The pressure is on Galway but they can handle it
Davy Fitz has brought a vision and self-belief to this Wexford team
AT LAST, a Leinster title decider where you can almost feel the atmosphere building. The excitement about the place is contagious. By mid-week there was talk of up to 55,000 tickets sold. We all know what Wexford supporters are like – when they get on a roll they take it to another level. As a player, it was hard to get an edge playing against Wexford, hard not to like them. The players were sound people and the supporters bring so much to the big games. It wasn’t like playing Kilkenny when you had any amount of grievances to feed on.
Make no mistake, they are AllIreland contenders now. This thing about ‘transitioning’ the ball is the latest buzzword and that’s where Wexford showed the way in the semi-final with defenders joining the attack against Kilkenny.
Their athleticism was striking. While giving Davy Fitzgerald all the credit in the world for their blossoming, that didn’t happen in one year. He has given them belief and a vision in terms of how to play the game.
The players’ physique and movement has been built up over time, but look at someone like Lee Chin and how he has taken his game to another level.
The fact that it’s a novel pairing too has helped to capture the imagination.
This is a huge day for this Galway team. Go back to the 2015 All-Ireland final when they were beaten by Kilkenny by four points. The players made a big call in the aftermath to push Anthony Cunningham towards the exit door.
Micheál Donoghue came in and nearly 12 months on, they were only beaten by a point by eventual champions Tipperary, after the double injury blow of losing Joe Canning and Adrian Tuohy.
But the team didn’t really change that much. Eleven of the 2015 final team started against Tipperary last year. It shows you that a lot of the players Cunningham introduced are now beginning to flourish, players such as Conor Whelan.
So, as a group, they are very, very experienced. I’m sure the players will look at the fact that they are favourites, not only for Leinster but also for the All-Ireland, as vindication of their stance.
They have that edge on Wexford of being there at that level for four or five years. That has to count – once the pressure of winning doesn’t get to them.
That’s what Wexford will be focusing on, trying to keep it tight down the stretch. Because Galway have lost a lot of tight matches down the years.
What has impressed me about the Tribesmen is they have various ways of playing. They can be very direct or score from distance at their ease against a team with a sweeper – or even two as Offaly showcased. And still they managed a remarkable 33 points. They have so many good hurlers. Look at the threat posed by Aidan Harte and Padraic Mannion from defence, or by David Burke at midfield. They’re not going to panic and just drop it down on a sweeper, Shaun Murphy revelling in that role for Wexford. They’ll play the ball through the lines; draw you out the field. That’s one reason why Conor Whelan’s form has been sensational. Ger Aylward could have scored five or six points for Kilkenny last time with the chances that fell his way − Whelan won’t miss those chances.
Colin Fennelly, too, caused havoc at full-forward. The problem for Wexford is that all of Galway’s forward line are at that level. There is so much room at Croke Park, it is easier to bypass the extra men sitting deep.
Galway’s know-how, their experience of the big day, could be the decisive factor.
While Kilkenny had Cillian Buckley able to match up against Lee Chin, the latter did damage when he dropped off him.
Galway though, have plenty of options in terms of trying to match the mobility of one of Wexford’s key men.
It might suit Wexford as well to go a bit more direct. Conor McDonald’s fielding ability is phenomenal – in that respect, he’s like a young Tony Doran. From Doran down to Billy Byrne, Wexford have had longstanding success on a bit of direct hurling. Think back to the hat-trick Séamus Callanan scored against Galway two years ago. It’s one thing that Galway haven’t fully remedied.
Daithí Burke has locked things down on the edge of the square but Wexford have the option of letting McDonald drift to the corners. Earmark him with a few high balls.
I’d have Jack Guiney on the frees for Wexford. They can’t afford to miss another three or four – not at this level.
Can winning a Leinster title really mean as much to Galway, a team from west of the Shannon? They are obviously not Leinster men so it’s never going to have quite the same profile there. But it’s still big because they haven’t won much since joining the province in 2009.
Wexford haven’t been in a Leinster final since 2008, haven’t won one since 2004. It’s been barren enough times since the Leinster double of 1996-97.
That’s part of the reason this new team has generated such excitement.
It helps that all the pressure and expectation is on Galway.
I think Galway can handle it.
Galway have the edge of being there for the last four or five years