I mentioned on the Wexford GAA thread a while back how I see the potential for the first fall out occurring between the end of the league and start of the championship. The local press and Wexford GAA website listed various county championship start date permutations last week based on whether we won yesterday or not.
Winning pushes back the start dates and I know that Davy is pushing strongly for a week’s pre-championship warm weather training so where will that be fitted in with a couple of rounds of hurling and football to be played? A knowledgeable hurling man told me they raised 1/3 of the cost from that Fittest Superstars thing in January, they got another 1/3 from the usual benefactors / existing sponsors and the county board have been asked to cover the final 1/3. Then there’s Banty wanting whatever Davy’s getting too…
But, overall, how could anyone quibble with the start he’s made? As far as can see, most if not all of the clubs are taking great pride in their own players excelling under him and seeing Wexford making strides so he’s built up lots of goodwill so far. No doubt there will come a time though when club players get annoyed if there’s competitive games postponed to facilitate county team training trips and / or challenge games.
I thought that was fairly publicly mentioned on here at the time of the appointment? Nothing new about it anyway.
In saying that, it is not coming anywhere near sorting out the finances from the board who are facing major financial issues with having Davy and Banty on board.
When the worm does turn, it will be rapid and nasty due to the sums involved, but he has done very well so far. Beating kk in nowlan is a fine achievement. Beating them without being lucky in any way even more so.
Lee chin seems a thoroughly decent man, and is a great asset. Wouldnt ever go into a game beaten I’d say.
I’m delighted for wexford. My second favourite team.
+1 Joe. The little leaguers getting very excited about being in a league semi final. Tipp would be out as well only there was no way to lose to Offaly.
Truth. Any team with championship ambitions place no importance on the league. There’s always a risk your team mightn’d try a leg* which is why I haven’t been to a league match in ten years. Anyone from Waterford who made that journey to Fierce Stadium yesterday were properly mugged off.
*Being from Galway the same risk applies in championship.
If Wexford beat KK in June I’ll eat my hat. I actually think Laois might take them out before then. Davy has them peaking for the league and they’ll be burnt out mentally come championship.
Laois Hurling is in rude health, didn’t we nearly beat Wexford last week, who in turn put a stake through cody yesterday. You could make the argument that we’re in the top 4 teams in the country at present.
That’s if the lads ever stop drinking in abbeyleix
Oh Jesus. That should be prevented at all costs. They were utterly disastrous for us. Left the players physically shattered just weeks from the championship.
Davy’s thinking, typically, is that an edge in conditioning has been created and now he needs to maintain it by escalating the physical work. So as to not let anyone catch up. Time after time it had the opposite effect and the players went out for championship weak and lifeless. He doesn’t understand that less is more on the conditioning front the closer you are to championship, and accumulated fatigue just doesn’t seem to be a factor he’s willing to consider at all.
Physically Wexford look great at the moment. Lots and lots of high speed ball work is what’s needed, not more hardcore endurance stuff. But Davy is unlikely to see it that way.
Wexford will be bursting their bollox in February next year trying to stay in division one. They’ll have to get psyched up to perform 6 times minimum (including the quarter final or more likely relegation play off) , add in davys penchant for dogging teams they will be a spent force come next summer. Cracks will appear in the relationship then. Kilkenny haven’t tried a jot in the league for a few years, yesterday is all cody could dream of to come back mentally right and take care of wexford comfortably in leinster.
Kk, the most successful side of all, have never to my knowledge set out to lose any game. They may not peak, and they may experiment a bit, but I don’t buy this “throw the game sure tis only the league” argument. A confident and settled setup and squad will, like kk, try their damndest to win any game on any day.
That is complete and utter bullshit. I know a fella on the Clare hurling panel and he told me that with Davey in charge during the summer months they would regularly touch the ball 3-4 hundred times a session and physical work was kept to a minimum. With the heavy lifting done over the winter it is just a case of maintaining it now. Any county in it for the long game and aspirations of winning an All Ireland will have the hard work done by now. Anything else just risks overload and injuries. Conditions this time of year are a bit of a leveller. What counties will be focussing in on now is quick decision making, touch and execution.