FORDE WALKS AWAY

The Wexford U-16 footballers were withdrawn from a competition recently, while the county also won’t enter the Leinster JFC in 2018.

“Basically football in Wexford has no chance,” Forde continued. “The decision not to enter the Leinster Junior Championship next year no doubt is also financial. Wexford football has no chance.”

When contacted last night, the Wexford County Board did not want to comment at this time.

Elsewhere, the Leinster Council will review the referee’s report before deciding what if any action they will take arising from the ugly scenes that marred last Sunday’s Leinster Club SFC clash between Louth champions Newtown Blues and Wicklow kingpins Rathnew, won the match by 2-6 to 0-9.

Two separate incidents could come under review. A scuffle broke out before the ball was thrown in at Drogheda’s Gaelic Grounds, with another coming early in the first half.

Footage of the latter made its way on to social media.

MATTIE FORDE insists he’s ‘done with Wexford football’ citing the treatment of the county’s minor footballers in 2017 as his reason for walking away.

Forde, the county’s only football All-Star, insists the big ball game has no chance when up against hurling in the county.

“I’m done with Wexford football, basically those at the top don’t give a damn about Wexford football,” said the former Wexford great.

“I’m going to concentrate on the club into the future, as I’m not interested in getting involved at inter-county, particularly after the way the minor footballers were treated this year. The whole management team should have come out and highlighted what went on. It was a joke.

“Wexford were still only a point away from qualifying for a Leinster final despite all that went on.

LOCKED

“As we prepared for our championship game, we were locked out of Wexford Park. We attended for a pre-arranged training to find the gates locked. This was in preparation for the Wicklow game at Wexford Park.

“We had to go over to the Clonard pitch in Coolcotts. About an hour later we were allowed into Wexford Park only to find a water sprinkling system in operation on the pitch.”

Forde questioned whether they had been afforded the same treatment as the county’s minor hurlers.

“All of this while all along we were not given access to the dual players. We were not given the same treatment as the minor hurlers. Any time we went looking about anything we were told our budgets were cut. I would like to see the spend on the minor hurlers compared to minor football, and they (hurlers) were eliminated early.

“Gear was also a problem. We had not received our gear prior to the championship. It was eventually thrown into the centre of the dressing room in a box. We had to get it initialled ourselves. There was also the question of lack of food for the squad.”