LEE MAJORS Wexford ace Chin says the Modelmen are gunning for the biggest prize of all but admits it might take time

LEE CHIN insists the Wexford hurlers have their sights set on winning the All-ireland – but admits it might take another year to achieve the big one. Bitterly disappointed not to be in the Leinster final that has gone to a replay this Sunday, Chin reckons ex-wexford goalkeeper Damien Fitzhenry, inset, is right in his demand that this team must win silverware.

But ahead of Sunday’s All-ireland preliminary quarter-final with Westmeath, the talismanic forward believes

Fitzhenry’s timeline should be extended because Davy Fitzgerald is half way through a three-year plan with the Model County.

“We didn’t look at winning the Liam Maccarthy at the start of the year, we totally focused on just getting back to the Leinster final and trying to redeem ourselves for our performance in the Leinster final last year,” said Chin.

“In one way, Damien is right and the fact there’s one Cup left this year we can’t really set our eyes on anything else. I think it is important we do win some silverware in the next year or two anyhow.” Fitzgerald, in fact, has stated his Wexford team are ahead of schedule. “When Davy came in last year he did mention it’s a three-year plan of getting the team to where we want to be,” said Chin. “Last year, you can see we made a big stride in terms of where we were in previous years.

“Davy didn’t come in two years ago setting his stall out to win All-irelands, he just wanted to make improvements, bit by bit, and take steps – maybe get to a final of a national league, the final of a Leinster, and that’s what we did last year.

“There has been certain games over the last few years where we’ve just let ourselves down, particularly against the bigger teams.

“That’s just something we need to rectify if we’re looking at winning the big one.” Wexford were forced to play their four Leinster roundrobin games on successive weekends and that took its toll, as they wilted against Kilkenny, despite a nine-point lead.

Chin saw plenty of that kind of spirit in the Cats in the drawn provincial decider with favourites Galway last Sunday, with Kilkenny reeling in a three-point lead in the last few minutes to earn a replay for Thurles this Sunday.

“Galway are obviously a fantastic team and number one in Ireland at the moment,” he said. “But I didn’t go into that game expecting Galway to run over Kilkenny like they did in the Leinster championship.

“That night, in Pearse Stadium, Kilkenny looked a bit leggy and just felt that with a Leinster final in Croke Park, Kilkenny have been there on so many occasions, that it would definitely be tight.

“I expected Galway to maybe come out with a two or threepoint win.

“It was probably good for the rest of

Ireland to see that (draw), as opposed to

Galway coming out with another nine or 10-point win over

Kilkenny.

“It was enjoyable to watch.”