Every chance of the tables being turned later in year

NO MATTER how often I visit Nowlan Park, I come away with the feeling that the people and officials running their match days are amongst the friendliest and most welcoming in the country. They are not without their wit either as I learned last Sunday. Discussing the game with an old black and amber friend of mine on the way in, I remarked (in jest of course) that we may not put out our full squad today to save legs for the bigger days ahead.

On exiting the ground I again bumped into the Kilkenny-clad gentleman who informed me that the victory signalled a great day for his county as there is a generation of one-year-olds from Noreside who had never seen Kilkenny beat Wexford.

Game, set and match to the Cats, but based on the evidence of the afternoon’s entertainment I feel there is more than a real possibility that the tables can be turned before we close the door on the 2018 season.

The result was greeted with huge enthusiasm by the large Kilkenny faithful and, having examined results elsewhere, there was an immediate sense of regret that had we scored just one more point, even without victory, we would have secured a much more favourable quarter-final draw against Offaly.

However, being a glass half-full, rather than half-empty, type of person, I immediately turned my mind to the impact a visit by the All-Ireland champions Galway to Wexford would have on the promotion and profile of the game in the county.

There’s always something special about the atmosphere in a packed Innovate Wexford Park, and I for one am really looking forward to next Sunday.

The first-half was forgettable enough from our point of view, with the highlight being a man of the match performance from the brilliant Paudie Foley.

The Crossabeg man’s long-range striking was a pleasure to watch and his four points from distance effectively kept us in the game when it was most needed. He continued the trend in the second-half, adding another monster from play.

Six points down with twelve minutes remaining, things could have been worse but for Conor O’Leary’s intervention when T.J. Reid was bearing down on goal, although we seemed destined not get within that three-point barrier that the Cats held throughout.

The game suddenly sprung into championship-type fervour and from there in Wexford had the opportunities to bridge the gap, with Brian Cody’s men hanging on somewhat aided by a brilliant (if maybe a little fortunate) save by Darren Brennan from Cathal Dunbar’s effort.

Refereeing is one of the most difficult trades nowadays but we didn’t get the rub of the green I feel on a few occasions. Liam Ryan seemed to be impeded while breaking through, Conor Mac on a few occasions, and most glaringly Conor Firman being stopped in his tracks near the end were incidents which were judged harshly from a Wexford point of view, but overall we cannot dispute the merit of our neighbours’ win.

So it’s Galway in a sure to be packed Innovate Wexford Park and it doesn’t get any more difficult than the reigning League and MacCarthy Cup holders.

The Tribesmen have stars in every line but haven’t quite taken off this year, whether this is a post All-Ireland hangover or a management plan which is championship targeted.

They were well in control against Limerick but faded badly and I think Wexford can face into the game with a number of positives in our favour, not least being the home advantage.

Here, caution must be issued as the introduction of Joe Canning signals an intent that Micheál Donoghue will bring the full pack to the south-east, and they didn’t win the double last year by accident.

A great day’s hurling is in store and a huge test for Davy and his men. One thing about this team is they tend to meet things head on, and I have no doubt next weekend will be no exception. Up Wexford.