HURLING REACTION Mac an injury worry
GAA Fitzgerald plays down league hopes
WEXFORD MANAGER Davy Fitzgerald was keen to keep a lid on expectations for his side in 2017 after they were edged out by Kilkenny by the narrowest of margins in their Bord na Móna Walsh Cup semi-final at O’Kennedy Park, New Ross.
The Cats recorded a 0-15 to 0-14 victory in front an estimated 3,500 attendance, the majority of whom will be hoping for a Model county resurgence this year.
Fitzgerald will now turn his full attention to the Allianz League and their opening game with Limerick on Sunday week in Innovate Wexford Park, followed by a daunting trip to Galway.
Looking back at the Kilkenny game, Fitzgerald said: ‘I don’t think they got a shot on goal which is an achievement in itself, while we had two to three efforts which we should have scored. But we wont panic, it’s only January.
‘But you could sense the crowd getting frustrated through the firsthalf; that has to stop, give the lads a chance,’ he added.
‘Wexford have spent the last 20 years not winning anything. The lads are putting in a massive effort. I would like to win every single game, the lads would like to win every single game, we would like to have a one hundred per cent record.
‘They got a couple of handy frees close to goal, we found it difficult to get frees inside their ‘65.
‘Look, we went in three points down at half-time, battled back, and even when they went that point up late on, we drove back, created a goal chance.
‘I would have nothing negative to say about the player going for goal. My philosophy with all teams I manage is go out there and express oneself.
‘I tell the players to make up their own mind when an opportunity presents itself.
‘The player went for the goal and it was saved, I would have nothing against that, I would encourage players in those situations,’ he added.
‘We have been trying different things. From the competition itself, I have seen 23/24 players. A certain amount is working for us, a certain amount is breaking down, and that will happen against a side like Kilkenny as there is no better side to close you down in the tackles.
‘We changed our pattern at halftime and it worked. We put together some good moves, picked off some excellent scores. That was an excellent move leading up to that late goal chance.
‘It was great to see the crowd there today. I would love to give them some silverware, something to shout about.’
Fitzgerald’s attention is now on the league. ‘I suppose if you look at last year, Limerick gave Wexford a good beating. Limerick and Galway are our first two games. They’ll be massive tough games.
‘I think we’ll learn a lot. I don’t think we’ll get out of Division 1B this year. You are hoping over the next two years we’ll get out of that and be challenging in the top three or four.
‘Over the next two years, we are going to try and build, build, build. We know we are on a journey. We’ve a lot of things to improve on and even Division 1B is going to be very tough.
‘You’ve serious teams in there. We know we’ve got to get up to their standard. So we have lot of work to do.’
Fitzgerald is anxiously awaiting a fitness report on star attacker Conor McDonald.
‘Conor received a cut against Dublin which led to a blood infection. He spent a couple of days in hospital. We won’t know until later in the week on his fitness.
‘Jack (Guiney) is back training after a hamstring strain. There’s six to seven players who did not figure today who’ll be there for Limerick.
‘The cruciate ligament players, Andrew Shore, Shane Tomkins and Liam Og McGovern, are all making progress.
‘Look, I’m happy with what I’m working with. There will be 15 players going out there to give one hundred per cent.
‘These lads are putting in a massive effort, the amount they give to training, the analysis, I could not ask for more, but we’ll keep working hard.’