R us, says Fitzgerald
He challenge, maintaining momentum’
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‘I talked to the lads. It was all grand. I was happy enough but I thought that they would be okay. My own concern was if they would be able to maintain the same intensity, the same drive.
‘But they’ve come through the last two games. We’ve got some momentum now it helps one hundred per cent. But you need more than that. Against Kilkenny it was very physical.’
Galway in the Leinster final will provide another big test. ‘Surprisingly this will be my first Leinster final to have managed in. I have managed in Munster finals, All-Ireland finals, but this is a first. Actually it’s a first meeting between the sides in a provincial final.
‘It’s going to be a huge game. Most of these guys, the biggest crowds they have played in front of would have been 25,000, maybe 30,000. Galway will be comfortable as they have that experience.
‘It’s a big step up for us. Galway have appeared in two All-Ireland finals, four out of six Leinster finals, won the National League this year.
‘I believe they have physically hardened as a result of those two All-Ireland finals. I really believe that. I think it has built up resilience for Galway, and I think they’re a stronger team for it.
Looking at Wexford so far, Fitzgerald is overwhelmed with the progress the side had made.
‘Look, when I met Diarmuid (Devereux) I was set a three-year plan, get Wexford promoted, get the county into the top six, get them into a Leinster final.
‘I’ve achieved all of that in six months which is remarkable. The transformation of this group of players has been remarkable. Their fitness levels have increased, the quality of their hurling improved.
‘We’ve a gameplan and the players are sticking with it no matter what happens. It’s a flexible plan but the players have settled in with it. I have a plan for Galway but I’m not going to reveal it.
‘Galway will carry a huge amount of experience into the game, then Kilkenny also had experience and remarkable success behind them. Galway have a lethal forward line but we have a plan.
‘We have a few injury concerns, Conor(McDonald) and Shaun (Murphy). We’ll know later but it’s 50-50. Hopefully everything will be okay.
‘It’s a big step up for us, but we are really looking forward to it. The whole county has got a lift. The players as a group are confident of meeting the challenge, maintaining momentum.
‘The first 20 minutes will be crucial. That’s when Galway will test us, will come after us. Galway are confident, they feel they are a better team, they just do not respect Wexford hurling,’ Fitzgerald claimed.
‘They led us by seven points in the league, we came back to beat them. They feel they should have won that game by 14 or 15 points.
‘That’s the confidence those guys have. We all know the championship will be different to league, but we have the players to stand up to the challenge, stand up to whatever Galway throw at us.
‘Galway believe they can hammer us. They believe they can put us to the sword. They just don’t rate Wexford. No doubt, it will be a tough ask of Wexford, but we will be ready for it, ready to give it one huge lash.
‘It should make for a great final before a huge crowd.’
Fitzgerald has talked up the task ahead of his players but that’s what he loves to do. He has looked at every possible angle, and now he is ready to take on one of the biggest challenges of his managerial career.