Davy: It’s all about summer success for us
Delaney sees red as Model march on
AFTER a dramatic day of hurling in which Carlow sent Offaly tumbling down into Division 2, the Allianz League quarter-final picture has become clear. The Davy Fitzgerald revolution continues apace with Wexford turning over Kilkenny at Innovate Wexford Park for the first time in the League since 1987, leaving Brian Cody’s team with a bottom of Division 1A play-off against Cork to complete the placings for next year’s competition. With Limerick already through to the semi-finals, Tipperary will play Dublin in Thurles next weekend, Clare and Waterford will toss for the venue in their tie while Galway host Wexford. A buoyant Fitzgerald said it was all about the bigger picture. ‘I heard this rubbish on the radio last night and it saying I’m mad to win the League. I couldn’t give a f***. I just want to win every game I can win. If we happen to win stuff, fine. ‘If you ask me personally, I’d prefer to win the All-Ireland, that’s what I’d love to win and if the Leinster Championship comes, great. And if the League comes, great, but it’s not… we didn’t target… if I was targeting the League, why would I have used 26 different players? I’ve used more than Kilkenny have. ‘I’m blooding lads and giving them a go. Trust me, if it comes and we’re there, brilliant, but I want our lads to be competitive in the summer.’
ON a diabolical day for hurling, when gusting wind blew a mixture of rain and hail straight down Innovate Wexford Park, it was no surprise that this last round fixture in Division 1A turned into a war of attrition.
The heavyweight collisions and collection of rucks and mauls around the middle third were more akin to the Six Nations fare being served up at the Aviva.
It’s been a feature of the Brian Cody era that Kilkenny’s iron will tends to win out but these are testing times for the game’s longest serving manager. His blossoming full-back Conor Delaney was red-carded in injury time. His team failed to deal with the elements and Wexford’s use of Kevin Foley as sweeper. They were outfought in the second half when they only registered a single point from play and a single free from the same player, Alan Murphy.
Combined with the all-action display of Rory O’Connor and Lee Chin’s leadership in the second half, Davy Fitzgerald’s side were full value for what the record books suggest was the biggest win over Kilkenny in League or Championship since 1976 – not to mention a first League win against the same opposition at the venue since 1987.
With Liam Ryan and Matthew O’Hanlon offering a bullish presence in defence, Wexford quickly ate into the five-point half-time deficit via scores from O’Connor and Chin with substitute Cathal Dunbar bundling home a goal with three minutes to go to copperfasten the result.
Delaney’s red card was borne out of frustration, jabbing out at Dunbar after being fouled in injury time with Kilkenny trying to get the ball in the danger area. ‘I obviously wasn’t happy with the red card,’ said Cody. ‘What I saw was the referee blow the whistle for a free, turn around, walk back up the field. The crowd shout and he turns around and gives the man a red card. That’s what confused me.’
While the conditions meant that the hits came hot and heavy, the aggression threatened to spill over at times, particularly early in the second half when players engaged in pushing and shoving in front of the main stand.
Cody described next weekend’s bottom of the table play-off against Cork as a ‘futile match’, saying it would make more sense for both teams to toss a coin to help decide the placings for next year’s competition. The fact that the extra game offers teams a chance to use up a match suspension before it carries into Championship could change attitudes in that respect.
With not much more than two minutes gone, Ger Malone strode forward with purpose, one thing on his mind. Just as he went to pull the trigger for goal, Darren Byrne flicked the ball away, showing the timing and precision of a Swiss watch. However, Malone picked the ball up a second time after being fed by Walter Walsh. His shot under pressure was cleared off the line by Shaun Murphy only for Liam Blanchfield to follow up and volley the ball to the net.
Wexford were running a lot of puck-outs via full-back Byrne with Kilkenny were prepared to drop off and engage when he started to solo out.
The home crowd grew agitated after the move broke down a number of times, but Byrne continued soloing out, looking to pop the ball off to a runner — a dangerous tactic as the last man.
The tactic was met by the traditional urge from various Wexford fans: ‘Drive it!’
There was an ironic jeer when Fanning actually pucked the ball out long in the 25th minute — only the second time he went long since the start of the game. There was a reason the home support were getting agitated at that stage as Kilkenny had rattled off four quick points to jump 1-8 to 0-3 ahead, the only one of those from play coming from Blanchfield.
But Wexford responded with a similar run of scores, Jack O’Connor rounding off an impressive first half by thumping over a ’65 into the gale to leave five in it, Kilkenny 1-10 to 0-8 ahead.
Substitute Paudie Foley fired over one of three quick Wexford points as the home side’s support play was instrumental to turning the tide, allied to some brilliant point-scoring on the wind from O’Connor and Chin.
Diarmuid O’Keeffe was having a big impact off the bench and it was his rousing score that put Wexford in the lead for the first time midway through the half as the home side hit 1-7 without reply to settle it, Dunbar bundling home the goal from close range.