Today, 1st September, marks the anniversary of one of the greatest days of my life. It was on 1st September, 1996, that 14 man Wexford bridged a 28 year gap and brought the Liam McCarthy Cup back to Slaneyside. 10 years on I salute these legends and remember fondly a fooking fantastic odyssey that summer.
Liam Griffin stopping the bus on the Wexford-Wicklow border on Leinster Final day, appealing to the players? pride and love for their county, the battle cry and the march on foot over the border together as one like their ancestors had done nearly 200 hundred years previously. Georgie O?Connor, age 36, kneeling down in prayer at the final whistle against Limerick to thank the man above after winning his first and only All-Ireland in his 19th and last season on the senior hurling panel. The unforgettable scenes of celebration on the Monday after the All Ireland victory. Travelling up to meet the team in Gorey, down to Enniscorthy and then Martin Storey?s speech in Wexford town. Fooking goosebumps thinking about it now. Fantastic memories. We were dancing at the crossroads alright.
Those heroes are:
Damien Fitzhenry
Colm Kehoe
Ger Cushe
John O?Connor
Rod Guiney
Liam Dunne
Larry O?Gorman
Adrian Fenlon
George O?Connor
Rory McCarthy
Martin Storey (captain)
Larry Murphy
Tom Dempsey
Garry Laffan
Eamonn Scallan
Not to forget the injured Seanie Flood and the man who made the dream, his name was Liam Griffin. Those boys will always be immortal and forever they?ll be up there with Rackard, Quigley, Wheeler, Doran, Buggy, Murphy, Nolan, Flood and the names I can?t recall, fooking Wexford heroes one and all.
We dream days like these will come again.