Wexford boss Davy Fitzgerald blasts detractors of the sweeper system
Sunday 28 July 2019 20:09, UK
Wexford manager Davy Fitzgerald vehemently defended his side's system of play following their defeat to Tipperary.
The Yellowbellies ran out of steam in the All-Ireland semi-final, getting reeled in by the Premier.
"I couldn't be more proud of them," the Clare native said of his players, when speaking to the media after the game.
"How they tried to play that game was incredible, they were moving up and down the field.
"People talk to me about the sweeper system being negative, it's time to get down off their high horses and just look at hurling and stop being so negative. It drives me nuts.
"People talking about stuff they haven't a clue about. If you call Wexford negative then I don't know because we were getting attackers [forward], we were getting players all over the place. We scored three [goals], we could have scored six, we were there. We were right there.
"That's the right way to play hurling, not get it between two people and beat the lard out of each other. Play the game short and long, play it cross then be manful as well, people need to stop and have a look and let teams do their thing and stop being on their back. I'm so proud of our crowd and I'm so proud of our supporters as well. They never got on our back, they stayed with us and I'm wicked proud of them."
Having led by five points in the second half, the Model County will now head into the winter, wondering what might have been.
"It was an opportunity but I'm wicked proud of the guys, that was there for the winning," he continued.
"We did enough of stuff to nearly get over the line, I just feel the sending off, you'd think it would work for you, it actually didn't, it allowed Tipp more space and they got to avoid our sweeper a good bit, they played smart.
"I feel our half-forward line retreated too deep. I was trying to get them out to midfield so we could stay turning the ball, when we ran the ball there was only one winner in that game and it was just very hard to keep doing it. And whether it got into the boys' heads that when they had the lad sent off, they just went a bit too direct, a small bit too direct for my liking.
"I think when we worked it short we were incredible through the line but in saying that you have to admire Tipperary's resilience, they never gave up and fair play to them that's what hurling is about.
"My hat is off to them even though I'm absolutely so disappointed."
The pain of regret will sting in the southeast over the coming months.
"It hurts so badly because Wexford haven't been there in 23 years and more than anything I wanted this team to get there," Fitzgerald lamented. "I absolutely adore that bunch. If I asked that bunch to do anything for me, they would."
