Potential All-Ireland champions four years ago, Wexford are now staring into the abyss.
Five points clear against eventual champions Tipperary in the second half of the All-Ireland 2019 semi-final, Wexford lost their way and were beaten by two points late on, so when Larry Murphy says they “were probably just unlucky not to win the All”. -Ireland no year”, is hardly pushing the limits of credibility.
“Momentum and all, I think Wexford had a chance,” says Murphy, one of the heroes of the 1996 All-Ireland victory.
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“If you look, again, at the age profile of the team, people like Lee Chin, Matthew O’Hanlon, Dee O’Keeffe, all these guys were really at the peak of their powers, high confidence, high maturity, fierce drive, Rory O’Connor flying and all the guys were really humming at that stage.
“The problem was, when you get to the top, you always go downhill, and unfortunately, with Covid and everything, we went downhill and I absolutely needed a change.
“Darragh Egan’s entry certainly caused a reaction from the players, whether by design or accident or whatever, but since Waterford [League semi-final] game last year I think there have been red flags in a way with the way we’re playing.
“I think we have lost our identity in the way we play. He wouldn’t be a fan of the current tactics.”
After losing to Westmeath last Sunday, they must beat Kilkenny to be absolutely sure of avoiding relegation to the Joe McDonagh Cup and that is a very difficult task given the way their form and confidence have plummeted.
“What’s really frustrating to me is that we should be looking into what happened to Offaly and say, ‘This better not happen to us’ and the responsibility lies with the county, with the support of the county board, but I think that there is a terrible lot of work being done. I wonder if the standards are raised enough.
“The sun will still come up on Monday morning and if the reality is that we are back in the Joe McDonagh Cup, it would be arrogant of us to say, ‘That’s not what we deserve’ or whatever.
“If we’re in it, we’re in it for a bloody reason and the reason was, the facts speak for themselves, we haven’t beaten anyone better than us this year.”
There have been rallying cries for the Wexford public to come out and support the team tomorrow, but it’s hard to sell after last Sunday’s collapse against Westmeath.
“I hope people support them, I hope they come down and I hope they are patient,” Murphy emphasizes. “The only time we have to be ahead is at the 70th minute or the 75th minute or whatever.
“The chairman came out last week and talked about supporting Wexford and I myself felt very, very aggrieved. It was a misjudged comment in my opinion.
“It showed a slight disconnect with the people of Wexford and it also shows a lack of empathy with what people are facing because there are some absolutely fantastic Wexford people who love to support the county, turn around and deviate from some of the things . that are going on, I thought that was an absolutely low shot and I would be very, very mad at him for it.
“I want to go there and I want to shout for Wexford and the county, for the players. Am I frustrated with the players? Yes, I’m frustrated with them, but that’s not going to help them.”
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