DAVY HAPPY WITH HIS LOT
Calendar is not an issue for Wexford
‘I’m not sure if I’ve had one game in 30 years put off’
WEXFORD hurling manager Davy Fitzgerald has defended the scheduling of the Allianz Hurling League, despite the entire remainder of the competition being forced from its original timetable due to the snow last weekend.
An earlier January start and a floodlit March finish hasn’t been universally acclaimed, particularly with the overlap with the Fitzgibbon Cup final that saw a string of marquee players stood down.
Yet Fitzgerald believes it is necessary to protect the April ‘clubonly’ window, especially in a dual county like Wexford, and insists there is a clamour for early season action.
‘Look at the attendances. People are mad to go to matches. Our first game in Walsh Park [versus Waterford] in January, sure it was packed. I don’t have a problem playing then. People are mad to get out, see stuff. It’s not demeaning to the competition. January, February is a tough time of year. When the weather is bad people aren’t feeling the best. It’s good to give them a lift.’
That is backed up by the crowds that have followed Wexford throughout the campaign, with another bumper attendance expected at Nowlan Park tomorrow for the last round fixture against Kilkenny, even if Wexford are already assured of a quarterfinal spot by virtue of victories over Waterford, Cork and Clare.
He has no problem with the entire remaining League schedule being pushed back a week due to the snow last weekend and stressed the April ‘club-only’ window is vital. ‘As long as I’ve been involved and I’ve been involved nearly 30 years, I don’t think we’ve hardly ever had a cancellation of a weekend. It’s been very, very few. So we’re lucky on that side of things. I’m not sure if I’ve had one game in 30 years put off.
‘As regards the scheduling, I see what they’re trying to do. The big issue out there is with the clubs. I actually think they’re trying to do the right thing.
‘In Wexford, we’re definitely giving them space. They are going to play four rounds of championship, two hurling and two football. We’re not going to do anything with them in April. I think that’s a good thing.
‘And if you structure your championship right there will be no one out of it by April, no matter what the story is.’
As for the overlapping of the National League and All-Ireland club competition with the Fitzgibbon Cup, he admits the situation is not ideal. As manager with Limerick Institute of Technology, he is well placed to suggest a solution. He sees no reason why the college competition can’t be played before Christmas.
‘The Fitzgibbon? There is a big problem. My view is that it should probably be in November. Sure we play the [Higher Education] leagues in October, November. I don’t think it can work in January, February. The reason it didn’t start until the 20th of January this year was because certain colleges have exams. And that’s fine.
‘It’s easy say leave the county players and play the other ones — that’s rubbish. Fitzgibbon needs all the top players playing. In October, November, there are very few county teams training. They could totally commit to the college.
‘You might have a few clubs tied up but only the latter part of the provincial club championships.’
He threw his weight behind the decision to radically revamp the All-Ireland Championship with a new round-robin format introduced in Leinster and Munster. That guarantees every team four games — two home and two away — which means Innovate Wexford Park will become a regular fixture for home supporters. The fact that Wexford have thrown off the yoke of long-time oppressors Kilkenny since Fitzgerald took charge has added further spice to the mix. Between a first League victory at Nowlan Park since 1957, a first Championship victory since 2004 and the recent Walsh Cup final win via a 65 competition, Wexford are chasing a fourth successive win over Brian Cody’s team — unheard of.
There’s already talk of Wexford’s Leinster Championship visit to Nowlan Park on June 9 being a sell-out. Fitzgerald thinks the new format will be a major success, though he has one issue with the scheduling.
Wexford are one of those teams unlucky enough to get a bye in the first round which means they have to play all four provincial Championship games in the space of 21 days — which hardly seems fair by any criteria, particularly when the other teams will benefit from a rest week in between and considering the GAA’s old system involved long rest periods in between. Then there’s the fact there is an extended break before the Leinster final itself.
‘The only disagreement I have with the Championship is that we have to play four weeks in a row. Leinster have three weeks between the last round and the final — all I’m saying is if they give us one week extra in between the round robin. I don’t mind playing four out of six weeks — no problem.
‘I would be excited about the six-week period. Five-week period? Just too much.
That’s the only downside. The rest of the League-Championship I’m delighted with.’