Big week for footballers with U21 and Senior ties

WEXFORD MANAGER Seamus McEnaney has received a huge boost ahead of their top of the table Allianz Football League clash with leaders Waterford at Innovate Wexford Park on Sunday (1 p.m.).

McEnaney has confirmed that he expects game time from both Ben Brosnan and Colm Kehoe. Both players were forced to retire during their second round victory over Leitrim with hamstring strains, but centre-back John Leacy is still struggling with his ankle ligament injury.

However, Wexford await news on the availability of attacker James Stafford. The Glynn-Barntown clubman was straight red-carded in the opening half against Leitrim.

An appeal into the dismissal has been lodged, the outcome of which will not be known until later in the week.

This is a huge game for Wexford as full points would lift them to the top of the table, but it will be difficult given that they only had one point to spare when the sides met in the league in Dungarvan last year.

As a result McEnaney is somewhat cautious ahead of the game.

‘It’s Waterford who are top of the table at the moment. This will be a difficult game, with no room for error. In this division there is no room for error so we will be looking for a result.

‘At the moment Waterford are going very well. This is a top of the table clash so we’ll be looking for a performance.

‘I am very happy with the progress of the side so far, particularly the second-half performance against Leitrim.

‘We were reduced to 14 players, lost two other players through injury, while we had to start without John Leacy who was injured.

‘I was very happy with the application, the composure showed in the closing 15 minutes. There was no panic and we picked off our scores.’

‘Banty’ says the team has trained well since the Leitrim game.

‘We have put in heavy training since that game. The training has been very tough but the players are benefiting from the sessions. We will also have Michael O’Regan available for game time which is a boost.

‘We will be looking for a performance. Should we get that we will get a result,’ he added.

It’s a hectic week for the manager and his backroom as this Wednesday they travel to Netwatch Cullen Park to take on Carlow in the opening round of the Eirgrid Leinster Under-21 football championship (7.30 p.m.).

‘We did not win a game in the Peter McNulty competition, but like the O’Byrne Cup we were using it to finalise a panel. We are going somewhat into the unknown with Carlow but I believe they are highly organised, but it’s difficult to know what to expect,’ he said.

‘We will have to give a top-class performance to overcome Carlow,’ added the Monaghan man, who can call on Senior squad players such as Niall Hughes, James Stafford, Jake Firman, Tom Byrne, Naomhan Rossiter and Ian Carty along with last year’s Minor star, Mikie Dwyer.

A Wednesday night victory would set the week up for the Wexford footballers.