldn’t watch Saturday’s All-Ireland quarter-final between Clare and Tipperary because of what he might hear about how Waterford and Wexford might set the terms of engagement in terms of utilising a sweeper for their own contest.
‘I was terrified, yeah. Nervous. Couldn’t even watch the TippClare game. Just watched bits of it. Had the commentary turned down. I was watching the golf in between –— and I hate golf! I was switching on the golf because I didn’t want to hear what was being said, especially when they were previewing our game. I was saying, “I know what’s coming…” To keep myself in good form. ‘My youngest son was four yesterday. So we went in to Rockin’ Joe’s and had a burger after the game yesterday.
‘For us, it’s about getting on the bus, doing the recovery, and getting home, listening to the draw tomorrow. I don’t think Galway or Cork will sleep too uneasy tonight having to face us.’
4 years since Derek McGrath was appointed manager of the Waterford hurlers