Wexford hurling’s finest ever fifteen

November 1983

The fifteen players selected on the Wexford ‘Team of the Century’ will be special guests at the Co. Board’s reunion of GAA veterans at Murphy Flood’s Hotel, Enniscorthy, on December 3rd next, where each will be presented with a special memento.

The ‘Finest Fifteen’ scheme was run by People Newspapers in association with the Co. Board, and for the benefit of the Rehabilitation Board, which will receive the £1 entry fee per person who voted for their first fifteen.

There was a great response from the voting public to the scheme, and the consensus arrived at has produced a very worthy team, mostly drawn from Wexford’s golden era in the 1950s and early 60s. Willie Murphy and Tony Doran are the only two current players picked, though Mick Jacob must be considered the man most unlucky not to make it. Willie Rackard pipped him by a mere ten votes for the centre half back berth, and he was beaten by Willie Murphy for the left-half back position by a couple of votes.

The team selected was: 1 Pat Nolan (Oylegate/ Glenbrien), 2 Bobby Rackard, 3 Nick O’Donnell, 4 Tom Neville, 5 Jim English, 6 Billy Rackard, 7 Willie Murphy, 8 Ned Wheeler, 9 Jim Morrissey, 10 Paudge Kehoe, 11 Tony Doran, 12 Paddy Kehoe, 13 O. ‘Hopper’ McGrath, 14 Nicky Rackard, 15 Tim Flood.