Wexford GAA 2008

Sport
841

[quote=“Bandage”]BREAKING NEWS from Wexford. John Meyler is no longer the Wexford senior hurling manager. Just got this update from a source in the local Wexford media.

Meyler Ousted In Cash Struggle

New Wexford Senior hurling manager Taffy Cash has announced his team for the All-Ireland quarter-final despite Wexford not yet knowing who their opposition will be.

Cash deposed John Meyler in a faction fight in the car park of Craanford GAA grounds after training on Wednesday last. Garda later recovered a samurai sword, eleven knuckle-dusters and a severed right hand from the scene.

Speaking exclusively last night, Cash revealed his decision to stage a sensational coup was inspired by the selection of Jim Berry on the panel for the recent Leinster final.

‘All of the boys travelled up to the game when we heard Jim was on the panel. When they didn’t bring him on we said we may do something about it. We’ve plenty of lads who won’t spare the ash the next day.’

Mr. Philip O’Leary of Ardcavan Coach Tours spoke of his disappointment after losing the contract to bring the Wexford team to Croke Park. ‘We have a long-standing association with the G.A.A., but I have to agree that the Hiace is a durable, roadworthy vehicle, and three of them will do the job just as well.’

The team features 14 debutants to Senior championship hurling and is as follows:

Larry Connors (Bunclody); Rich Connors (St. Anne’s), Joe Connors (St. Anne’s), Jimmy ‘Stick’ Goggins (GOH); Mikey Berry (Harriers), David Connors (St. Anne’s), John John Connors (Shamrocks); Tom Berry (Harriers), Ollie Connors (Rapps); Mylie ‘Daddles’ Connors (Bunclody), Jim Berry (Harriers), Jimmy ‘Chap’ Goggins (GOH); Mickey Connors (Bunclody), Mylie Cash (Shamrocks, capt.), Tiddly Tom Connors (Bunclody).

Supporters wishing to travel may contact Tony Furlong to secure a place on the supporters’ bus. It will be leaving Ferndale at 9 a.m. and will stop at Taghmon (9.15 a.m.), the Bosheen in New Ross (9.30 a.m.), Templeshannon (10 a.m.) and the Halting Site in Shankill for members of the Dublin Supporters’ Club at 12 noon on the day of the game.[/quote]

Does Jim Berry play for the Harriers or the Annes?

842

Jim ‘Simba’ Berry plays for the Harriers. The lads beat Oulart in the U-16 county final in 2002 or thereabouts and the team included Jim, Richie Kehoe and Stephen Nolan. Anyway, the lads in the club did witty pen pictures for the programme and being U-16 most players were listed as students except for Jim, who had never attended school, and was down as a hunter and fisherman.

843

Just reading on the Wexford supporters site that Jim Berry played centre forward against Clare in the challenge game. Presume it wasnt Simba though?!

844

It’s him alright. Played intermediate with us the last couple of years and Meyler’s in charge of that team too. With all our injuries, he’s a few of these lads training with the seniors. All I heard, other than what I posted the other day, was that Stamp played centre back and Doc was back in the corner to compensate for Tonks being out.

845

The quote from the site was:

Clare 1-22
Wexford 1-21

Encouraging from a wexford point of view, A good performance by all accounts. 1-21 is a good score. DOC playing at full back with Stamp at number 6. Michael Doyle wing back is a strange choice, strong under the high ball alright but he is a forward. Eoin Quigley was good at midfield with 4 points alond with Redmond who got 2. Jim Berry was poor Centrre forward but I Didnt hear anything else really

Presume Berry was playing then to diffuse the cash row that threatened to break out?

846

Yes but i also said im not one for criticizing managers, all i’m doing is just stating the obvious. We did get to a leinster final, but who did we beat on the way?? A Meath team that got hammered by Limerick and a Laois team who relied on an 18 year to pull them through against Longford. That is not saying a whole lot.

Look i’m not saying it’s the end of the world, there is a team there somewhere capable of winning things but something has to happen with the backs. As for Morrisey centre back, i think he would be a good man to do the bryan cullen role.

Just on the hurlers, Stamp played well centre back, Banville scored 1 3, Darren Nolan from Oulart was wing forward and did well. Also think Tonks broke a bone his arm.

847

[quote=“Gavin”]Yes but i also said im not one for criticizing managers, all i’m doing is just stating the obvious. We did get to a leinster final, but who did we beat on the way?? A Meath team that got hammered by Limerick and a Laois team who relied on an 18 year to pull them through against Longford. That is not saying a whole lot.
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I think you’ll find that meath played in an all ireland semi-final last year. They were beaten at the weekend by a damn fine team, Limerick should have beaten Cork in their first match and managed to draw with us in the League. Laois mighten be any great shakes (thats the reason we bet them handy) but they still played in an under 21 all ireland last year and aren’t out of the champioship yet.

Yesterday was just a disaster for Wexford, everything that could go wrong did, the team are better than that and hopefully the next day out they will perform to their true abilities.

848

Does anyone recall us winning any meaningful games in Thurles? I was hoping we’d get to play Waterford in Kilkenny if the games were taken out of Croke Park because we’ve a decent record there but Thurles is a bit of a disaster zone for us. We took a hiding from Kilkenny in the league semi-final there last year. We lost the All Ireland U-21 final by a point to Limerick there in 2001. We lost an All Ireland U-21 final to Galway there in 1996 (I think). We lost in the second replay of the League final to Cork there in 1993 after the trilogy of games. I was at a league game there in 2006 when we beat Tipperary when Maggot was in charge but it’s a really poor hunting ground for us by and large and Waterford love playing there.

849

Dublin in 2002 is the only game I’ve seen us win in Thurles. I hate the place cos every time I go there I get soaked. Got drenched to the bone during that Dublin game and spent most of the second half in a tunnel. Anyone getting the train down from Dublin on Sunday morning?

850

Something to really inspire confidence for Sunday. The Wexford seniors were beaten recently by the Cork U21s (minus their senior panellists - Naughton etc.) The same Cork U21s including all their senior panellists were hockeyed by Clare last night in the Munster semi final. Now, call me crazy if you want, but thats not good form!

851

We beat the Biffos there in the League Quarter Final in 1996, presaging our greater triumph a couple of months later. Also, we beat Limerick there in the League Semi in 1993.

Overall, though, our record is sh!te there and I don’t like visiting Semple, with the lack of parking, bad roads through KK getting there, etc.

Waterford will be far happier playing there.

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[quote=“Menapian”]We beat the Biffos there in the League Quarter Final in 1996, presaging our greater triumph a couple of months later. Also, we beat Limerick there in the League Semi in 1993.

Overall, though, our record is sh!te there and I don’t like visiting Semple, with the lack of parking, bad roads through KK getting there, etc.

Waterford will be far happier playing there.[/quote]

I would have been at that Limerick game as a kid. I forgot about Dublin in 2002 as I had just pissed off to America for the summer. Looking back, what an idiotic decision to play the Leinster semi-finals in Thurles that year. I don’t have any recollection of that Offaly game in 1996. Did Galway not beat us down in Limerick in the league quarter final that year though? Or was the Galway game a semi-final after beating the biffs in the previous round? It’s hard to remain upbeat having lost both Leinster Finals in the manner we did and with a raft of injuries for the hurlers but Waterford shouldn’t hold any fear for us. I’m also looking for the minors to rebound from the Leinster Final defeat and show they’ve learned some lessons. It’s also another opportunity to watch Eoin Moore play - one of the most impressive Wexford underage players I’ve seen in years.

853

The 1996 NHL QF against the Biffos was in Thurles. It was our first victory over them in either NHL or Championship since 1979. It prompted the infamous “Not even Wexford lose them all, Greg” headline from Tom Humphries the next day. This was in reference to Greg Norman losing his commanding lead in the final round of the US Masters the same day, after he had “choked” in a number of Majors.

We lost the 1996 NHL SF in Limerick to Galway. As far as I remember, the reason why both Leinster SF’s were played in Thurles in 2002 was due to some important structural work being carried out in Croker to finally complete it. I was working outside Ireland at the time, so I’m not 100% sure.

Would agree with you about Eoin Moore. A class act.

854

[quote=“Menapian”]The 1996 NHL QF against the Biffos was in Thurles. It was our first victory over them in either NHL or Championship since 1979. It prompted the infamous “Not even Wexford lose them all, Greg” headline from Tom Humphries the next day. This was in reference to Greg Norman losing his commanding lead in the final round of the US Masters the same day, after he had “choked” in a number of Majors.

We lost the 1996 NHL SF in Limerick to Galway. As far as I remember, the reason why both Leinster SF’s were played in Thurles in 2002 was due to some important structural work being carried out in Croker to finally complete it. I was working outside Ireland at the time, so I’m not 100% sure.

Would agree with you about Eoin Moore. A class act.[/quote]

Ah right. I actually recall Liam Dunne mentioning the importance of that league win versus the biffs in his autobiography in terms of giving them belief for the championship now that I think about it. You’re right about the work being done on Croke Park (think it was work to complete the new Hogan Stand) but you’d think they would have played the games in provincial venues in Leinster.

855

Were they doing up Nowlan Park by any chance as well? Think it was a double header as well with KK playing the biffs on the same day.

856

Barry Lambert and stephen Nolan back in contention for sunday. two scoring forwards so nice to have them back in contention.

Think a team along these lines wouldnt be bad:

Fitzy;
Mal, Roche, Doc;
Jacob, Stamp, Gizzy
Quigley, Redmond;
Doyle, Doran, S Nolan;
Lambert, Banville, Jacob.

I know neither Nolan or Lambert have done much hurling recently but they can both get scores so i think given our limited options its worth a shot.

The only alternative I would consider would be Willie Doran playing wing back, Gizzy moving to mid field and Quigley on the '40 as I think he would cause Tony Browne alot of problems there.

857

[quote=“stevie G”]

The only alternative I would consider would be Willie Doran playing wing back, Gizzy moving to mid field and Quigley on the '40 as I think he would cause Tony Browne alot of problems there.[/quote]

Thats what I would go with as I think Quigley could run Tony Browne into the ground. Even Willie to Centre Back with Stamp moving into Midfield either.

858

Ye that would make sense too Mac. Meyler has tended to be pretty conservative tho so he may see it as too much of a ‘risk’ to throw Lambert and Nolan back in but fook it, it’s knockout now and risks have to be taken. I think some combination of those 15 players is our best bet anyway.

859

I wouldnt be surprised to see PJ Nolan starting ahead of Stephen Nolan as Meyler said that Stephen will only play a part in the game. Think Lambert will start though instead of Tonks. I hope to god we dont see Jim Berry togging out on the '40. Cant understand why Meyler wont just leave Quigley there. Its his best position by a mile rather and wasting him in midfield.

860

[quote=“Bandage”]A TFK mole in the Wexford football camp told me we’re going to be unchanged for Sunday. It’s becoming a clich but it’s a 20-man game now! Seriously though, the likes of Rory Stafford, Shane Roche, David Walsh and Paddy Colfer could and probably will have a very important role to play from the bench.

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oh dear