Davy Fitzgerald hits back at critics of Wexford club championships

Davy Fitzgerald has hit back at criticisms of how the Wexford county board ran off their club championships in recent weeks.

The Model County elected to stage their hurling championship entirely, before starting with football. This led to suggestions that it was designed to facilitate the county team's preparations; something which Fitzgerald firmly denied.

"A lot of people jumped on that bandwagon. All I can tell you is for the last few weekends I'm down about 15 to 17 players," said the Yellowbellies boss.

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"95 per cent of our lads play football and we have 10 lads in county finals this weekend, that's for sure, and I probably won't be having them until the middle of the week, that's for definite.

"I was a bit disappointed...that we were accused of that. I thought it was a very forward way of thinking. If you really look at it, from an injury point of view and a players' point of view the club (hurling) managers got their players every single week whereas if it's a dual club you're switching from hurling to football, from football to hurling so you're not really doing anything. They're only getting bits and pieces of sessions.

"I thought it was a really good idea and definitely from an injury prevention point of view not to be switching codes every second week is a good idea. Was there a lot of stick going? There was. But in fairness to our county chairman he has a vision, he believes in doing things right, he doesn't mind what other counties think.

"I always believed it takes a massive leader to have guts and to do something like that. The people who came out and knocked us, I think it was wrong to tell you the truth. I think there was good success and I think the clubs are very happy with it."

And with the bulk of the Wexford county hurling squad playing club football, several players have picked up knocks.

"We are down a few at the moment," he said. "But listen, you've got to accept it, it's part and parcel of it.

"Hopefully within the next two or three we'll get them back."

National League frustrations

Wexford were due to face Galway in the National League quarter-final before the lockdown in March. As part of the re-start, the competition was essentially axed, with the Munster Championship meeting between Clare and Limerick doubling up as the springtime tournament's decider.

The Model County were chasing their first title since 1973.

"I do not agree with what they've done with the National League," said Fitzgerald.

"A National League title is very important. I grew up watching Clare National Leagues, that's what got me hurling was seeing Clare win their National Leagues under Father Harry Bohan and it inspired me.

"I 100 per cent believe that it's not the right way to do what they've just done. We're still in the National League, we lost one game, we're in the quarter-final and we're there on merit. The same as Galway are, I think Kilkenny and Waterford were there. I just think it was premature to do what they did and I don't think it's the right call. That's my honest opinion. I don't think you can just pick two teams and throw them into a league final.

"I'd like them to revisit it. Instead of maybe playing a Walsh Cup or playing something next year before the league, is take two or three weeks and play that off. I think it's important to finish out.

"If you start a competition a certain way, you can't change in the middle of a competition is my honest view. My honest view is you can't change a competition like that, you can't just pick two teams and throw them into a final. That's not the way it works.

"And I know the year that's in it, I accept all that. That's just my honest feeling, you can't just change a competition in the middle of the year and do that."

And he feels neither John Kiely nor Brian Lohan will view their Munster Championship meeting as anything but a chance to progress to the semi-final against Tipperary:

"The Clare boys and the Limerick lads, their only focus will be the Munster quarter final, to get through that, to get to a semi-final. It does devalue it. The National League has its own standing, the Allianz League has been brilliant, and I'd like it to remain that way."

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