Input from attack needs to improve for hurling season

GALWAY WILL test how far these Wexford hurlers have come and how ready they are for their opening Allianz League game against reigning All-Ireland champions, Limerick, seven days later.

Both Wexford and Kilkenny, in particular, fielded depleted teams for their Walsh Cup semi-final on Sunday, but there’s no doubt that Davy Fitzgerald will be hoping to have many of his missing players back for their test against Galway in their effort to retain the silverware won last year with a free-taking shoot-out against Kilkenny.

The game is scheduled for a Wexford venue, but Galway - given the travel involved just seven days before the league start-up coupled with the disruption to their league preparation - have asked Leinster Council to consider a neutral venue.

But given the expected crowd for a Wexford home game, the provincial council are unlikely to adhere to their request.

Davy Fitzgerald was happy at opening the new season with a victory, particularly over their arch-rivals, Kilkenny.

But the Bellefield battle threw up much that he will be working on over the next two weeks with the Limerick game in mind, as huge improvement is needed in many sectors to deal with the expected huge challenge from the All-Ireland champions.

In front of a fine crowd in Bellefield, Wexford struggled for lengthy stretches before imposing themselves on the game, and but for the long-range accuracy of centre-back Paudie Foley they would have found real difficulty in shaking off Brian Cody’s very much experimental side.

While Wexford built up a reasonable tempo in the second-half, they will still be somewhat disappointed with the return from the game.

When one takes a look at the respective sides, Wexford fielded nine of the players that started last year’s All-Ireland championship quarter-final against Clare, while Kilkenny featured just three of the team which lost out in their clash with the eventual champions, Limerick, at the same stage.

Fitzgerald will be well aware of where the side needs to improve. Free-taking has once again surfaced.

A problem area last year, it resurrected itself in this, their first game of 2019. During the course of the 70 minutes, Fitzgerald used five different free-takers up front, with the lack of consistency even from the most simple of frees still a concern.

But for the long-range accuracy of Paudie Foley, who contributed six frees to his seven-point haul, all from 60 metres or more, they could have found the result going the opposite way.

It’s not just the free-taking that Fitzgerald will be working on this week and next, as he will also have concern about the attack and their lack of scoring power.

Of the 0-16 struck, just one point from play came from the starting attacking set-up, with the remainder of their scores coming through either placed balls or outfield players.

Indeed, the outfield players contributed nine points of their side’s eventual tally, with Diarmuid O’Keeffe and Aidan Nolan adding points to go alongside Foley’s contribution.

Wexford are preparing with the opening league game against Limerick in mind, but Fitzgerald will be looking to bring more stability to their game against Galway.

He will be trying to put many things in place, and work on the side’s overall format in a bid to bring all-round improvement, particularly in the areas highlighted.

He will continue to put steps in place in an effort to bring about a huge improvement to the forwards’ scoring ratio from play. Wexford cannot be reliant on long-range free-taking from Foley, and scores from their outfield players, as unless the attack plays more as unit, together with applying more pressure close to goal, they will find scoring difficult.

When it comes to form teams and the sides that are likely to succeed, Wexford will face two of them over the coming weeks, starting with Galway next Sunday.

They can take confidence of knowing from results over the past two seasons that it can be achieved, but it’s going to take 15 men on the pitch giving absolutely everything, and then it’s going to take the forwards improving their scoring ratio both from play and placed balls.

It’s going to make for one hell of a season.